Should left back Corbyn on Brexit?

Submitted by AWL on 16 January, 2019 - 10:38

Solidarity approached Pete Willsman, secretary of the Campaign for Labour Party Democracy and a member of Labour’s National Executive, to give him space in an interview to explain CLPD’s line on Brexit, criticised in Solidarity 490. Pete wasn’t able to do an interview, but explained his stance in a text¬message exchange.


W: CLPD is focusing on defending JC [Jeremy Corbyn], so we go one step at a time.

S: But there’s going to be another step on 15 January come what may. And steps have implications for the future. It is becoming too late for a general election to be run before 29 March. So, for example, the issue has to arise of demanding postponement of the Brexit date.

W: Let’s see what JC decides. Don’t get your knickers in a twist! The Iraq war was a big issue. 10p on a pot of marmite is not so big.

S: End of free movement with Europe and re-raising of borders (including within Ireland) is a big deal.

W: Nearly a million were killed in Iraq. How many killed by Brexit?

S: We don’t know the implications of re¬raising borders in Europe. The first half of the 20th century suggests they can be bad. But the fact that the Tories aren’t Hitler or Stalin doesn’t mean their Brexit project is all right.

W: The EU is protectionist via¬a-vis the poor in the Third World. Bit like mercantilism in the 17th century. Marx wasn’t keen on that.

S: Not as protectionist as a walled¬off Britain.

And we gave Willsman the last word: “Under a Labour government we won’t be walled off”.

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