It started with a wink and a nudge, the appointment of Jon Cruddas to a major policy brief. It continued with Ed Balls winking even more and a guest appearance by Peter Mandelson. But the news that Labour was considering a referendum on European Union membership has left me furious. I do not want to argue for denying the British people a vote on the EU (I believe that we may not even lose it. While it would be an incredibly difficult referendum to win, I think with the choice laid out in front of the British people, they may just choose jobs and prosperity), but I want to argue that, if we are to promise a referendum, it be for the right reasons.
The opportunism. The brazen opportunism. This, the Ed Miliband who was just beginning to assume a potential-prime-minister-in-waiting image – an actual principled politician leading a party against an incompetent coalition government, reverting to tit-for-tat opposition. Just what are we trying to prove, and to whom? These are the questions you want answers to if you are to pursue a certain policy area. We talk about what we want to do for the country, in an effort to persuade the electorate that we are a responsible party with a programme for government. This sounds like a basic point; let us ask ourselves why our leadership is putting the feelers out for this policy.
What are we trying to prove? That we are trustworthy on Europe? To the electorate, they’ve heard it all before. We promised them a referendum on the EU constitution, and wriggled out of it by arguing the Lisbon treaty was a significantly different document. Two-thirds of the electorate decided we had reneged on that 2005 election promise. Perhaps we are trying to prove that we are Eurosceptic, given the tough times the EU is enduring? Historically, we have had a problem with Europe (not as divisive as the Conservative party of course) but have we finally decided that we are now against being members of the EU? I do not believe so. That we have an unswervable dedication to democracy? I believe the fourth sentence of this paragraph answers that: pull the other one, mate. We aren’t entertaining this policy for the right reasons, then.
Who are we saying this to? Here is where I am most bemused. Why just dip our toes? The reason for this, I believe, is it is not an attempt to outbid UKIP for Eurosceptic voters. We would campaign (I hope) on a broadly pro-EU platform – and when we do so we will be back at step one. We would be courting a press that is hostile to us for no good reason whatsoever. They would turn against us once again in a flash as soon as Miliband and Hollande did that joint press conference. Is it for the electorate? Clearly not. There is no electoral advantage to be gained. First, it is to our benefit that UKIP dent the Conservative vote and, second, there is not a particularly strong pro-Europe vote to be reaped in this country. It fails both questions of policy: what and who.
We are playing politics with an issue that is not a game. The main reason we have nudged and winked is to spook David Cameron and the payroll cabinet vote, to poke at the Tory backwoodsmen with a large European stick (adhering to all the EU regulations, so you know it’s a very good stick). I don’t want an opposition that is opportunistic. You want a referendum? Stand in front of a big blue flag with lots of stars on and say we want a referendum because we are tired of the Eurosceptics’ bleating. It’s a choice. Don’t do it to rupture a fragile coalition and a fragile Conservative party: they can do that themselves.
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Curtis McLellan is the international officer for Labour Students and former club co-chair of Manchester Labour Students, and tweets @cjmclellan
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Curtis, you are beginning to sound like Ken Clarke. Peter Mandelson, who is alot more pro-European than you, is in favour of a referendum. The director of the People’s Pledge, is a Europhile in the Labour Party. We have got to accept that the people have not had a say on Europe for almost forty years, and if we are to be blessed with the chance of forming a government in 2015 we should make the case for a referendum and allow the people to make up their mind. It is a very winnable referendum and we can be credible on the issue of Europe if we give the people that vote. The Treaty of Lisbon thing was to do with the European Union being undemocratic, not the Labour Party breaking its promise. Now we have a chance to renew Britain’s relationship with Europe and destroying the Conservative Party and we would be foolish not to take it.
Sorry, I think offering a referendum is a matter of sound principle. First, we did renege on the last promise, and it would be good to make a promise this time and keep it. Perhaps we could get over the cynicism by stating a clear and short timetable following the election for the referendum to take place.
Second, it is genuinely the case that the European deal has changed profoundly from the purely free trade area people thought they were joining in the 70s. Whether you are for or against the EU, there is no gainsaying that anyone who prophesied anything like the level of integration we have now was denounced as a scaremonger during that 70s referendum campaign. It is unanswerable that sovereignty has been eroded by stealth, and again, whether you think that loss of sovereignty is good or bad, it is clear that the electorate was never asked its opinion.
There is an issue of democratic legitimacy here which goes beyond one’s opinion for or against the EU
With all the current economic and other problems facing both the U.K. and the rest of Europe, a referendum can only be a distraction from getting to grips with the real problems.
People under 50 have no idea of how bureaucratic even just travelling on holiday round our continent used to be, or the massive increase in living standards enjoyed over the last 50 years by Europe’s citizens (we in the U.K. are also European citizens), let alone the political and economic stability we have enjoyed until the banks put it in jeopardy and needed bailing out. The great tragedy of present times is that we seem to have lost the sense of solidarity which existed in Europe through the 90s and early 2000s. Those of us who believe in the European project as providing the most hopeful development in centuries for our continent have been remiss in the U.K. in not pointing out forcefully enough that a single market requires common rules regulating trade; as E.U. members, we have a say in those rules, which Norway and Sweden don’t have. The Murdoch press, the Telegraph, the Mail and the Express papers will have a field day peddling half truths and outright lies about the E.U. in a referendum campaign. The real issues which need to be addressed will get lost – namely how the ordinary people of Europe can be best protected from rapacious bankers and speculators and multi national companies who hate the idea of a transnational organisation which can limit their ability to exploit them.
Curtis,
You are absolutely right.
Indeed, the sleeze that has accompanied the “will we-won’t we” position has made the probability of holding a referendum less likely. (Maybe good news?)
When journalists pose the question “but this is all about trying to split the Tories and not about Europe?” I’m sure our leaders will lie through their teeth and deny it.
It will be equivalent to Gordon Brown telling everyone we never intended to hold an early general election back in the first 6 months of his term of office.
Everyone knew that was a lie, and once you are caught telling porkies no-one believes you thereafter.
Dave Wilcox
A referendum would that include Ireland Scotland and wales, I know Wales have said they would not want to go down that route, we get large sums of money from the EU we would never get anywhere else.
I suspect the battle would be getting the three countries Wales NI and Scotland to for the referendum, would you force it, if for example the Assembly of wales which now has law making powers says no thanks.
Interesting.
Why are you here? You slag off Progress all the time on LL and suggest to people that you don’t agree with that they would be better on on this site and yet here you are you hypocrite.
hello mate still taking the medication
I think the party is positioning itself for an inevitable debate on Europe. We’re doing the right thing. As time goes on our view on Europe has to evolve given the disastrous situation with the Euro.
Looking for a home.