The forgotten arguments since Boris's hollow Brexit bus.

To make a decision on Brexit MPs have the unenviable task of weighing two incompatible realities:

• Leaving the EU gives back to the UK electorate the right to hire and fire those that govern them.

• Leaving the EU will cause years and years of economic disruption on a scale that we have not seen since the 1920s.

Below: Tony Benn puts the democratic case for leaving the EU

More on the EU:

• Brexit could take 10 years and might not happen at all
• Will the UK ever leave the EU? 
• The European Union IN or OUT

Why people will always need protest

At the Tolpuddle Martyrs museum 2017 

Throughout history people have always had to fight for their rights. Rights denied them by the ruling elite, whether those in power be emperors, Russian Tsars, French, or British monarchs, fascist dictators, or unelected administrators handing out directives in organisations such as the European Union.

Over time, and considerable struggle, people have achieved a great deal to overcome oppression. For example, the right not to be treated as property, as the slaves were until the abolition of slavery in 1807. We also take it for granted today, but it really wasn't that long ago that only the very wealthiest property owners that were allowed to vote in general elections. Men with urban property got the vote in 1867, while men without property over 21, had to wait until after the end of First World War in 1918 to be eligible to vote. Women without property, thanks to the Suffraget Movement, finally got the vote ten years later in 1928. Finally, under a Labour Government, Harold Wilson in 1969 made it possible for 18 year olds to decide who represents them in Parliament, and so the fight for democracy goes on. Today, 16 year olds, while old enough to get married and have children, are unable to vote. It must be right that young people should have the chance to choose who makes the laws that they are expected to obey? Democracy, it seems, even now, is work-in-progress.

As a consequence of past class struggles men and women are now able to vote in general elections and choose, if they wish, to elect representatives that will demand a descent living wage, a proper education, adequate health care and to be cared for when they get old.  Progressive change would not have happened were it not for the 19th century liberal approach to politics, or without 20th century Socialism. 

For me it seems an enduring truth that there are two broad views of how people are to be governed: The Conservative way and the Labour way. The distinction is simple, the Conservative Party exists to look after and maintain the the interests of the owners capital while the Labour Party's purpose is to protect the workers (the people that created the wealth) and to make sure that the ill treatment and shameful exploitation of human beings that existed in the past should never be allowed to come back again. 

There is still much work to do and damaging inequality still remains in the UK. For example, the richest 1000 people have more wealth than the poorest 40% of the population.

Realistically, it's going to be difficult to persuade, or legislate to compel those currently controlling the country's wealth to part with it, because once the cash is in their hands they are adept at finding imaginative ways to cling on to it. The money goes offshore, squirreled away in trust funds so that the very wealthy never really pay a fair share of tax. As a consequence life remains a struggle for those without the financial means to compete, so the best most people can do is hope for is an occasional Labour Government who, if they resist the temptation to slip back into Tory Light, should be capable of temporarily tipping the balance in favour of working people and take sufficient power away from the wealthy few so that, maybe, nurses, carers and others desperate for assistance, won't have use food banks to keep going? I think we're due for that kind of change right now. 

History of Voting
Equal Franchise Act 1928
Labour's Manifesto 2017
UK Equality Trust
World Wealth Inequality
More on Socialism
Why I voted for Jeremy Corbyn in 2015

European Union Referendum. In or Out?

In or Out EU Referendum 23rd June 2016 

Despite living in Cornwall, where there are more benefits to membership of the European Union (EU) than there are for some, I am still making up my mind whether to vote to remain part of the EU on June 23rd. 
Here's a few key issues from the EU debate which I've been considering before deciding which way to vote in what is probably the most important political question of our lifetime.
A peaceful and social Europe?
The EU certainly isn't all bad. We haven't had a war with Germany and Italy for a while and many of the social policies coming out of Europe have tempered an otherwise unthinking and rapacious free market. I have in mind improved employment rights, things like paternal leave and safety at work, but, on the other hand, surely these changes to workers rights could have been made here in the UK, if our elected MPs cared enough that is...
Is it right that EU Commissioners, that you probably have never seen, or even heard of, make many of the laws used to govern the UK?
The democratic argument for leaving the EU is that it's law making procedures and institutions are not democratic. Decisions are made in secret by EU Commissioners that are appointed and not elected.  Ultimately, the only way to stop these directives becoming enshrined in UK law is for a majority of the Council of Ministers to vote against them, but since the UK is only one voice in twenty eight our ability to influence decision making in Europe is minimal. On top of this mathematical reality, as other EU member states become increasingly aware that the UK is, at the very best, ideologically semi-detached from Europe, the hard core and more powerful members of the EU, i.e. Germany and France, are likely to dig their heals in and make it even more difficult for the UK's Ministers to have a meaningful say in Europe.
Here's the late Tony Benn speaking in 1975 on the undemocratic nature of the European Economic Community which later became known as the European Union:

What economic power has the UK got outside the EU?
If we decide to properly leave the EU, that is without a free trade agreement, the EU will be more expensive for UK to do business with and this will reduce EU trade. It is also by no means certain that the international trade lost from the EU will automatically be replaced by trade with the rest of the world, or on such favourable terms. 
The reality of the situation is that the UK is no longer the superpower it was before the second world war and today ranks as the sixth largest economy in the world. Outside the EU free trade area it will be be more difficult for UK businesses to negotiate as good trading agreements, which will inevitably drag down economic growth. Add to this to this the rise of State Capitalism in Asia and it's not hard to imagine a lose-lose scenario emerging in the years ahead. In short, the decision to leave the EU has to consider the impact of Britain's reduced international stature.
If we end our marriage with the EU will it be a messy divorce?
In view of the power-shift away from the West towards the East, the long term economic benefit to the UK remaining of part of the EU is, I believe, marginal. Business need not fret too much. Businessmen the world over are sufficiently greedy to do deals irrespective of political systems. Further, the UK consistently runs a trade imbalance with the EU meaning that we buy more from them than they buy from us. If the UK pulls out of Europe, it is unlikely that France and Germany will refuse to sell us their Renaults and BMWs? In practice, the EU will realise that their economies are suffering enough without their politicians not playing ball. It's arguable, therefore, that coming out of the EU wouldn't alter the balance of trade with Europe too much, not once it all settles down.
Should we have faith in UK democracy and cut ourselves loose of the European Union?
Overall, because of the undemocratic nature of the EU and the feeling I have of being disconnected from the EU political process, I am considering  voting to come out of the European Union in the June 23rd and look forward with interest to the Remainer's headed by David Cameron, George Osborne and Theresa May to make the democratic and economic case for staying in...
In - Out Referendum
The case for Europe: The UK government's opinion on EU membership
More arguments for and against UK membership of the EU

UK Independence Party view on EU membership
Latest You Gov polls on which way the EU membership referendum
EUReferendum.com
What the UK public think about EU membership
More Politics

Tony Benn on arms sales to Iraq

The problems in Middle East go back a long way. This is the sadly missed Tony Benn speaking in the House of Commons (1992) on the arms sales to Iraq in 1992. 

The ability to look back and then  ahead is an essential mark of an effective Prime Minister...

Read more about the 2015 Middle East Arms Race

More from Tony Benn

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Tony Benn | WILL AND TESTAMENT

Tony Benn dies aged 88 | Read full details...

SHOUT-OUT | "If you want justice go to the people. Don't go the the guys at the top" #TonyBenn http://t.co/1Lv5K89uVZ pic.twitter.com/fdye4hhKri
— Quotilucious (@Quotilucious) October 10, 2014

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