Defend Free Movement

Left Unity welcomes Labour’s recent statement, writes Principal Speaker, Joseph Healy

“We welcome the decision by the Labour Party to remain in the customs union and the single market during the transition period for up to 4 years. This protects the jobs of millions of UK workers as well as helping the talks on keeping the border with the Irish Republic open for free movement of goods and people. It also allows free movement of people to and from the UK across the EU, which will allow many UK and EU citizens to study, work and live where they want to across Europe.

However, despite having made a step in the right direction, Labour must not listen to the siren voices of those like John Mann, who continue to argue that Labour must support a hard Brexit. A hard Brexit would spell both economic catastrophe and the loss of freedom of movement, a precious right which must be fought for. We call on the Labour Party to go further and mark its defence of free movement and workers’ rights, by calling for the UK to remain in the single market and the customs union not just for the transition period but in the long term. In the interim, Left Unity will work with its sister parties in the European Left to transform the European Union and to make it a Europe which supports peace and prosperity for all of the people of Europe.”