Left Unity condemns Fabian Society attack on free movement

Left Unity condemns the position advanced in today’s Fabian Society report calling for the Labour party to back an end to free movement. It wrongly states that EU migrants are responsible for downward pressure on wages and reductions in living standards. This is not true.

Reports show that immigration is a net contributor to the economy overall and may actually lead to a small increase in average wages. Reductions in living standards are due to government austerity policies and will be made worse by the ending of free movement. Misrepresenting the facts for political gain is deplorable, particularly when it results in violent attacks upon and killings of European workers.

Left Unity Principal Speaker Joseph Healy said:

“The report today from the Fabian Society quoting New Labour luminaries Rachel Reeves, Stephen Kinnock and Chuka Umunna and calling for Labour to end free movement of people within the EU is a betrayal of rights held by both UK and EU citizens. It is a retreat into a Little Englander fortress mentality and a blatant attempt to pursue the UKIP vote in the Labour heartlands.

“If this becomes Labour policy it will signal Labour’s retreat before reactionary xenophobic forces and an abandonment of both EU citizens in the UK and young UK people who voted for an ‘open Europe’. Left Unity will continue to fight for the free movement of people, the rights of EU citizens living here and against the surrender to racist and xenophobic tendencies.

“We urge Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn to reject this disgraceful approach.”



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