Let the good times roll…

The race for the Labour leadership has begun. Not officially. No leadership challenge has been formally made. No election under rules has been set. And Sir Keir Starmer is still at the helm. But no one doubts that his days are numbered as Wes Streeting and Andy Burnham set out their stalls in preparation for the contest to come which will give one of them the keys to Number Ten.
Streeting is a Blairite who has nothing to offer working people apart from more of the same rubbish they got from Starmer. He wisely plays down the fact that he was a protégé of the disgraced Peter Mandelson while Andy Burnham plays up demands for social justice to fend off the Greens and woo back the Labour vote on the streets that until recently had traditionally backed Labour. The self-proclaimed “left” on the Labour back-benches – the sort who support the Socialist Campaign Group and other Bennite campaigns – is backing Burnham, largely to keep Streeting out. John McDonnell, a one-time ally of Jeremy Corbyn, says that the former Labour leader should be able to rejoin the party if Burnham becomes leader. But this has been ruled out by the Burnham camp.
But everything hinges on Burnham winning the Makerfield seat. If he fails – and the Faragists are going to put up a strong challenge – then all bets are off for both Andy Burnham and Wes Streeting.

Back in Brussels…

...all eyes are on the battle for Labour’s top job. Whoever gets it it’s a win-win for the Common Market. Streeting is opening calling for a return to the European Union. Burnham says nothing now that could play into Farage’s hand but only last year he told his supporters that “I want to rejoin the EU. I hope it happens in my lifetime…”. Whoever wins a second referendum looks inevitable. Rejoining the EU is now back on the agenda, and the Remainers are winning the argument given the pathetic leaders of the Brexit camp these days.
The Tories had a golden opportunity after Brexit to build an independent British economy freed from the fetters of the European Union. Johnson, Truss and Sunak squandered it in pursuit of the impossible dream of a free trade agreement with the United States – that was never on the cards in Washington. 
Lexit, the left case for leaving the European Union, never got off the ground. The public face of the Brexiteers is now that of Nigel Farage, Kemi Badenoch and the followers of Tommy Robinson that we see draped in Union Jacks at the anti-immigration rallies of the lunatic fringe.
But one only has to look at what’s happening in Europe today to see that rejoining the European Union will not solve the problems of working people. Communists need to make the case for staying out of the EU, trading freely with everyone throughout the world and building an independent economy needed to restore our public services in the 21st century. 

The road to Brussels

The Remainers are on the march. The newly ennobled Lord Cameron is back in the saddle as No 3 in the Sunak government and while his first overseas visits were predictably to Ukraine and Israel, his major task is to rebuild economic and diplomatic bridges with the European Union.
    Rishi Sunak has made it clear that he’s not going to do anything to rock the Brexit boat in the run-up to the next election. But the return of David Cameron to the Foreign Office is more than a sop to the Remainers in his ranks. It’s a victory for those sections of the ruling class that want Britain back in the UK and it can only help build their block in Parliament. The Scottish nationalists and the Liberal-Democrats are long-time Returners. So are most Labour MPs. The next strep for the Remainers is to move for the return of the prominenti kicked out by Boris Johnson in 2019 when they tried to stop the no-deal Brexit. This will then, they hope, create enough cross-party support for a second-referendum in the near future regardless of who’s in power at the time.
    The Tory Brexiteers are rudderless. Their self-appointed parliamentary leader was Boris Johnson – now seen for the fool he always was. Their real leader was, of course, Nigel Farage who has abandoned politics for the more lucrative shores of reality TV. Johnson reduced the Eurosceptic argument to a crude choice between the Treaty of Rome and a Treaty of Washington which was a figment of his imagination. Now all these Brexiteers have got left is planes to Rwanda, racism and anti-immigrant hysteria.
    But the European Union isn’t a benevolent society. It’s a fraud, an institution designed solely for the benefit of the oppressors and exploiters. What few benefits the EU has brought, such as increased trade and open borders, could all have been achieved through separate agreements and treaties.
Johnson had a golden opportunity to make Brexit work. He squandered it with all this nonsense about a deal with Donald Trump that was never going to happen. But it still can work if the UK takes Brexit seriously and open its doors to free trade with China and the rest of the world.

The Covid enquiry

The nonsense about “herd immunity”; the callous and incompetent response to the pandemic that led to many avoidable deaths amongst the frail and the elderly and the indifference of a Prime Minister who most of them time seemingly let Dominic Cummings, his Rasputin-like aide, steer the ship of state. It’s all coming out in the Covid inquiry. None of this should surprise us. Johnson’s despicable conduct, and that of his henchmen showed how totally unfit all of them were for high office.
    Johnson counts for nothing in the political arena now. Crawling to the Trump crowd in the United States and grand-standing amongst the Ukrainians is all that Johnson’s got left these days. Johnson is fortunately gone. Sunak will, hopefully soon follow.
    Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, may have jumped the gun when she claimed the UK could be on the path to rejoining the European Union last week. But she clearly reflects the thinking of the European old guard that want to see Britain speedily returning to the European fold.

'Black Ribbon Day': more lies from the bourgeois camp!

By Nikos Mottas

The European Union  once again resorts to hideous anti-communism on the occasion of the so-called ‘European Day of Remembrance for victims of Stalinism and Nazism’ (known as ‘Black Ribbon Day’), which is observed annually on 23rd August.
    In a joint statement, the vice-president of the EU Commission Vera Jourova and the EU Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders reproduce the same old anti-communist slanders about the 1939 Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact. Without any respect for history, the EU officials repeat the blatant lie about the supposed “alliance between the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany”.
    In their statement, Jourova and Reynders shamelessly write that the Molotov–Ribbentrop non-aggression Pact “plunged Europe into darkness” and “led to the violation of the fundamental rights of millions of Europeans and it claimed the lives of millions more”.
    Once again the EU proves that anti-communism is a core part of its official ideology. The above statement by EU officials distorts history in order to vilify the Soviet Union and communism.
    Vera Jourova and Didier Reynders hide the fact that the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact followed the 1938 Munich Agreement between Nazi Germany, Italy, Britain and France. The apologists of imperialism try to downgrade the significance of the 1938 Munich Agreement; however, it had a tremendous impact as an act of appeasement towards the Nazis. Following the agreement, Nazi Germany annexed Czechoslovakia and intensified their expansionist aggression towards Eastern Europe.
    The EU deliberately hides the fact that long before the 1939 Molotov–Ribbentrop non-aggression Pact, the Soviet Union tried many times to reach a defensive deal with Britain and France. Even a few months before the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact, on 23rd July 1939, the Soviets proposed the formation of a defence plan to Britain and France in case of a German attack; they refused, as long as the British had been secretly negotiating in London a non-aggression pact with Hitler’s representatives.
    What the EU and its bourgeois governments and parties are trying to do is to sow the seeds of anti-communism in the younger generations. That is why they blatantly distort history by shamelessly equating Communism with Nazism.
    The EU establishes “memorial days against totalitarianism” in order to hide that the only existing totalitarianism is the one of capitalist barbarity. Behind the rhetoric about “democracy” and “human rights”, the EU hides its participation in imperialist crimes, wars and interventions.
    But what kind of ‘democracy’ exists in Poland or the Baltic States where the communist parties face persecution, where communist symbols are banned, where the communists are being imprisoned?
    What ‘human rights’ does the EU defend when it participates in imperialist wars against the people of other countries (such as Yugoslavia, Libya, Iraq and Syria), or when it promotes and sponsors openly fascist coups such as the one in Ukraine?
    The people of Europe must draw conclusions. The EU’s anti-communism goes hand-in-hand with the intensification of the attack against workers’ rights; it is connected to the strengthening of repression mechanisms in every member-state.
    Let the EU imperialists and their stooges – conservative, social democratic or liberals alike – be aware: Anti-communism shall not pass!

Johnson’s dilemma

The Prime Minister’s ministerial purge that led to the resignation of the Chancellor, Sajid Javid, and the appointment of a special adviser that was speedily withdrawn following cross-party protests over his crackpot racist views, demonstrate the inherent instability of the Johnson administration.

The Tory Daily Mail tells us that “half the Cabinet” feel unable to work with Dominic Cummings, the aide who pulls the strings behind the throne of the Johnson government, who many believe isn’t even a paid-up member of the Conservative Party. It doesn’t augur well for the future of the current Tory leader, despite the sweeping victory at the December general election that ended Tory dependence on the votes of the sectarian bigots in northern Ireland.

But Johnson has little to fear in the short term. His Tory Europhile rivals were kicked out of the party in September whilst Labour politicians, who should be exploiting the disarray in the Tory ranks, are instead falling over themselves to distance themselves from Corbynism and pledge their loyalty to Zionism in the Labour leadership contest now taking place.

Although Brexit seems done and dusted, future trading relations with the European Union (EU) have still to be thrashed out with Brussels. A substantial section of the ruling class is still opposed to leaving the EU and although they have clearly lost their grip on the Tory Party, they still can count on the Liberal Democrats, Scottish nationalists and most of the Parliamentary Labour Party to argue their case.

They will look to Sir Keir Starmer, the front-runner in the Labour leadership race who is the unrepentant architect of Labour’s volte face over Brexit that cost them the election, and Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, to continue to promote the alleged benefits of EU membership.

Last week Sadiq Khan called on Brussels to offer free movement for Britons through “associate citizenship”, as the “next best thing” to membership. Khan said that re-joining the EU was not foreseeable in the “short to medium term” but associate citizenship of the bloc could be one way to “make the best of Brexit”. Although “associate membership” may be theoretically feasible within current EU rules, it clearly is incompatible with British law as it stands at the moment. But Khan’s motive, like Starmer’s justification for Labour’s Brexit U-turn, is simply to keep the issue on the political agenda.

Trump trumped

US imperialism’s position in the Middle East is collapsing like a house of cards following the Syrian army’s sweeping victories over the sectarian terror gangs in the Turkish occupied Idlib enclave and the collapse of the so-called “deal of the century”, that the Americans supposed could resolve the Palestine issue by giving the Zionists everything they want.

Trump’s ‘deal’ leaves Arab Jerusalem and large swathes of occupied Palestinian West Bank territory under Israeli occupation in exchange for some worthless bits of desert along the frontier with Egypt that the USA claims could be developed into industrial zones. The Palestinians get nothing apart from a puppet state, much like those set up by the Nazis in German-occupied Europe, that would be totally dependent on Israel and financial support that the Americans expect the feudal Arab oil princes to provide.

Communists call for the immediate and unconditional end to the Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip and for a comprehensive peace treaty, based on past United Nations resolutions, to end the Middle East conflict.

United Nations resolutions provided the basis for a just and lasting peace in the Middle East. First of all, Israel must withdraw totally from all the occupied territories seized in 1967, including Arab East Jerusalem and Syria’s Golan Heights. The Palestinians must be allowed to establish a state of their own on the West Bank and Gaza Strip. The Palestinian refugees whose homes are now in Israel must be allowed to return or, if they so wish, be paid appropriate compensation in exchange. All states in the region, including Israel, should have internationally agreed and recognised frontiers guaranteed by all the Great Powers.

Delayed Victory for the Working Class

Today, the 31^st January 2020, marks the belated implementation (however flawed) of the decision made by the British people, and in particular the working class, on the 23^rd June 2016 to leave European Union (EU). A Brexit conducted by a Tory Government is not exactly what the working class voted for. It is essentially the same one supported by former Prime Minister Theresa May with a few bits of window dressing.

The main thing however, is that at long last we are leaving the corrupt neoliberal institution that is the EU, despite the fact that the British ruling class has done everything in its power to defeat the will of the people.

The fact that a few City mavericks such as Jacob Rees-Mogg and former city trader Nigel Farage have been the leading lights in the Leave campaign does nothing to alter the irrefutable fact that British capitalism overwhelmingly supports remaining tied to the EU. We need not shed too many tears for those who might have to wait a bit longer in the passport queue when they travel between Belgravia and their Tuscany villas. Nor need we fear chlorinated chicken, we do not need to buy it if we don’t want to, in any case it is healthier than the germ-ridden organic chicken that comes in at five times the price.

The claims that the fortunes of Britain’s youth have been ruined by Brexit depriving them of job opportunities is utter nonsense, at least they won’t have to worry about being conscripted into the European army, which is a priority of former German defence minister and now EU President Ursula von der Leyen.

Contrary to the fables from the likes of the Guardian and the TUC, the EU did not bring any rights whatsoever to the British working class. Those rights that we do have, have come from the struggle of the working class over the centuries through its trade unions, political parties and other mass organisations.

Internationalism does not mean kowtowing to the ruling classes of France and Germany. Proletarian internationalism means supporting the Yellow Vests against the French capitalist class. Engineers in socialist Poland used to work as engineers in Poland, now they have to become seasonal fruit pickers in Britain to survive. If anyone really cares about Polish workers they should support their struggles.

The nationalist parties in the British Isles – the Scottish National Party, Plaid Cymru and Sinn Féin – need to realise that their sometimes recent faith in the EU has been greatly misplaced. Members of these parties who claim to be progressive need to open their eyes and see what damage the EU has had on smaller countries, which makes the Tory austerity they decry seem like they have the impertinence defy the rules of the bankers who are the real masters of the EU. “The enemy of my enemy is my friend” is a pithy Arabic proverb but it is not always a good guide to policy.

If anyone thinks that Boris Johnson is bad they ought to have a look at prime ministers Mateusz Morawiecki of Poland and Viktor Orbán of Hungary to see what real right-wingers look like. In the early days of the Thatcher years Britain’s trade unions were all too quick to swallow the lies about “Social Europe” and abandon their opposition to what was then the Common Market. That belief was wrong then but the workers have their eyes open, even if trade union bureaucrats still believe that Christmas presents some from Santa Claus.

New Worker readers will not be waving any Union Jack flags but we can be proud of the fact that in opposing the EU the NCP has acted in the interests of the working classes of Britain and abroad. Great struggles lie ahead that will not be easy but at least one of the fetters holding back the working class has been broken.

We can all rejoice in the discomfort in the ranks in the ruling class about Brexit actually taking place. It is up to us to take full advantage of the opportunities it offers.

Brexit -- two steps foward...

Though the Tory Government managed to get Commons agreement to allow the revised Brexit deal to go forward in parliament Labour and the rest of the opposition combined to reject the Prime Minister’s plan to fast-track it. Johnson clearly cannot keep his pledge to take Britain out of the European Union by the end of the month and the ball is, once again, in the European court. They are, almost certainly, going to extend Britain’s departure date by three months. But what comes next is anyone’s guess.

            Johnson wants a snap general election but that ceased to be the Prime Minister’s gift when the Tories signed up to the Five Term Parliament Act to keep their Liberal-Democrat allies quiet in 2011. An early general election now can only be called if a two-thirds of the House of Commons agree – and Labour will not consider it until the “no-deal” option is ruled out altogether.

            Some Tory MPs are arguing for a short new motion specifying the date of an early election that could be passed by a simple majority. But Johnson is not likely to heed them as this could lead to amendments like lowering the voting age to 16 that the Tories believe would favour Labour’s chances. The third option is for Johnson to call for a vote of no confidence in his own government which would not only need Labour support to succeed but would open the door to  a combine opposition forming an alternative “national unity” government – which it could do now that it has the numbers to do it.

            Maybe that was discussed when Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour leader, held private talks with Boris Johnson this week. We don’t know because both sides say nothing was agreed when they met.

            Some Leavers say the Johnson’s deal is the best Brexit we’re ever going to get. But it’s not. Johnson’s rehash of Mrs May’s “Chequers Plan” may have resolved the Irish “backstop” question by limiting Britain’s future relations with the EU  but it’s not the clean break needed to restore the country’s independent economic life.

            The Remainers, on the other hand, could have accepted Mrs May’s “Brexit in Name Only” plan but they didn’t. They’re certainly not going to embrace the watered-down version Johnson’s drawn up.

 They don’t want Britain to leave the EU under any circumstances.            From the start they’ve campaigned for a second vote – a “people’s vote” that would reverse the historic decision to leave in 2016 with a convincing majority and legitimise Britain’s continued membership of the EU. They need a “national unity” government or a tame Labour coalition to pave the way.

The first option can only realistically happen if all the opposition close ranks around Corbyn. Though horse-trading between Labour and the other opposition parties and the Tory rebels has begun there clearly is still no consensus around the Labour leader.

The second one only works for them if the result is a hung parliament that would lead to a Labour government dependent on the Remainer votes of the Lib-Dems and the Scottish and Welsh nationalists to remain in office.

Amidst all this uncertainty one thing is clear. The initiative is now in the hands of a shadowy cabal of Remainer politicians and neither Johnson nor Corbyn can do anything about it. But workers can by building the movement to sweep Labour back into power on a programme to end austerity and empower the unions to raise the standard of living of every worker across the country. It can and must be done!