Democrat Editorial November-December 2010 (Number 121)
"Tough" for whom and why?
Plus a solution
"Tough" for whom and why?
Plus a solution
The 7 billion euros promised for Ireland by Mr Osborne endorsed by the millionaire’s Con-Dem cabinet is not to save jobs or the welfare state in either Britain or Ireland but to protect the interests of the banks, bondholders and there bonuses. For the Chancellor to state “this loan is in Britain ’sinterests” hides the fact that British banks have around £150billion invested in Irish banks.
The process of rearranging and hi-jacking the sovereign affairs of Ireland has been pressed in place by the bully boys from the IMF, EU Central Bank and European Commission. As our lead article makes clear this is none other than the worst direct and deliberate attack on the independence of the Republic of Ireland since it was founded in 1922.
Having visited Greece and Ireland the bully boys have threatened to tour Lisbon in Portugal followed by Madrid in Spain and other Member States who dare offend the bankers and EU Growth and Stability Pact rules.
However wrapped up and spattered with crocodile tears about “friends in need” by ConDem ministers, the pattern remains an EU common policy in line with the European Constitution (ironically also known as the Lisbon Treaty). This Treaty was put in place one year ago with capitalism as the only economic system permitted. It was Ireland which rejected this Treaty in a referendum and then faced a second referendum where blackmail about jobs, being in ‘Europe’ and misinformation were used to mislead the electorate.
What is at stake is the national independence and democracy of these EU Member States including Britain where the austerity policies and budgets have now to be approved by Brussels. This was agreed by the EU finance ministers including Mr Osborne prior to the Comprehensive Spending Review and the programme of cuts. This means that EU Member States including Britain are now subjugated to the Euro-federalist government in Brussels, EU institutions and EU policies. This is a fundamental aspect of Euro-federalism which we have long warned against.
With powers of national governments passed to Brussels democracy is all but beheaded and national independence culled. If independence is given away because powers have passed to Brussels then simultaneously democracy no longer has a role to play. That is democracy in all forms including: formal democracy where elections take place; informal where lobbying and discussion is conducted; and practical democracy where taxes are redistributed. This is the form that the wholesale attack on the welfare state and public sector takes. It is an attack on the working and living conditions of all people who work for their living. It has little to do with being “tough but fair”
Currently the only institution to prevent finance capital dictating via the deliberately hidden conduit from Brussels is the national government. What is required is to clean out the stables and put in place governments that act on behalf of the peoples in their countries and stand up to finance capital and banks. In Britain that requires the left to head up a movement including the labour movement to oppose this unprecedented and savage attack on all aspects of life and put the tottering but dominating structure of the European Union out of its misery. This essentially entails Britain getting out of the EU as fast as is practical.
There is all to gain from being independent and basing the economy once again on manufacturing and trade across the world. This must replace the disastrous financial sector which currently controls the key affairs of Britain epitomised by the millionaires’ Cabinet.