TONY BENN SAYS NO THE EU CONSTITUTION

I have just finished reading a little pamphlet produced by the campaign Trade Unionists Against the EU Constitution and it is one of the best things I have read on the subject. It brilliantly and concisely exposes the fundamentally undemocratic nature of these plans and should be read by anyone who wants to find out more about the subject. An at-a-glance guide at the front of the book neatly exposes how wide-ranging this assault on democracy really is. For instance, articles turn the liberalisation – a polite term for privatisation – of services and industries into constitutional principles. This is of great importance for all transport workers as it would preclude governments from owning or investing in transport services. Road, rail and shipping industries across the EU must develop only on the whims of the so-called “free market”. This approach has already seen the decimation of transport industries in Britain, with shareholders taking precedence over the travelling public. How can anyone describe a document that elevates right wing neoliberal economic policy into a legal requirement claim this Constitution is an exercise in democracy? It also militarises the EU and creates a single foreign policy, develops a European police force which will be immune from prosecution, increases unfair trade with the world’s poor and hands massive powers to those we do not elect. DEMOCRACY The fundamental problem is that the Constitution takes away democratic rights to remove those who govern us. This represents a massive transfer and centralisation of power in the hands of institutions that are not accountable or transparent. This would increase the number of laws being imposed on Europeans from highly diverse countries that had no democratic mandate within those countries. There are many things that need correcting with the UK constitution, including the unelected second chamber and the way in which the prime minister can use Crown powers to by-pass parliament. However, these more local democratic deficits would not be aided by the emasculation of power from Westminister to Brussels. The trade union and labour movement have been central to the struggles waged by generations of pro-democracy campaigners, from the Chartists to the Suffragettes, to ensure that ordinary citizens could hold their rulers to account. So it shall have to be again as future generations will not look kindly on us if we stand by and allow our democracy to be taken away. REFERENDUM Later this month the French will be voting in a referendum on this crucial issue. French opposition to the Constitution is growing as more and people discover what is actually contained within this huge and virtually unreadable document. If it is rejected it would damage this attempt to create a superstate and centralise power in Europe. However, if not we must be prepared to fight for a no vote here in a referendum expected next spring. It will be a hard fight as the pro-constitution side will have huge funding from the government and Brussels. However, if the labour movement does not campaign loudly on this issue then the siren calls of the far right will gain ground and the poison of racism and chauvinism will spread. This is one of the crucial questions of our times and TUAEUC have done us a service by producing this easy-to-read guide and I heartily recommend it to you. RMTnews :: may 2005 24 TRADE UNIONISTS M NO TO THE EU CONST Tony Benn explains why... Trade Unionists Say No to the EU Constitution is available free from RMT, Unity House, 39 Chalton Street, London NW1 1JD.