Movement for Justice (MFJ) is calling on Labour candidates in the General Election and Labour MPs in the next Parliament to defend and maintain the free movement of people, oppose any new immigration controls, and ensure that the outcome of the Brexit negotiations goes to a public vote.

There is growing anger and a growing movement against the racism and immigrant-bashing politics that Brexit has intensified. Across black, Asian and Muslim communities, people recognised that Brexit meant more racism and voted overwhelmingly against it. This sentiment is most powerful among the youth, Britain’s most integrated generation and the future of our society (18 to 24-year old voters were 75% against Brexit, a figure that rose to 81% for those still at college or university)*. They feel their future has been stolen by a referendum that many of them could not vote in. The anger, and the hopes for progress in a multiracial society, are shared by students of all races; that was reflected in the overwhelming vote at the NUS National Conference to defend the free movement of people and build sanctuary campuses.

The anger is expressed by hundreds of thousands who have taken to the streets or joined campaigns for the free movement of people, against racism and against Brexit – and by growing numbers taking action against Theresa May’s ‘Hostile Environment’ policy: the immigration raids, charter flights, detention centres etc. We are building this movement, fighting for immigrant and refugee rights, defending the free movement of people, and defeating the state racism that has expanded monstrously in recent decades. We have the support of thousands among the new generation of Labour Party members and supporters, who have marched with us and were inspired by Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership challenge.
The Elephant in the Room

Most young people, black and Asian people and immigrants who have a vote, feel duty bound to use it against the Tories, they are doing this in large part because of their commitment to immigrant rights and anti-racism. This mood has been reflected in the increasing number of young people who registered to vote before the deadline. In England and Wales, the majority of them will be voting and in many cases campaigning for Labour, not only because of its progressive social policies, but because they see a strong Labour Party as the most effective obstacle to the present Government’s increasingly racist and xenophobic Brexit plans. They will be supporting the new Labour leadership, even if that means biting their tongues about its 3-line whip to back the Brexit Act and the Manifesto commitments to a ‘managed’ immigration system and ending the free movement of people.

MFJ welcomes the record increase in Labour support during this campaign. It has always been clear that Labour’s commitments on the NHS, education, welfare, public ownership, affordable housing etc. are rightly very popular. The narrowing gap between Labour and the Tories indicates that a growing number of voters are putting ready to vote for those real material improvements, rather than for racist, nationalist illusions fostered by the Tories. That has not, so far at least, been reversed by Jeremy Corbyn’s public rejection of a numerical cap on immigration, or by his decision to speak publicly about the link between British foreign/military policy and terrorism in the wake of the Manchester bombing. These developments are positive indications of political maturity in the electorate and a potential for further struggle. It is a blow to May’s authoritarian, immigrant-bashing demagogy.

The problem is that none of this deals with Brexit, the elephant in the room. This is a strange election campaign. It is only happening because of Brexit; it was called by Theresa May as a trap to get a vote for an unknown Brexit at an uncertain time in the future. Brexit looms over the election, opinion polls indicate that it is the most important issue for voters (above the NHS), but the two main parties are not talking about it. For May, the reasons are clear: the Government does not have a realistic strategy, and what plans they do have would drive away voters in droves and split her own party. So why isn’t Labour aiming straight at this open goal?

Cut the Noose!

The problem lies in the new leadership’s unqualified acceptance of the Brexit vote in last year’s referendum. It put its collective head in a noose with that decision, and the right wing and the Tories have been tightening the knot ever since. Several million Labour voters backed Brexit**, but it was still the wrong decision, made for the wrong reasons. The leadership knows that the vote was won overwhelmingly on the proposition that immigration is the cause of the problems those voters face in their day-to-day lives, problems that have been created by neo-liberal economics and government austerity policies***. At the end of the day that is an inherently racist, xenophobic argument: to the extent that it was accepted by white-British working class people as a response to austerity and ‘de-industrialisation,’ it was an attack on the wrong target and divides Labour’s ‘traditional supporters’ on the basis of race.****

The Labour leadership says not everyone who voted for Brexit is a racist. In that case tell them the truth about Brexit. You may alienate some but you will inspire many more, because the mass of poor, working class and struggling middle class white people are not ineluctably tied to racist ideas or anti-immigrant policies. In reality, blaming immigrants for poverty really means accepting poverty.***** Putting forward policies that attack the racist scapegoating of immigrants will signal a real attack on poverty and austerity. Failing to do that is telling the youth and the immigrant, black, Asian and Muslim communities that the battle against racist scapegoating will have to be put on hold until some other time. Those tactics are as old as the hills and always end in failure (and the new leadership knows that too).

This fight should have started long ago, but we are where we are and putting it off will only create more problems. It is time to cut the noose.

Our Future is at Stake

That is why Labour candidates and MPs must defend and maintain the free movement of people, block any Brexit deal that does not enshrine that right, and oppose any new immigration controls. Labour must break the vicious circle of increasingly barbaric immigration laws that scapegoat immigrants, weaponise racism and divide communities.

To carry out those policies Theresa May’s anti-democratic tactics must be defeated. Brexit can be stopped and the economic, social and political damage can be averted, as long as there is a democratic mechanism for voters to make a decision when the outcomes and impacts are clear. We call on you to fight for a public vote on the outcome of the Brexit talks (either a new referendum or another general election).

Labour’s future is at stake. If it cannot grasp the nettles of Brexit, free movement and anti-immigrant policies it cannot be the voice of equality and progress in the 21st Century. In truth, it is the future of our society that is at stake. Labour’s new leadership knows and has often said that appeasing or colluding with racism only strengthens it. That must be translated into policy.

Remember, a nettle strongly grasped does not sting.


Footnotes:

* http://lordashcroftpolls.com/2016/06/how-the-united-kingdom-voted-and-why/

** 37% of Labour voters in the 2015 General Election who were polled after the referendum had backed Leave, making up 21% of the total Leave vote of 17+ million: http://lordashcroftpolls.com/2016/06/how-the-united-kingdom-voted-and-why/

*** Neither side was more or less ‘anti-capitalist;’ identical majorities (59%) of Remain and Leave voters polled just after the referendum agreed with the proposition that Capitalism is a force for ill: http://lordashcroftpolls.com/2016/06/how-the-united-kingdom-voted-and-why/

**** 80% of Leave voters polled after the referendum thought immigration was a force for ill and 81% had the same view of multiculturalism (compared to 21% & 29% respectively among Remain voters): http://lordashcroftpolls.com/2016/06/how-the-united-kingdom-voted-and-why/

***** 69% of Leave voters polled after the referendum did not think the result would make much difference to how well off they are: http://lordashcroftpolls.com/2016/06/how-the-united-kingdom-voted-and-why/