The whole notion of a structure which can exercise power beyond national level needs careful consideration by workers in all the countries concerned. The EU is not a nation — it has no power except that yielded by the member states, who produce everything. Hence the key significance of the single currency, giving the semblance of unity and integrity to a disparate collection of countries, locking in member nations to subservience to Brussels.
In this process the internal and democratic structures of nations are broken up to conform to the shape of the new centralised European state...
The EU stands before the workers of Europe as a monument to their own timidity and backwardness. It is nothing more than a life support machine for the body of capitalism - why the reluctance to switch it off?
A copy of the EU Constitution is now available on this web site. It is long (almost 350 pages) but is worth reading to understand exactly what is being proposed and why it is such a threat to Britain and the British working class - you could either read it online or download (700KB pdf file) for studying later. Don't forget to have a look at the articles below for an analysis of the issues.
We reproduce here a selection of opinion, news and feature articles from WORKERS over the past few months.
EU Constitution: CPBM-L Statement
[WORKERS, JULY 2005]
After the magnificent votes against the EU Constitution in France and Holland, those here who want to try to save the tatters of a Treaty are desperate to deny a similar vote to British workers. So Kinnock, on behalf of Brussels as ever, immediately declared the Constitution dead, seeing this as the best way to try to salvage it by bringing it in some other way. But the Treaty — signed by Blair — is still there. Straw followed Kinnock's lead, telling Parliament that the British referendum would be put on hold.
...[more]
Why Britain must be able to reject the EU Constitution
[WORKERS, JULY 2005]
The plans for creating a single EU state have met an immovable obstacle — the peoples of Europe's nations. The French working class decisively rejected the proposed Constitution by 55% to 45% on a 70% turnout. 80% of blue-collar workers and 60% of white-collar workers voted No. The Dutch voted against by 62% to 38% on a 63% turnout.
...[more]
And why Britain must leave
[WORKERS, JULY 2005]
There is no such political entity as Europe and the sooner the right, left, ultra left and centre realise this the better. Workers have always known this which is why they liberated Europe from those seeking to impose their vision of it 60 years ago. Calls for a better Europe without the Constitution are chauvinist. There are only independent nations. The EU juggernaut has stalled, but not stopped; the enemy, in chaos, is regrouping. If sovereignty were truly respected, the process would have stopped by now. But the EU was established not to listen to the people but to dictate to them.
...[more]
The coming campaign on the European Constitution
[WORKERS, APR 2005]
In a special focus on the European Constitution, we expose the European Union's plans for propaganda to influence referendums across Europe, detail the effects on public services and outline the Constitution's main points
...[more]
EU bids to grab research [WORKERS, MAR 2005]
IF THERE'S ONE thing that the European Commission and its backers hate more than anything, it's seeing cooperation across Europe when it has nothing to do with it. It wants to control everything, be seen as the source of funding. Nowhere is this envy of others stronger than in the field of scientific research.
...[more]
unions fight eu constitution [WORKERS, MAR 2005]
Leading trade unionists from more than 20 unions across the country have launched a campaign against the EU constitution, warning that it threatens public services, democracy and manufacturing. The development gives the lie to the impression that the TUC has tried to cultivate, of general support for the constitution.
...[more]
first thoughts: thatcherism for ever? [WORKERS, MAR 2005]
The government has decided that the referendum question must be, "Should the United Kingdom approve the treaty establishing a constitution for the European Union?" But this is seriously misleading. It is not a question of "approving" a treaty — to answer Yes to this question would be to pledge allegiance to what would be our new constitution — the trap would shut.
...[more]
constitution debate hots up [WORKERS, FEB 2005]
A MEETING on 15 December in Westminster enjoyed an eloquent denunciation of the proposed new EU Constitution by Trine Mach, the spokesperson for Denmark's June Movement. She noted that Denmark's trade unions were strongly questioning the Constitution, and had formed Trade Unions Against the EU Constitution, which has already been campaigning against the recent EU Directives on Services, and for trade union rights.
...[more]
One constitution to bind us all [WORKERS, DEC 2004]
Some individuals in Britain not only think they know best. They know they know best. Such as those in Parliament and in the TUC, eagerly pushing the European Union project. They are the self-styled political elite who want us to leave everything to them as they plot the disappearance of Britain as a nation state and the end of any national control on the British economy. What they have in common is contempt for national parliaments, institutions and organisations and a fear of what happens when the people intrude into what they see as their own private discussions.
...[more]
a constitution for international capitalism [WORKERS, SEPT 2004]
Will the British working class survive as an independent, sovereign and democratic nation? We are the nation. We have no other nation, and though we may often choose not to exercise our powers, the proposed EU constitution is the biggest threat to them since the Second World War. Yet the TUC, out of cowardly refusal to struggle and betrayal of its working class root, embraces it....[more]
the constitution con [WORKERS, MAY 2004]
The British people have won an important victory by forcing Blair to allow a referendum on the European Union constitution. This is not, as described by its advocates, merely a treaty of consolidation and minor reforms designed to make the enlarged union work better. It certainly does consolidate a large number of power seizures from member states by the EU which we never had a chance to vote on — such as those in the Maastricht, Amsterdam and Nice treaties. But also it adds a whole set of completely new and radical changes, and gives a new status to the EU by simply being a constitution....[more]
The metric martyr lives on [WORKERS, APRIL 2004]
At the untimely age of 39, Steve Thoburn, Britain's most famous greengrocer, has died. Together with Neil Herron, a fishmonger also from Sunderland, he became known as a Metric Martyr after standing up for customers' rights to buy their fruit, vegetables and fish in pounds and ounces if they so wished after EU regulations only permitted produce to be sold in kilograms....[more]
NO to the EU! [WORKERS, APRIL 2004]
The European Union and Blair want further liberalisation of goods, services, labour and capital markets. Their Holy Trinity is free movement of goods, capital and labour, but the greatest of these is capital....[more]
still planning, still plotting: the eu constitution and the handover of britain [WORKERS, JANUARY 2004]
IN SPITE OF the failure of December's Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) to agree the proposed new European Union Constitution, we have not seen the last of it. It will be resurrected, and the implications for us in Britain are serious -- unless we put a stop to it through a referendum....[more]
talking about a referendum [WORKERS, DECEMBER 2003]
On 7 November, a Rally for a Referendum on the European Union's proposed new constitution was held in Westminster. It was very well attended, with representatives from across the country....[more]
first thoughts [WORKERS, JULY 2003]
"The Daily Mail’s poll on whether we should have a referendum on the proposed EU Constitution received 1.7 million responses. 89.8% said that the final decision should be put to the British people...[more]
back to front - it's simple, stupid [WORKERS, JUNE 2003]
IT IS HARD to argue against holding a referendum on the proposed European Constitution, but defending the indefensible has become a kind of badge of honour with this Labour government (not that honour rides high with them on any subject). So faced with calls to hold a referendum, they wheel out what passes for heavy political guns these days....[more]
first thoughts [WORKERS, JUNE 2003]
The decision by the European Court of Justice to declare illegal the “golden share option”, whereby the government retains strategic control of key industries and service providers, shatters any pretence that the EU is compatible with the preservation of sovereignty in Britain....[more]
congress rejects constitution [WORKERS, JUNE 2003]
THE NINTH Congress for Democracy met on Friday 16 May 2003 at Church House, Westminster — and either as a consequence or as a coincidence it took place against a rising tide of concern about the draft European constitution...[more]
eu consitution: referendum now! [WORKERS, JUNE 2003]
ACCORDING TO a poll in the Sun newspaper, 81% of the British people have not heard about it, but 84% want a referendum about it. The Daily Mail says it will hold its own referendum. Peter Hain, the Minister for Europe (an apt title), says this is ridiculous, that it’s just a little tidying up...[more]
fresh blood [WORKERS, DECEMBER 2002]
THERE WAS some footage of Tony Blair in Budapest last month, walking on his own up some steps, looking for a banquet. He appeared to be a little lost, as if unsure about where he was, or why...[more]