Gareth Thomas
by Gareth Thomas
The CBI sent a resounding message earlier this week that Britain sleepwalking out of the European Union would cost the country dearly. Yet, when MPs debate a private member’s referendum bill today, David Cameron will confirm that he is prepared to risk Britain exiting the EU as the price for keeping the Conservative party together.
The CBI’s report tells the often untold story of how much British employers and small-businesses benefit from the UK’s membership of the EU. It suggests a stark figure: £3,000 per household per year or £62bn-78bn, roughly equal to the size of the economies of the north-east and Northern Ireland combined.
But another untold story is equally interesting: how David Cameron plans to tackle two problems. First, his rebellious backbenchers for whom nothing short of exit from the EU will suffice and second, the reforms needed to make the EU work better for Britain.
Labour is committed to staying at the heart of the EU, while advancing a clear and realistic programme of reforms. It has set out reforms which we believe will make Europe work better, including a new EU commissioner for growth to help focus Europe on delivering jobs and prosperity; and the extension and completion of the single market to make it easier for more British companies to benefit from the opportunities of trade with our nearest allies.
Another area where we think reforms are needed is on the arrangements for managing the free movement of people around the EU to work. In particular, Labour sees scope for reform to the rights of those citizens of new countries joining the EU who wish to start work in the UK.
So Labour has called for member states such as Britain to be given the option of potentially extending transitional arrangements over a longer period of time than is currently possible. It’s vital that we learn the lessons from the accession of recent EU entrants.
Likewise, as Ed Miliband has made clear, there must be tighter enforcement to avoid the risk of rogue employers undercutting local workers and paying below the minimum wage by targeting new European migrants. As well as important reforms we can make here at home, there is also more that Britain could be calling for in Europe today.
Labour would co-operate with other European countries to work to make sure that migration is not abused. But so far the prime minister has refused to sign up a new system to help authenticate travel documents and help identify illegal residents.
Instead he is intending to simply opt out of all police and crime co-operation in the EU. That could mean no data sharing between us and our allies on crime and policing, and could damage the prospect of co-ordinated action on serious and organised cross-border criminal gangs.
While the Tories revert to type and continue to tear themselves apart on Europe – Labour is focused on making the key reforms to the EU that will secure jobs, higher standards of living and better opportunities for the British people.
Most worrying for Britain is that when Cameron chooses to follow, rather than lead, his own party on Europe, the country is left with a prime minister willing to put British jobs, British influence and British interests at risk.
THE GUARDIAN
by Gareth Thomas
The CBI sent a resounding message earlier this week that Britain sleepwalking out of the European Union would cost the country dearly. Yet, when MPs debate a private member’s referendum bill today, David Cameron will confirm that he is prepared to risk Britain exiting the EU as the price for keeping the Conservative party together.
The CBI’s report tells the often untold story of how much British employers and small-businesses benefit from the UK’s membership of the EU. It suggests a stark figure: £3,000 per household per year or £62bn-78bn, roughly equal to the size of the economies of the north-east and Northern Ireland combined.
But another untold story is equally interesting: how David Cameron plans to tackle two problems. First, his rebellious backbenchers for whom nothing short of exit from the EU will suffice and second, the reforms needed to make the EU work better for Britain.
Labour is committed to staying at the heart of the EU, while advancing a clear and realistic programme of reforms. It has set out reforms which we believe will make Europe work better, including a new EU commissioner for growth to help focus Europe on delivering jobs and prosperity; and the extension and completion of the single market to make it easier for more British companies to benefit from the opportunities of trade with our nearest allies.
Another area where we think reforms are needed is on the arrangements for managing the free movement of people around the EU to work. In particular, Labour sees scope for reform to the rights of those citizens of new countries joining the EU who wish to start work in the UK.
So Labour has called for member states such as Britain to be given the option of potentially extending transitional arrangements over a longer period of time than is currently possible. It’s vital that we learn the lessons from the accession of recent EU entrants.
Likewise, as Ed Miliband has made clear, there must be tighter enforcement to avoid the risk of rogue employers undercutting local workers and paying below the minimum wage by targeting new European migrants. As well as important reforms we can make here at home, there is also more that Britain could be calling for in Europe today.
Labour would co-operate with other European countries to work to make sure that migration is not abused. But so far the prime minister has refused to sign up a new system to help authenticate travel documents and help identify illegal residents.
Instead he is intending to simply opt out of all police and crime co-operation in the EU. That could mean no data sharing between us and our allies on crime and policing, and could damage the prospect of co-ordinated action on serious and organised cross-border criminal gangs.
While the Tories revert to type and continue to tear themselves apart on Europe – Labour is focused on making the key reforms to the EU that will secure jobs, higher standards of living and better opportunities for the British people.
Most worrying for Britain is that when Cameron chooses to follow, rather than lead, his own party on Europe, the country is left with a prime minister willing to put British jobs, British influence and British interests at risk.
THE GUARDIAN
