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European Union
Respect is an internationalist party and strongly in favour of links with the rest of Europe. We reject, however, a Europe dominated by big business interests, which the EU represents today.

The EU lacks basic democracy in its structures. It is regulated by the infamous Growth and Stability Pact – designed to restrict government borrowing and thereby its ability to spend on public provision.

The result is repeated attacks on social services and welfare, within the member states as governments struggle to keep within the criteria. Today in the EU pensions are under attack and social security systems are being dismantled.

Health and education are faced with privatisation and deregulation. Trade unions are threatened and labour markets deregulated; jobs are made part-time and insecure.

The EU’s Common Agricultural Policy continues to be a mechanism that destroys agricultural production in Third World countries through the subsidies it pays to EU corporate producers.

Its Fortress Europe policy, based on the “white list” principle, is designed to reinforce its external borders against those victims of war and oppression who seek entry for political asylum or economic survival.

We applaud the defeat of the EU constitution at the hands of the voters in France and Holland. It would have set in stone the anti working class character of the European economy. In the event of such a referendum in Britain we will argue for a “No” vote. At the same time we strongly oppose the anti-European xenophobia whipped up by the Tories and others on the right.

Our stance is in defence of the interests of working people, not of those of big business, whether British or not.

The British government has promised a referendum if they propose entry into the Euro zone. We will call for a “No” vote in such a referendum, since the winners from a “Yes” vote would not be the working people of Britain but big business. The agenda of privatisation and deregulation would be strengthened and public services and welfare rights would come under even greater attack.

We call for a different Europe, a Europe based on need not profit. A Europe, which is a clear alternative to global capital, which opposes militarism and war, is open to the needs of the countries of the Third World, which defends human rights and human dignity.

We want a Europe free from the policies of the WTO and the IMF, free from NATO, free from foreign military bases, free from weapons of mass destruction.
 

News and articles of interest

Here are some articles and news reports we think are worth looking at

From Triumph to Torture by John Pilger
Two weeks ago, I presented a young Palestinian, Mohammed Omer, with the 2008 Martha Gellhorn Prize for Journalism. Awarded in memory of the great US war correspondent, the prize goes to journalists who expose establishment propaganda, or "official drivel", as Gellhorn called it.

SATs school tests criticised by official report by Harvey Thompson and Linda Slattery
In May, millions of school children throughout England undertook their Standard Assessment Tasks (SATs) in English, mathematics and science. The statutory tests are widely considered to be flawed and almost universally reviled by teachers and children alike.

Health: Who asked for choice? - Morning Star
IF Health Minister Ben Bradshaw believes that there is political capital to be made by taking on our NHS doctors, he will quickly come unstuck.

Afghanistan troop deaths outnumber those in Iraq by Angela Balakrishnan and agencies
Militants in Afghanistan killed more US and Nato troops than those in Iraq in June after a fresh spate of rebel attacks that highlighted the growing strength of the Taliban.

Iran legally entitled to develop nuclear energy, says UK MP
Iran is legally entitled to develop nuclear energy under the Non-Proliferation Treaty, according to a British MP visiting Tehran for the first time. George Galloway, who was expelled from Britain's ruling Labor Party for his outspoken opposition to the Iraq war, also criticized the hypocrisy of Israel's belligerence towards Iran, which has its own illegal stockpile of nuclear weapons.

In the Cause of Fear and Ignorance by John Pilger
Muslims are alone as they watch the British state, with its "obstinate incomprehension" of their faith, do to them as it would never do to those of other faiths. Imagine Jews treated this way. You cannot imagine it; the profanity is too great. The silence of British Jews, who have the history, is also great.

Migrant Myths by Adam Ford
As part of her degree course, Kurdish migrant Filiz Celik researched the conditions that workers from overseas face in the United Kingdom. The full text of her study can be read here, but this summary by Adam Ford gives some idea of the reality behind the media-generated myths.

Tesco shareholders reject TV chef's chicken welfare call
Tesco shareholders today voted against a resolution from TV cook Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall which called for the retail giant to improve its chicken-rearing standards.

Academies expelled 10,000 pupils
Academies have been accused of excluding disproportionately high numbers of students after it emerged that they excluded nearly 10,000 pupils for poor behaviour last year.

Let companies run state schools for profit, says Sir Simon Milton
Private companies should be allowed to run state schools at a profit and be free to dismiss teachers who are not up to the job, the head of the Local Government Association (LGA) said yesterday.

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