BFAWU Statement on Brexit

On July 8th 2019, a number of Labour Party affiliated Trade Unions outlined their position on Brexit, so we would like to take this opportunity to clarify ours.

Although the BFAWU preferred the focus to be on addressing the real issues that face workers in Tory Britain, rather than be distracted by a referendum on the UK’s membership of the European Union back in 2016, we supported and made the case for a Socialist-based Brexit.

At our recent Annual Conference, we re-confirmed our support to leave the EU and to oppose a second referendum. Instead, we support the call for a General Election, so that we can deal with the social issues such as homelessness, low pay, job insecurity, the scaling back of our public services and other serious matters that have been conveniently kicked into the long grass as a result of the endless toing, froing and political games played by our so-called representatives in Westminster, along with a poisonous mainstream media, who continue to misrepresent the reasons why so many people in this country are suffering.

We believe that the Government should guarantee the right to remain for all EU citizens that are living in the UK without delay, and ensure that they are able to take full part in our democratic processes, including the right to vote.

As far as the BFAWU are concerned, people living and working here from other countries are not responsible for the ills of society, or the race to the bottom in relation to basic rights in the workplace. These problems are created by politicians and a rampant corporatocracy, who believe that working people in the UK are nothing more than resources, whose labour is exploited in order to prop up the lifestyles of a wealthy elite.

We had the referendum in 2016 and the decision was made. The government have had three years to get on with it and have failed. The only referendum on the table now, should be in relation to who replaces it.

Ian Hodson (BFAWU National President)