Corbyn: Britain should stay in EU ‘warts and all’ / Ex-UK premier makes ‘patriotic’ case against Brexit

Series Title
Series Details 14.04.16
Publication Date 14/04/2016
Content Type

Preview and reports of a speech by United Kingdom Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn on the 14 April 2016. He made his first major input into the EU referendum campaign, arguing that the United Kingdom should remain in the European Union 'warts and all'.

He said 'Labour is convinced that a vote to remain is in the best interests of the people of this country ... 'You cannot build a better world unless you engage with the world, build allies and deliver change. The EU, warts and all, has proved itself to be a crucial international framework to do that'.

He emphasised the 'socialist case' for remaining in, saying the EU offerd workers' rights, as well as consumer and environmental protections.

He acknowledged he had been critical of the EU and its 'shortcomings' and argued that reform should be sought from within.

On 21 April 2016 during an event at the Centre for European Reform (CER), former Labour Prime Minister Gordon Brown set out a 'patriotic' case for Britain to remain in the EU, in his first intervention on the referendum.

Another Labour MP, Frank Field, said on the 26 April 2016 that Labour’s ‘metropolitan elite’ risked losing Eurosceptic supporters to Ukip by ignoring their views on Europe.

Source Link http://www.euractiv.com/section/uk-europe/news/corbyn-britain-should-stay-in-eu-warts-and-all/
Related Links
Labour Party: Labour In For Europe http://www.labour.org.uk/index.php/inforbritain
BBC News, 14.04.16: EU referendum: Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn to set out EU case http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-eu-referendum-36039925
ESO: Background information: Why socialists should oppose the European Union http://www.europeansources.info/record/why-socialists-should-oppose-the-european-union/
ESO: Background information: Britain's Choice on Europe - Episode 6: Hilary Benn on Labour's Case for Europe http://www.europeansources.info/record/britains-choice-on-europe-episode-6-hilary-benn-on-labours-case-for-europe/
ESO: In Focus: Brexit - The United Kingdom and the European Union http://www.europeansources.info/record/brexit-the-united-kingdom-and-the-european-union/
The Guardian, 14.04.16: Jeremy Corbyn to urge 'warts and all' backing of European Union http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/apr/14/jeremy-corbyn-to-urge-warts-and-all-backing-of-eu
Politico, 14.04.16: Jeremy Corbyn: UK should stay in EU ‘warts and all’ http://www.politico.eu/article/jeremy-corbyn-brexit-referendum-uk-should-stay-in-eu-warts-and-all/
The Guardian, 14.04.16: Jeremy Corbyn: leaving EU would lead to 'bonfire of rights' http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/apr/14/jeremy-corbyn-leaving-eu-would-lead-to-bonfire-of-rights
The Guardian, 14.04.16: [Analysis]: Corbyn's EU referendum speech verdict: rambling but also rather special http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/apr/14/corbyns-eu-referendum-speech-verdict-rambling-but-rather-special
Labour Party: Speech, 14.04.16: Jeremy Corbyn Leader of the Labour Party Speech to Senate House http://press.labour.org.uk/post/142784902569/jeremy-corbyn-leader-of-the-labour-party-speech-to
Blog: Open Europe, 14.04.16: Will Corbyn’s ‘warts and all’ pitch help or hinder the Remain campaign? http://openeurope.org.uk/today/blog/will-corbyns-warts-and-all-pitch-help-or-hinder-the-remain-campaign/
EurActiv, 22.04.16: Ex-UK premier makes ‘patriotic’ case against Brexit http://www.euractiv.com/section/uk-europe/news/ex-uk-premier-makes-patriotic-case-against-brexit/
The Guardian, 21.04.16: Gordon Brown calls for a more positive case to be made for staying in EU http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/apr/21/gordon-brown-positive-case-staying-eu
Centre for European Reform: Events, 21.04.16: Economists on Brexit conference https://www.cer.org.uk/events/economists-brexit-conference
The Guardian, 26.04.16: Corbyn must address working-class EU concerns, warns Frank Field http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/apr/26/corbyn-must-address-working-class-eu-concerns-warns-field
BBC News, 26.04.16: Frank Field warns Labour of EU vote 'danger' http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-eu-referendum-36135768

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