'Operation
Stop Corbyn' has gone up a gear as the prospect of a left-led Labour government
gets nearer, according to Communist
Party general secretary Robert Griffiths.
He told his
party's Political Committee on Wednesday evening (August 15) that British
ruling class circles were determined to prevent the election of a socialist
Prime Minister who has a long record of opposing austerity, privatisation,
nuclear weapons and imperialist war.
'Their most
valuable allies in "Operation Stop Corbyn" are an organised faction
of anti-socialist, pro-EU, pro-NATO Labour MPs who are determined to sabotage
Brexit and the election of Jeremy Corbyn to Ten Downing Street', Mr Griffiths
charged.
The Communist
Party leader pointed to recent reports in the Times, Guardian and Financial
Times indicating that Britain's Tory government, business leaders and EU
officials want any future Corbyn-led government to be constrained by EU single
market and customs union rules.
'They
understand better than some trade union leaders and sections of the left that Labour
policies to promote industry, invest in infrastructure, renationalise energy
and the railways, revive regional development policies, regulate the labour
market and reform VAT would cut right across EU treaties, rules, directives and
EU Court of Justice rulings', Mr Griffiths declared.
He said that
this explained why British and EU negotiators have moved closer to agreement on
exit issues such as City of London access to EU financial markets and
'backstop' arrangements to retain Northern Ireland within the framework of the
EU single market.
'Both sides
would prefer a bogus big business Brexit rather than a real Brexit that would
allow a left-led Labour government freedom to pursue its policies without EU
obstruction at every turn', the CP general secretary concluded, 'although their
first choice would be another referendum in the hope that their scare stories
and lies might work better the second time around'.
The Communist
Party political committee condemned the 'vile smears' of anti-semitism as another
aspect of 'Operation Stop Corbyn', noting that Margaret Hodge had been the
first Labour MP to step forward as a challenger to Corbyn when the Labour
leader called for the EU referendum result to be honoured the day after the
poll.
Britain's
Communists also agreed at their meeting in London to:
- · Welcome Wednesday's 'Day of Action' by rail union RMT against 'extortionate' fare rises.'
- Congratulate the selection of Communist Party of Brazil member of parliament Manuela d'Avila as vice-presidential candidate alongside Workers' Party presidential candidate Fernando Haddad if former president Lula is disqualified.
- · Organise a central CP school for new and prospective members on October 27 in the light of a 6% rise in membership so far this year.
