Union Leaders Deliver Blow to
Blair's Hope for EU Constitution
by Toby Helm

Tony Blair's hopes of winning a referendum on the European constitution suffered a setback last night when the Trades Union Congress refused to give its backing to the campaign for a Yes vote.

A heated debate on the constitution at the TUC in Brighton exposed deep splits within the union movement over the direction in which Europe is moving - leaving it unable to endorse the Government's pro-constitution policy.

Without the support of the TUC, representing more than six million voters, ministers know that they have almost no chance of winning a referendum, likely to be held in 2006.

Fearing that a vote in favour would be lost, TUC organisers issued a holding statement saying it was "inappropriate" to adopt a formal position before further debate.

Bob Crow, the general secretary of the Rail, Maritime and Transport Union was one of several speakers to condemn the constitution on the grounds that it would strip Britain of its rights to determine its own economic policy.

"The constitution will institutionalise privatisation and the neo-liberal economics that have helped wreck industries in Britain and turned the EU into one of the world's low growth regions," he said in a speech greeted by cheers.

Condemning the Prime Minister's policies he added: "The bottom line is that any government that hands over power to the degree demanded by the proposed constitution is effectively no longer a government."

While some unions remain broadly in favour of the European Union and the constitution, many have now reverted to a strong anti-European line, seeing the community as geared more to the interests of business than working people. Even some of the bigger unions, including the Transport and General Workers and Amicus, the private sector union, are considering campaigning for a No vote unless they get more guarantees that the Government will push more aggressively for British workers to get equal rights to those on the Continent.

It was left to John Monks, a former congress general secretary who now heads the European TUC, to make a lone stand in favour of the constitution. Writing in a pamphlet by the Labour movement for Europe he accused those on the Left of "making common cause with Michael Howard and the Tories in opposing Britain's wholehearted engagement in Europe".

Polls show that a large majority of voters oppose the constitution.
Daily Telegraph, 16th September 2004

Further Resources
Spread the word to friends with The Real Face of the European Union by Phillip Day, a video documentary (PAL format only) which lays out the serious problems with the European Union and what you can do about it. Also, don't miss the two following incisive commentaries on the dangers of Britain's involvement with the EU:

Ten Minutes to Midnight by Phillip Day
Vigilance by Ashley Mote
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