ScottishLeft Review Issue 108 November/December 2018 - £2.00 'best re(a)d' 'best feedback comment leading figures from the left writing about what their positions are on Brexit Brexit breakdown beckons and what their preferred options are his was an issue of Scottish Left lexicon but they seem increasingly apt after Britain has left the EU (or not). But Review we could not put off any as the ever more likely deleterious and we also cover the likely ramifications of Tlonger. Since the referendum disruptive impact of a Brexit under the Brexit for politics and economics. These in June 2016, we have covered the Tories becomes clear. The issuing of articles cover issues of both process and decision of Britain to leave the EU and its statements by the government on various reviewsoutcome. Of course, there is much we attendant prospects every so often and matters in the event of a ‘no deal’ as well still don’t know, especially concerning with one or two articles. But until now we as the impact on workers’ pay and jobs as what any Westminster government have not made it the theme of an issue a result of employers’ recent decisions on will do with powers repatriated from – because while we might harbour our investment and production have headed the EU and where it might place them particular suspicions and thoughts about up the trouble ahead. That is why the (Westminster or Holyrood, Cardiff Bay how things might turn out, this would title to this editorial comment, ‘Brexit or Stormont). Much will depend here on have been little more than a combination breakdown beckons’, seems appropriate. which party is in government. If there is a general election which Labour wins, of idle and informed speculation. Now What is so marked about the political then the post-Brexit outcome is likely that the 29 March 2019 date of leaving situation is that despite the clear to shaped in a very different way from is very nearly upon us and the fault lines and present danger to their profits if the Tories hold on to office. The SNP have become relatively clearer – not so from the ensuing uncertainty and Scottish government has often talked up much in terms of what different sections disruption, employers have not had more the politics of the power grab and the of the Tory party want and more in influence on their political party, the prospects for further devolution would terms of the interplay of what the EU has Tories, to make sure there is a smooth very much depend on what happens at demanded and the British government transition to a single market or customs Westminster. has been prepared to concede – we can union. Somewhat ironically given her with less speculation and more insight weakness, this must be because May’s It was tantamount to political harikari cover and analyse some of the main parliamentary majority depends on trying or self-immolation to raise the issue salient issues. to assuage the rampant Brexiteers and of any kind of referendum on the deal negotiated by the British government the Democratic Unionist Party. ‘Car crash’ and ‘train wreck’ are over- to exit the EU any time soon after 23 used phrases in the present day political So, in this issue, we have an array of June 2016. This is now not so and this is correct – simply because the vote to leave ScottishLeftReview (as with the vote to remain) reflected Issue 108 November/December 2018 a number of different, sometimes Contents conflicting, concerns so that it was also Comment .................................................................................................................................................. 2 the case that voting to leave was not Helping capitalism digs its own grave George Kerevan ........................................................................... 4 synonymous with a particular type of deal Brexit still represents an opportunity Jim Sillars ...................................................................................... 6 to leave, be it a ‘soft’,’ hard’ or ‘no deal’ Tory Party implodes as Brexit explodes Neil Findlay ................................................................................ 8 Brexit, where the configurations of single Against Brexit and for a ratification referendum Molly Scott Cato ..........................................................9 markets, custom unions and WTO rules Demanding what was promised Mick Whelan ...................................................................................... 11 could be very different indeed. Bordering on the insane: against borders and Brexit Steven Agnew .....................................................13 Brexit: what about the workers? Jane Carolan ...................................................................................... 14 Any notion of popular sovereignty does Where is Brexit heading and with what impact on independence? Kirsty Hughes ................................15 demand that the deal negotiated to leave Brexit, the ruling class and prospects for a left Labour government Neil Davidson ..............................16 is not only voted upon by parliament – a Making positive use of Brexit in hospitality and tourism Sarah Collins .................................................17 concession grudgingly rung out of the Claim of rights repudiated Bob Thomson .............................................................................................. 18 Tories – but also subject to a popular Facilitating fairness in post-Brexit Britain Mary Senior ..........................................................................19 vote. Only time will tell whether this Preparations for the day of reckoning on independence Max Wiszniewski ..........................................20 then becomes a de facto second Brexit A role for unions in careers education Nick Cimini and Pete Robertson ...............................................21 referendum – but, as some fear, the Labour, anti-semitism and hostile ethnocentrism Sandy Hobbs ...........................................................22 danger of that cannot be allowed to Age, ageing and older people’s issues Bill Johnston ..............................................................................23 prevent the referendum on the terms of Culture for the many, not the few Mike Quille ...................................................................................... 24 leaving from happening at all. It is also Reviews – Jackie Bergson, Bill Bonnar, Sean Duffy, Sean Sheehan, Tony Adams, Gordon Morgan ........26 legitimate that any deal also has the Vladimir McTavish’s Kick Up The Tabloids .............................................................................................. 31 agreement of the devolved governments 2 - ScottishLeftReview Issue 108 November/December 2018 in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. reformed from the inside. Rather it is an more socialist-inclined outlook, Labour If there is another simple ‘in/out’ argument for ‘don’t try to do anything could do better than it actually is doing. referendum on whether to continue to that makes the situation even worse than After the mammoth independence march leave or re-enter the EU, there must be it already is’. In other words, pick the fight in Edinburgh on 6 October, the continuing tight controls on not only expenditure but at a time of your choosing when you’re strength of support amongst the activist- campaign claims. likely, at least, to have a good chance of orientated milieu cannot be doubted. One of the Brexit outcomes that might winning – and not when a faction fight But that is not the same as there being have been prophesised was a tightening inside the Tory party demands it. This majority support for independence. Polls labour market as migrants from within requires the kind of tactical deft that the suggest there is still some way to go and without the EU no longer arrive likes of Lynn Henderson, this year’s STUC there, and this is what is pre-occupying and many who were here (sic) leave. president and vice-chair of Scottish Left the SNP leadership. Will Brexit make Review’s In days gone by, this would have led sister organisation, the Jimmy the difference given that most people to a downturn in the supply of labour, Reid Foundation, showed when she voted living in Scotland voted to ‘remain’? The pushing up wages. Yet since the financial ‘yes’ for independence in 2014, then credibility of the SNP’s leadership’s hope for Labour led by Corbyn in 2015 and crash at least and despite the reduction there is a rather tenuous one. It reckons ‘remain’ in 2016. in unemployment, wages have (in real the worse a Brexit is, the more support terms) stagnated or fallen for most. Job Following the party political conference there will be for independence so that insecurity and in-work poverty abound season, it is increasingly clear that Scotland could re-enter the EU. But and it is likely these factors help explain Labour under Corbyn and McDonnell any serious prospect of independence why workers in Britain are unlikely to offers a genuinely social democratic requires a consent motion for another receive a fillip from what might have been alternative to the Tories and SNP. referendum from Westminster. If the a Brexit bounce. Somewhat similarly, the While the SNP promised to hold a Tories get their way on Brexit, the costs of leaving – direct and indirect – consultation on establishing a state clamour for another independence never featured in the arguments of the infrastructure company, Labour has referendum might be greater