We took a motion calling for affiliation to AEIP to Congress, the debate is on you tube see below; one interesting aspect of this debate is that it was opposed due to the view that AEIP took a divisive position in 2019. I was able to reply and took the high road, using the Buffy Somers argument, “That was then, this is now!”. Although I dispute that Another Europe was wrong and those that think they are/were are equally culpable for Labour’s defeat.
This video clip includes my and Umesh’s moving speeches, the speech against, the CEC summing up for the whole session and my right of reply. The motion was referred.
I was congratulated on the restraint shown in my right of reply; I was pleased with that.
The speech I gave in moving the motion is,
President Congress, Dave Levy, London Central General Branch Moving Motion 197 Another Europe is Possible. I need to state that I am a member of their National Committee.
Brexit is not a one-off event but an ongoing process, and how it unfolds will determine all of our futures. The people who led the Leave campaign are now running the country, and theirs is an agenda of economic deregulation, racist scapegoating and border-building.
Another Europe was formed in February 2016 as an independent, left wing pro-Remain voice in the referendum campaign. Now, it fights for an alternative to Tory Brexit – and for a different future. The values that drove it to campaign against Brexit in the first place continue to inspire it: it stands e for solidarity between people and across borders and for a society run in the interests of people and the planet.
It campaigns for a close, progressive relationship between the UK and EU, it continues to work with allies across the continent to transform and democratise the European institutions. It seeks to build a Europe that has social and environmental justice at its heart, and which is a welcome place for migrants.
It is a pluralist and cross party campaign, bringing together a coalition that includes progressives from all parties and none. It is a campaigning organisation that actively pursues its goals.
It aims to build solidarity by mobilising campaigns and initiatives to fight back against the policies of the nationalist right and the political content of Brexit, especially on workers’ rights, migrants’ rights and the environment.
We are of course requested to refer since this is an affiliation, the Region agrees.
I move.