Left-wing eurosceptics are letting right-wing politicians off the hook. Rather than lazily blaming "the EU" for right-wing decisions, we should direct our criticism at the politicians responsible and focus on electing left-wing ones in their place
First published here on Labourlist.
Left-wing eurosceptics blame "the EU" for things that right-wing politicians - like this one - have done at EU level
“Osborne to cut paid holidays to boost growth.”
It’s not too difficult to imagine that headline, given the current Government. They have already proposed to help employers to sack workers, made it harder to take employers to tribunal and threatened maternity leave. So what’s stopping them going further?
The answer, of course, is an EU law. Though many workers are still unaware of it, many of our rights at work, including our right to paid holiday, are guaranteed by laws at EU level. So it’s not really very surprising that Cameron has targeted this area for a “repatriation of powers,” as he puts it. The rhetoric is all about national sovereignty; the intentions are all economic.
