We must campaign even harder now to remain in the EU - that is what Jo would have wanted

This morning I should have been out in North East Ipswich campaigning hard for Britain to remain the EU instead I am sat at home watching rugby but my mind is in overdrive as I worry what will happen to this country after Thursday - what has already happened to this country with a 'Leave' campaign being run that has at times more in common with 1930's Germany or early 70's England - blame all our problems on immigration.

But I am not out campaigning because the Labour Party has suspended campaigning because of the horrific murder of Yorkshire MP, Jo Cox. I understand why we have halted the campaign but am not sure Jo would have been happy with the suspension. From what I have read about this young and promising politician for her the most important thing would be remaining in the EU - her Labour politics were like mine - based on true internationalism.

So from early tomorrow morning when the campaign resumes, I will be out delivering leaflets - hoping to persuade residents that we should not become a country of 'little Englander's' - isolated from the rest of the world. That is not to ignore their fears about immigration, we can't (the Labour Party) just blame a right wing press. We need not only to dispel the myths about immigration but also to look at ways to control immigration when needed, to help communities integrate and that would include funding for housing and education to help local authorities who see the most new arrivals.

We have to expect the sort of front page the Mail printed this week - of a lorry load of  refugees that the Mail declared were arrivals of EU migrants - a full front page - followed the next day on page 2 by a 4 line apology to say that their own front page was a lie!

I do fear for this country what ever happens on Thursday but as an internationalist we are not only stronger and safer in the EU but it is also the right thing to do, to help others not only in Europe but in the Middle East and Africa.

Not a great fan of all that George Eaton writes in the New Statesman but his article about Jo Cox, really touched a nerve with me, I read it over and over and made me not only more determined to continue to campaign but also to make the Labour Party is a party that attracts people like Jo that we remain an 'internationalist ' party not one that is also happy to cut our ties with Europe.

So on Thursday please vote 'Remain' 

For those Labour members and supporters who are unsure, I leave you with these words from George about Jo Cox - they not only talk about why Labour is and should be an 'internationalist' party but also the concerns and fears that Jo and many of us have about the future of our party and that battle for the soul of our party will continue what ever the result of the referendum on Thursday.

George Eaton on Jo;

Her internationalism, too, shaped her decision. "Our party has a proud record," she wrote in October 2015. "From the thirties and the International Brigades, where thousands from our movement stood shoulder to shoulder against fascism during the Spanish Civil War, to the modern day humanitarian interventions led by Labour in Sierra Leone and Kosovo, stopping ethnic cleansing in its tracks." 

She added: "I don’t believe this internationalism is an accident. Rather, it stems from our ideology, from our belief in equality and justice. Our belief that all people have the same right to peace, justice and prosperity no matter where they live. Where we act (not only stand) in solidarity with those oppressed and marginalised." 

Cox's fierce awareness of the necessity of power to improve human lives made her determined to achieve a Labour government. It was the seemingly distant prospect of doing so that led her to write a self-critical piece with fellow MP Neil Coyle, regretting her decision to nominate Jeremy Corbyn (who paid dignified tribute to her) for the leadership. They warned that "poor judgment and a mistaken sense of priorities" were "offering the Tories the prospect of power through 2020, 2025 and beyond". 

Jo Cox was a Labour MP. There are innumerable ways in which the parliament and the party she served can be improved. But as long as they attract figures of the calibre of Cox, they will be in far better health than many suggest. 

Khan is right, McDonnell wrong - EU vote more important than anything else

After the trouble Labour found itself in after the Scottish referendum campaign, I like many hoped that the Labour Party had learnt from those mistakes and we would run our own campaign to remain in Europe.

I am pleased that Mr Corbyn has backed the remain campaign but  I feel he could do far more, as could the Shadow Chancellor - John McDonnell. It has been quite noticeable that the Labour big hitters campaigning the hardest to keep the UK in Europe are former Labour Front Bench members not Corbyn supporters.

The Tories are in turmoil over the referendum, Johnson and Gove are putting their own leadership aspirations over what is best for the country. 

Over the last few weeks as I have campaigned for a 'remain' vote I have come to realise that this is the most important vote my generation will ever make, so the party are right to run our own campaign under Alan Johnson but it also obvious that the consequences of exiting Europe and being left with a country under the control of Boris and Gove that at times we may find ourselves sharing a platform with Tories, Lib Dems, Greens and even the SNP - so I fully understand why Sadiq Khan was happy to campaign alongside Cameron at the weekend.

At a 'Labour In For Britain' event,  John McDonnell was asked by an audience member whether, like Mr Khan, the party should put aside its differences with Mr Cameron to campaign for a Remain vote.

He replied: "The Europe that the Tories want is not our Europe. Cameron went to negotiate away workers' rights in advance of this referendum. If he could have done it, he would have done.

"If Cameron and his crew are still in power after this referendum they will continue dismantling our welfare state. They will continue to cut benefits, undermine wages and cut public service jobs. This will go on.

"Sharing a platform with them discredits us. It demotivates the very people we are trying to mobilise."

But speaking at the weekend, Mr Khan defended his decision to campaign with Mr Cameron.

He said: "Is it in London’s interests for me to hold grudges? Is it in London’s interests for the Mayor of London to be at permanent war with the Conservative Prime Minister? There are many areas on which the Prime Minister and I disagree, we’re never going to be best friends, but what’s important is for the Mayor of London argues the case for London and for Londoners to remain in the European Union.

"I’m willing to put aside our differences, put aside the grudges that he or I may have because this argument, this debate, is far more important than David Cameron or me. It’s about our city’s future, our country’s future, it’s about the patriotic, positive case for us to remain in the EU.”

If anything after the way Cameron had previously spoke about Sadiq, it was Khan and the Labour Party who benefited most over the event as it indicated that Labour politicians were willing to put the future of the country over personal grievances. 

We need to campaign as had for a 'remain' vote as we did in the elections in  May, so John McDonnell should be more worried about Jeremy Corbyn taking a short holiday with under a month to go before the referendum not to mention his planned visit to Glastonbury in the last days of the campaign.  Sadiq Khan did what was best not only for London but also the Labour Party and the whole of the UK.

More of a worry to me is that other 'moderate' Labour MPs will seek positions as city Mayor's rather than staying in Parliament to fight not only for the British people but also the future of the Labour Party. 

My week ahead 21 - 26 March 2016

Monday 21 March – 6pm, Labour Group meeting

Tuesday 22 March – 11am, Activ-lives ‘Support our Hub’ event at the Town Hall

7pm- Suffolk Fabians meeting – ‘Democratic Reform’

Thursday 24 March – 7pm – Central  Ipswich Area Committee

Saturday 26 March – 10am, Labour campaigning in North West Ipswich

The wheels have fell off the Tory train this weekend, and for once we have silence from local Tory activists!

The problem with the Tories is to work out who is telling the truth!

Did IDS resign over the proposed cuts by Osborne?

Or as Cameron and Number 10 state, he resigned over Europe?

And if IDS was as bad as other Ministers are now saying why didn’t Cameron sack him ages ago?

The budget – I always thought when something was in the budget it meant it was going to happen – but now we hear the cuts that would have hit the disabled, may now be kicked into the long grass!

Now I think we all know what this spat is all about- Europe – and Gove may have spoken in both defence of IDS and Cameron – ‘leader in waiting’ Boris Johnson seems to be only noticeable by his silence!

Then I wonder how Ipswich Tories are going to react – most seem to be in agreement with IDS about the need to leave the EU but at the same time they are very supportive of the cuts being imposed by Osborne!

What we have is a party tearing itself apart – all for selfish reasons – leadership aspirations of certain Tories being more important to some than the future of our younger generations!

In Suffolk we have had the Tories oppose a motion that would have put a stop to the cuts to the Fire Service- on the day of the Council meeting, Tory MP for Felixstowe suddenly supported the campaign to save at least one fire station in the East of the county but her Tory councillors ignored her. The Sudbury Tories also voted for the cuts to be imposed – they seem to have forgotten the recent fire that decimated their town centre.

My week ahead, 29 February - 5 March 2016

Monday 29 February – 4pm – Culture Portfolio meeting

6pm, Labour Group campaigning

Tuesday 1 March – 6pm, Ipswich Borough Audit committee

Saturday 5 March – 10am, Labour campaigning in North West Ipswich

Yesterday was spent campaigning as almost every Saturday morning of the year is, and this Saturday was also meant to be a national Labour Party campaign day – concentrating on the #StrongerIn campaign.

In Ipswich we have local elections in May and though I had decided to vote to remain in the EU, I was not planning to spend every Saturday in May and June campaigning on this issue. That feeling has now changed as I believe the vote on our membership of the EU will be one of the most important decisions we ever take. More importantly it will be a descision that will have the most consequences for our younger residents – the ones the Tory Party have decided can’t vote in June.

I am proud the Labour Party had decided to back our continued membership of the EU, now some will not agree and that is democracy but at least the majority of members, elected councillors and MPs agree we should stay in.

We know the Tory Party are split on the decision and we see that in Ipswich but it does not mean all is well in the Labour movement. Jeremy Corbyn has backed the #StrongerIn campaign but he does not seem to be throwing himself into the debate whilst the Shadow Chancellor (one of the busiest Shadow Cabinet members) seems to be totally silent on the issue – why? Maybe John wishes to remain on side with those from the Far left who have more in common with UKIP and the Far right of the Tory Party when it comes to Europe , some who think Jeremy has betrayed them by supporting the 'Stronger In' campaign. .

So when we had our national campaign day yesterday where was our leader? Speaking at a CND rally in London. Now for many getting rid of Trident is an important issue and i respect Jeremy for his strongly held views on the subject but maybe he should have used his influence in the CND not to have the events clash.

Future of Trident is important but so is our future in Europe – we can help decided if we stay in EU, we have little influence on the future of Trident – and the main point some seem to have not grasped- to have a real say on the future of Trident – we need to be in Government! That should be our focus after the EU debate not campaigning on issues that actually make it harder us for to get in a position where we can then help shape our future defence policy.

Ipswich Tories, at war with each other?

Actually I don’t think they are – it seems they are very united – they all want to leave the EU – Who stated this~? No other than their Party Chair, Cllr Liz Harsant – the Guardian newspaper even put it on their front page – Liz was quoted as telling the paper, said of the Ipswich Conservative Association: “They are all for out at the moment. Our MP [Conservative Ben Gummer] is in favour of staying but frankly we all want to leave.”

So that seems very united and with such a small membership and looking at the tweets and blogs of their council group leader, Nadia Cenci and Tory activist and candidate Kevin Algar you can see a real hatred of everything the EU stands for. Their tweets and blog posts do read like the traditional views of ‘little Englanders’ in most cases it seems their one real concern is ‘open border’s and that they have some belief that if we leave the EU, we will suddenly stop being a destination for those seeking to make a better life for themselves and their families.

They often do mention that there is too much ‘red tape’ because of the EU but what the Tories want is return to the time where there was little legislation to protect both workers and the general public.

Today it has been announced that the owners of Alton Towers will be prosecuted after the horrific accident involving their roller coaster, this is the sort of legal action that we would not see if the Tories had their way – children back working in factories or climbing inside chimneys could be seen as new job creation schemes!

So why can we claim the Ipswich Tories are at war   when it seems they are united in their desire to leave the EU and their opposition to what their own MP thinks?

It is because their Tory association, through its twitter feed seems keen to say their Chair Liz Harsant is either wrong or has been miss-quoted by the Guardian they seem very keen to tell anyone that will listen that do not know the views of all their members and they will just have a friendly debate and still call each other friends at the end of it. Or has pressure come down from Tory Party HQ that local associations should remain neutral when it is obvious to most that in places like Ipswich the (very large) majority are for us leaving Europe as soon as we can?

Here in the Labour Party there are some who wish to leave Europe, I for one wish our national leader, Mr Corbyn was taking a more leading role in the ‘Stronger In’ campaign but here in Ipswich it seems the large majority of members wish to remain in the EU. So maybe Mr Gummer will be out campaigning with us on the doorsteps in Ipswich when he makes one his fleeting visits back to his constituency?

He would be most welcome to join us, because for all the waffle from the local Tory association it is quite obvious that if he wants to go out campaigning for us to stay in Europe the only Tories he could go out with live outside the Borough- his fellow Suffolk Tory MPs and the Tory County leader – now that would be an interesting canvass team!

Now some of the Tories seem annoyed to be described as ‘little Englanders’ by me so wonder what they think of comments by Gummer who declares that maybe by wanting to leave the EU they are being unpatriotic? A recent tweet by Mr Gummer declared; "The patriotic choice is for Britain as a leading nation in the world's largest trade bloc. We are stronger in."

For once I agree with something Mr Gummer has said!

My week ahead, 22 - 28 February 2016

Monday 22 February – 6pm, Labour Group meeting

Wednesday 24 February – 6pm, Ipswich Borough Full Council meeting

Thursday 25 February – 7pm, Mayor’s Charity Quiz

Saturday 27 February – 10am, Labour campaigning in North East Ipswich

So we now know officially – the EU referendum will be held in June, and what a mess of the whole show Cameron and the Tories have made of this important event.

I am proud to be described as English (with a bit of Scottish blood), British and European! I will not only be voting to stay in the EU but also campaigning for our continuance as part of the EU.

But what a mess the Tories are making of this, I do not think we even needed a referendum but to stop Tories jumping to UKIP he had to promise a referendum, but then he let his Ministers back the ‘leave’ campaign – weak leadership.

Osborne and his economic recovery plan depends on migration – but we have Tory Minsters demanding our borders are shut- so they do not believe in the Osborne plan?

Where is the ‘leave’ alternative to the Common Agricultural Policy?

The ‘Leave’ group want to get rid of ‘Health and Safety’ rules in the workplace! Do you think this will make you or your family safer.

Then we have to ask why some Tory Ministers are willing to campaign against their own Prime Minister? Leadership aspirations? The classic example is Boris Johnson – allegedly yet to decide, but will announce (probably to say that he will campaign to leave) in his weekly paper column! So Cameron attempting to silence him by giving him a place in the Cabinet has failed – so Cameron today has resorted to trying to embarrass Boris (not hard) by asking how can he campaign alongside other Political nutters- Farage and Galloway?

So  within 24 hours we have seen the Tories split and finding it hard to pretend that they are still friends – we may see a similar fall out in Ipswich with Ben Gummer pro EU but prominent (and not so prominent) local Tories like Nadia Cenci and Kevin Algar so anti the EU. But their own views seem to be based on just one topic- closing the borders, stopping immigration – as if leaving the EU will suddenly see the closure of the ‘jungle’ in Calais! Small minded, ‘little Englander’ views.

What about Labour? I am proud that we are campaigning to say in Europe, and was pleased to hear the pro EU speech from Jeremy Corbyn (that he made in Wales, yesterday). I wish he had been to see more pro EU in the past so glad he now is backing the ‘Stronger In’ campaign.

One does wonder that if he was not leader that it may have been Jeremy or Diane Abbott who had been lobbied to join Galloway and Farage and other Far Right Tories in the ‘Leave’ camp. Very pleased to see that Corbyn has shown real leadership on this subject.

Over the next few months, we must still hold the Tories to account over the NHS and education but we also must campaign hard to stay in Europe but run our own campaign’ a Labour campaign – but that Labour campaign may get Cameron out of mess (of his own making) as he has allowed his Ministers to act in a selfish way rather than doing what is best for the country.