Labour to force a vote on the positive case to remain in the EU and reject Tory Brexit

Labour will use its final Opposition Day Debate before the European Union Referendum vote on Thursday 23 June to highlight the positive case to remain and reform the EU, and reject a Tory Brexit.

Labour accepts that the EU is not perfect, but to turn our backs on the economic benefits of what the UK’s membership of the EU offers and embrace a Tory Brexit, does not bare considering.

After the damage to our economy of six years of George Osborne’s economic mismanagement, a Tory Brexit will only add a further economic burden to working people’s lives.

John McDonnell MP, Labour’s Shadow Chancellor, said:

“Labour wants to better use the EU’s levers of power to help British families get more control against the growing economic forces of globalisation, including on issues that British people feel passionately about such as clamping down on tax avoidance and building new homes.

“This is part of the positive case that Labour is making to vote to remain and reform the EU, and reject a Tory Brexit.

“The truth is that a Tory Brexit will hit working people, and this risk is not worth taking when we can remain and reform the EU to unlock Labour investment via Europe to create jobs and growth here in the UK.”

Seema Malhotra MP, Labour’s Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury, said:

“Labour is making a positive economic case for why British people and British businesses currently benefit more from our membership of the EU with over three million UK jobs linked to exports to other EU countries, and we will only benefit further in the future; compared to what is on offer under a Tory Brexit.

“Whether it be from science collaboration – which is why Stephen Hawking and 93 percent of UK scientists back remaining in the EU - educational exchange – which is why every British university Vice-Chancellor and young people overwhelming back remain – access to the single market of over 500 million or the absence of war in western European for over 70 years.”

“The EU isn’t perfect, but Britain should looking to change the EU for the better, not accepting defeat and walking away. Britain should be leading in Europe with this kind of agenda, and under the next Labour government we will be.”

Ends

Notes to editors

1.      Over three million jobs in Britain are linked to exports to other EU countries.

2.     Businesses large and small, trade unions representing over 4 million workers and politicians from across the political spectrum are all agreed that the UK economy benefits from our membership of the EU.

3.     Access to a single market of over 500 million people without any trade tariffs benefits British businesses and those who work for them.

4.     In addition, investors from countries as diverse as the US, China, India and Japan have made it clear that membership of the EU is factor in whether they will chose to invest in the Britain in the future.

5.      Labour’s motion: The Economic Benefits of the United Kingdom’s membership of the European Union:

That this House believes that the United Kingdom needs to stay in the European Union because it offers the best framework for trade, manufacturing, employment rights and cooperation to meet the challenges we face in the world in the twenty first century and notes that tens of billion pounds-worth of investment and millions of jobs are linked to our membership of the European Union, the biggest market in the world.