82. What we want from Brexit

Conference notes that:

The debate about what Britain will look like after Brexit is presently dominated by right wing voices;
That Theresa May has set out a vision of a Britain hostile to immigrants and unwelcoming to migrant workers who are here;
That the TUC has begun to set out what issues are at stake in the Brexit negotiations.

Conference believes that:

Workers need to unite against the divisive Tory agenda that will only assist our enemies;
Brexit gives us a chance to say what sort of Britain we want;
The trade union movement needs to put forward its own vision of the future after Brexit;
We should oppose both the EU single market regime of pro-business rules and any attack on immigrants and the free movement of labour. Migration is not a burden and we do not believe in the slogan “British jobs for British workers”.

Conference believes that the principles that should guide the trade unions over Brexit are:

End austerity and all attacks on unions – repeal the anti-union laws;
Oppose all attacks on migrant workers in Britain. Full and indefinite rights guaranteed now for all EU nationals, and supporting the free movement of labour;

Maintaining public funding of all EU regional and social development fund programmes;
No reductions in workplace, social or equality rights;
No to the single market with its restrictions on nationalisation and no to any return of the TTIP deal or any other that favours the multinationals. Use the coming freedom from EU rules to begin the process now of taking back Royal Mail and the railways and buses into democratic public ownership;

Effective action on climate change, a ban on fracking and an agriculture policy focused on access to good-quality affordable food and environmental protection;
For internationalism and solidarity with workers across the world. Full support for all struggles against austerity and racism.

Conference resolves to:

London Fire & Emergency Planning Authority

NEC POLICY: DEFER