Scottish Socialists lay out key Leave demands

by Hugh Cullen

The SSP seeks to build an economy based on fair pay, in high skilled jobs, high productivity and good conditions instead of cheap labour, poverty pay and insecure employment. We disagree with the Scottish Government’s bids to keep Scotland in the single market and the UK, as these options are either not practical nor desirable for working people.

We called for a remain vote in the 2016 EU referendum, as the least worst of two neoliberal options, but the Left knows the EU is and remains an undemocratic bosses’ club. Our demands, if kept, will help ensure that the Tories do not use the Brexit negotiations as an opportunity to attack the conditions of workers living and working here.

Theresa May,

The SSP demands the government protects and enhances the rights of workers in the forthcoming Brexit negotiations, by making the following commitments.

  1. All EU legislation protecting workers’ rights such as the Working Time Directive, Written Statement Directive, Parental Leave Directive, Framework Equal Treatment Directive, Acquired Rights Directive, Collective Redundancies Directive and Transfer of Undertaking Regulations must be upheld in UK law.
  2. The EU legislation preventing public ownership of industries and utilities in the UK should be rescinded.
  3. The Government will not cut industry regulation, including environmental, labour or financial services regulation, in a race to the bottom to undercut the EU and attract private business.
  4. All EU citizens living in the UK retain full citizenship rights and we will continue to welcome all those who wish to live here.
  5. The Government will commit to matching the current levels of investment in green energy projects and academic research funding that we currently receive as part of our EU membership.
  6. Areas of legislation which were formerly governed by Brussels, such as agriculture, fishing, environmental regulation and tax powers such as VAT should be devolved to the Scottish Parliament.

If you agree with our vision of an Independent Socialist Scotland, why not join us?