Wakefield Forum on the EU Referendum

Twenty two people attended the forum yesterday organised by Wakefield Socialist History Group to discuss, "How should socialists vote in the referendum?"There were four speakers covering a range of positions.Paul Bennett from the Socialist Party of Great Britain argued that "in and out of the EU" are "exactly the same."  It would make no difference to the lives of working class.  Any difference would be "fairly marginal."  He advocated writing "socialism" or "world socialism" on the ballot paper. The real choice we should be interested in was between capitalism and socialism.John Westmoreland from "Counterfire" said he was for "Brexit" and for a "left campaign to get out of the EU." The EU is a "neo-liberal dictatorship" not a democracy. The EU and NATO are wedded together.  We need to "come out and build a real internationalism."Kevin Taylor from the Communist Workers' Organisation stated that he was against the division of workers along national and trans-national lines.  The IWO stood for a global socialist society where production is for need not profit.  Where the EU referendum was concerned his advice was "don't vote, organise instead."The final speaker, John Tummon, a member of the Republican Socialist Alliance, said he was for critical but unambiguous support for staying in.  He backed Jeremy Corbyn's position.  We need to defend the rights of migrants and the right to free movement.There then followed a lively question and discussion session.The Group's next event is a meeting on "The Levellers and the Diggers" on Saturday 13 February, 1pm, again at the Red Shed, Vicarage Street, Wakefield.