The absolute opposite of democracy

"I pledge to give power back to the people if Labour are elected" says Jeremy Corbyn. Speaking of the Tories he says "the party of privilege is taking us back to the days when the people were locked out of power". This is the man leading the Labour Party; the party absolutely committed to keeping us in the EU - where people have never been more distant from the levers of power. This is how empty British politics is now.

But it's interesting that he should in his piece invoke the Jarrow marchers. That is a true expression of democracy; people organising and mobilising, demanding their rights rather than being passive recipients of rights from above. The absolute opposite to the EU - which is the absolute opposite of democracy.

Corbyn says "I beg of you: do not choose inaction over rightful anger. Don’t be silenced. Register to vote. Defend your trade unions. Be a thorn in the Government’s side. Stand up against the one-party state."

But then, being a hard leftist, he should know that The Morning Star thinks the EU is a major blocker of trade union access to the levers of power. It says the EU Economic and Social Committee is "toothless". Set up to offer ‘partnership’ between bosses and unions, it "offers ordinary people nothing".

The ESC has no power to block EU legislation. In other words, it has what is called “influence” only — which can be ignored or shelved. Compare this committee of 353 with the Corporate Europe Observatory’s estimate of 30,000 corporate lobbyists at the EU. Only a few of these are registered and the Commission — the EU’s law-making body — is opposed to registration and hence transparency. Daily these lobbyists persuade the Commission to favour their clients’ interests.

If Brits now vote to remain in the EU they will be saying that the politicians can lie to us, take us for fools and hold us in contempt, and that's ok. Whatever comes their way then is entirely deserved.