Sunday, February 01, 2009
Free trade or bust
So what was Gordon Brown thinking when he promised in 2007 that he would ensure "British jobs for British workers"? Surely, he knew that such a notion is illegal under EU law and contrary to British treaty obligations.
I have every sympathy with those workers who have been excluded from applying for key jobs in their own community. The Government must ensure that companies cannot discriminate in favour of one nationality over another. However, we cannot slip into the sort of protectionism that some are calling for. Such a move really will play into the hands of the BNP.
Peter Mandelson is right in this article when he says: "It would be a huge mistake to retreat from a policy where, within the rules, UK companies can operate in Europe and European companies can operate here. Protectionism would be a surefire way of turning recession into depression."
The only way through this recession is to work on an international level with other countries. Once barriers start going up then each country will become entrenched in its own downward spiral. We should not forget that whilst we have freedom of movement of labour within the European Union, Britain benefits from that as much as it loses.
There are British workers with jobs in European countries whilst the recent 30% devaluation of the pound has made our exports competitive on the continent and that will help to create and sustain jobs.
Gordon Brown was playing with fire in 2007 and the unions are playing with fire now. Whatever people's instincts, the maintenance of free trade and of common employment rights are our only way out of this mess.
That applies to the Italian company Irem, which is employing only Italian and Portuguese workers at the Lindsey refinery at North Killingholme. Lincolnshire as it does to everybody else. They must be told to end these restrictive practices but in return the unions cannot expect the Prime Minister to uphold his nonsense promise. It cannot be delivered and he knows it.
I have every sympathy with those workers who have been excluded from applying for key jobs in their own community. The Government must ensure that companies cannot discriminate in favour of one nationality over another. However, we cannot slip into the sort of protectionism that some are calling for. Such a move really will play into the hands of the BNP.
Peter Mandelson is right in this article when he says: "It would be a huge mistake to retreat from a policy where, within the rules, UK companies can operate in Europe and European companies can operate here. Protectionism would be a surefire way of turning recession into depression."
The only way through this recession is to work on an international level with other countries. Once barriers start going up then each country will become entrenched in its own downward spiral. We should not forget that whilst we have freedom of movement of labour within the European Union, Britain benefits from that as much as it loses.
There are British workers with jobs in European countries whilst the recent 30% devaluation of the pound has made our exports competitive on the continent and that will help to create and sustain jobs.
Gordon Brown was playing with fire in 2007 and the unions are playing with fire now. Whatever people's instincts, the maintenance of free trade and of common employment rights are our only way out of this mess.
That applies to the Italian company Irem, which is employing only Italian and Portuguese workers at the Lindsey refinery at North Killingholme. Lincolnshire as it does to everybody else. They must be told to end these restrictive practices but in return the unions cannot expect the Prime Minister to uphold his nonsense promise. It cannot be delivered and he knows it.
Comments:
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it's all a bit late 70s, isn't it - we have an unelected Labour pm and the papers' headlines today were mostly snow, bombs in NI, workers on strike ....
i had thought until BJ4BW came back to bit him that Brown and co might pull something off next year. i don't have that worry any more.
i had thought until BJ4BW came back to bit him that Brown and co might pull something off next year. i don't have that worry any more.
# posted by 
: 2:19 PM
: 2:19 PM
Is there something wrong in passing an Act of Parliament to say that 50% of employers in large-scale projects should come from Britain? That way, you are not entirely protectionist, but you don't come to the terrible point we are now, where nobody is employed by a project in their own local area.
It is a sad fact that the EU laws about this are being used in a poor way, by the companies responsible for this matter. I'm sure I read something about an EU court deciding the law was being used incorrectly. Maybe we should start pushing for EU reform to deal with these crises?
I suppose it is only through reform that we can help these workers. And steer our country - and our neighbouring countries - through the recession and depression.
It is a sad fact that the EU laws about this are being used in a poor way, by the companies responsible for this matter. I'm sure I read something about an EU court deciding the law was being used incorrectly. Maybe we should start pushing for EU reform to deal with these crises?
I suppose it is only through reform that we can help these workers. And steer our country - and our neighbouring countries - through the recession and depression.
Then I suggest he steps down, if you cannot keep your word and he is very good at using other peoples saying and policies he better leave.
Free Trade is not what we need its Fair Trade.
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# posted by : 12:55 AM
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