International

Wonders never cease. The British Labour Party, under the control of Tony Blair, was the first social democratic party in Europe to shed its ideological feathers and embrace neoliberalism. And now this same Labour Party has become the first social democratic party in Europe to return to having a true left leader, Jeremy Corbyn. It’s getting exciting: will he survive the smear campaigns, will he little by little be brought into line or will he hold to the correct line? For us in the SP European Parliament team it’s also important to consider, moreover, whether this new, more eurosceptic wind will also blow through his Labour colleagues in Brussels? I’m not at all sure, but at least there’s a bit of hope again.

In the European Parliament you see proof every day that the social democratic group, the S&D, forms part of the political establishment. At the crucial moment they plump for neoliberal solutions. Consider their support for the 3% norm for budgetary deficits and the 60% ceiling for state debt. In the Internal Market Committee I can never count on support from my social democrat colleagues if I want to put restraints on the market and, for example, defend public services. Even to the notorious treaty with the US, the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), the social democrats have not said a wholehearted ‘no’. Lots of fine words, few real deeds, that’s how I’d typecast the S&D.

The rise of the modern left, with large parties to the left of social democracy, gives hope. Think of Greece, Spain and Ireland where our sister parties have grown enormously, despite the establishment’s best efforts. Add to that Corbyn’s victory as Labour’s new leader and you can start to speak of a turn to the left.

The fight against the neoliberalism employed by Brussels as an important vehicle for the securing of its interests will become fiercer should the left attract more support. I see it as my task in the EP to present clear proposals, which will enable us to see where the S&D stands, and I’ll copy these to Corbyn: reverse privatisations and conduct a real fight against poverty through fair taxation and public investments, things for which Brussels won’t have a great deal of liking. But Corbyn, with this programme, won his election within the Labour Party. Let’s see if his party colleagues can stick to it. Even if we don’t have a majority, it will in any case become clear which parties are socially-minded and which aren’t. Social democrats on whom you can build a struggle against neoliberalism, and in an institution like the European Parliament: for the moment that’s a dream, but who knows?

I’ll keep you up to date on that.