WITH Jeremy Corbyn recently reaffirming the Labour Party’s commitment to the European Union, it is again becoming apparent that a large number of our friends on the left perceive this regional bloc to be the “progressive option.” It also follows that some among this group of progressive EU supporters consider all advocates of exit as anti-progressive; almost Ukipish! We’re not. The left case for exit is progressive and compelling. Unlike the reactionary right it is not based on xenophobic and racist fearmongering and relies instead on a realistic assessment of the present situation: the capitalist nature of the European Union and the need for national self-determination.

Corbyn is a principled democrat and I am sure that he would more than welcome a progressive debate on the future of Britain in (or out) of the EU. Before I argue against his current position on the EU, I would caution those who, like me, disagree with the present position of the Labour Party on this matter. His stance on the EU is one of several compromises that will have to be made and accepted in order to secure a Labour government in 2020.

While we may disagree over certain policies, to turn this particular debate into something it is not — a potential split issue — is deeply unhelpful for all. Let us all welcome respectful and comradely debate over the EU.