Brexit and the Suspension of UK Parliament
Wednesday, August 28, 2019
Brexit and the Suspension of UK Parliament
GMB Scotland has been consistently vocal in the debate concerning our withdrawal from the European Union (EU) and its impact on our members’ jobs and prosperity here in Scotland.
Your union has commissioned two pieces of research into Brexit by the Fraser of Allendar Institute, Scotland’s foremost economic research body and the findings are unambiguous - Brexit is bad for our members’ jobs.
Many of the sectors highlighted in the reports are pillars of our trade union and they are set to get hammered by Brexit. There is no good news for Scotland; 80,000 jobs are at threat and many of them will be our members’ jobs (you can read the research again here).
There will be all sorts of convoluted political language used around the proroguing of Parliament but let’s be clear: An unelected prime minister has suspended parliament and is trying to suppress democratic debate over his plans for a disastrous ‘no deal’ Brexit.
A line has been well and truly crossed.
The UK Parliament hasn’t exactly covered itself in glory in the last three years. Our union has been blunt about the failure of our politics at all levels but the suspension of Parliament by an unelected Prime Minister and right- wing Tory clique is a dangerous precedent.
And what it leads to is the grotesque spectacle of Boris Johnson’s cabinet minions scuttling up back streets in taxpayer funded chauffeured cars to avoid media questions - a shameful sight.
That’s why GMB Scotland believes that wherever people stand on the future of the Scottish constitution there is a desperate need to oppose Boris Johnson and this Tory Brexit plan.
Today, our union places on record its support for demonstrative action to defend the interests of our members and tens of thousands of workers and their families across Scotland.
You can be assured that your union, as ever, will not be found standing on the side lines in the debate over our collective future.
Gary Smith
GMB Scotland Secretary
