by
Yanis Varoufakis
My articles My siteAbout meMy booksMy videos
Follow on:Twitter

On 28th May 2016, at the event organised by DiEM25, Open Democracy and Another Europe is Possible, the speakers signed THE LONDON DECLARATION. Signatories included: Yanis Varoufakis (DiEM25), Caroline Lucas (Green Party MP), John McDonnell (Labour MP & shadow chancellor), Clive Lewis (Labour MP & shadow climate), Owen Jones (author and activist), Anthony Barnett (openDemocracy), Sirio Canós Donnay (Podemos), Neal Lawson (Compass),  Zoe Gardner (migrants’ rights activist), Matt Wrack, (FBU general secretary), Caroline Hill (Young Labour chair).

For the text of The London Declaration,

THE LONDON DECLARATION: VOTE IN TO CHANGE EUROPE

28th May, 2016

We come together from different backgrounds, political parties and movements. We are joining forces to call on people across the UK to rise up, campaign, and vote ‘IN’ to change Europe.

The people of Britain will make a historic decision in the referendum on 23rd June, 2016. In the next four weeks, progressives must mobilise to win their hearts. We cannot leave the future of our country in the hands of regressive politicians and vested interests who do not speak for us.

This is the first step in a bold campaign to reclaim our democracy – not just here in the UK, but all over Europe.

The European Union has built a lasting peace, helped protect our shared environment, created possibilities for protecting the rights of citizens and workers, and established common ground for Europeans to live, study and work together.

It suffers from serious flaws – a vacuum of democracy and economic policies which are unleashing a vortex of deflation and depression in several countries, yielding nationalism and xenophobia everywhere.

We are faced with a stark choice today. Either we walk away from the European Union and reap the whirlwind – or we join together across parties and borders to build an open, democratic Europe that works in the interests of all its citizens.

We know another Europe is possible. It is down to us to work for it.

If we leave the EU, who stands to benefit most? The political and financial elites of this country. Be under no illusion that a vote to leave willsomehow strengthen British democracy, bring shared prosperity, or strengthen the influence of the majority of Britons over decisions that affect our common future.

‘Brexit’ would strengthen nationalism and xenophobia in Britain and across Europe, sowing conflict, strengthening toxic politics and accelerating an economic crisis that will drag all of us down. Being outside the EU will not insulate us from this fate.

We, the undersigned, have joined forces to campaign together for a democratic and progressive IN vote. We are against walking away from Europe, and we are against surrendering to the status quo in Brussels.

Our campaign against Brexit is also a campaign to join forces with democrats across Europe to confront the status quo and to democratise the EU. The unity of working people and progressives striving for a sustainable future is the only source of hope for better things to come. And this unity cannot, and should not, end at the British Channel.

By joining forces to promote the Remain vote on June 23rd, we are beginning a passionate campaign for a Britain that prospers in:

• A Democratic Europe in which authority stems from Europe’s sovereign peoples, decision-making is transparent and communities are empowered;

• A Social Europe that recognises rights and freedom from exploitation as a prerequisite for true liberty;

• A Dynamic Europe that unleashes the creative and productive powers of its citizens;

• A Peaceful Europe, which serves as a force for good in our neighbourhood and around the globe;

• An Open Europe that is alive to ideas, people and inspiration from all over the world, instead of building fences and borders to divide us;

• A Sustainable Europe, leading the way in the green transition to the flourishing economies of the future, and living within the planet’s means.

We are united in this call; now we are calling upon all of you to join us. This is your campaign. Let us work together to vote IN on the 23rd June, and to change Britain and Europe for the better!