Former TUC Leader Aligns with PM on EU

Questionable Motives Behind the Cameron–Barber Alliance

I was staggered to read the joint article on Europe from David Cameron and Brendan Barber in The Guardian. By enlisting a high-profile union figure, the Tory leadership hopes to sway millions of sceptical workers. Yet this “first” of its kind collaboration will surely alienate many in our movement.

Cameron’s Track Record on Workers’ Rights

Workers’ wages and living standards have suffered on a scale unprecedented in recent history. Under Cameron’s government:

• Pensions have been attacked, and cuts to benefits have targeted society’s most vulnerable.
• Public services have endured the worst cuts in history, pushing many local authorities to breaking point.
• Privatisation and fragmentation—such as the enforced academisation of schools—have undermined local democracy.

In these circumstances, it is surreal to see Cameron express concern about a loss of workers’ rights if we leave the EU.

Assault on Employment Justice and Union Power

This is the same prime minister who has:

• Made it harder for workers to seek justice through the employment tribunal system.
• Driven the expansion of zero-hours contracts and other forms of vulnerable work.
• Introduced the Trade Union Bill, designed to weaken unions financially, industrially, and politically.

Why the Cameron–Barber Love-In Backfires

The TUC has debated the EU question, and most unions support a Remain vote. But they unanimously reject any joint campaigning with the Tories. Working people’s interests are not those of Cameron or his big-business backers.

Many in the trade union movement remember the backlash from the 2014 Scottish referendum, when voters resented the Better Together coalition. It seems Brendan Barber has learned nothing from that experience.

Building an Independent Workers’ Movement

Far from strengthening the case for Remain, this Cameron–Barber love-in may strengthen calls for change. Working people have faced an onslaught on pay, conditions, and public services for years. Collaborating with Tory ministers will not build the independent, militant movement we need.

The truth is clear: both official referendum campaigns are dominated by right-wing, anti-worker politicians committed to endless austerity. Only an independent workers’ movement can defend our rights—whether in or out of the EU.

For more on workers’ rights in a post-referendum Britain, see our article on Post-Brexit Labour Rights.