Workers' Fight workplace bulletin editorials - 7 June 2017

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Workers' Fight workplace bulletin editorials
7 June 2017

The outcome of the general election won't make much difference for the working class.
    The winner, whether with an overall majority, or as a minority government - or as part of a coalition - will be in office to manage the affairs of the bosses and wealthy and in the best interests of their class.  This is what the so-called "democratic" process is really about.
    In this respect, both the main parties already have a long pro-business record.  And despite the promises that Jeremy Corbyn added to the Labour manifesto in order to attract our votes, he's also made a point of insisting on "keeping corporation tax among the lowest of the major developed economies" - which says it all!
    In particular, both these parties are now clearly committed to carrying on with the Brexit process, whatever happens, thereby aggravating the economic chaos it has already started to create.  Regardless of how they package their policies, both are also committed to defending what they call the "national interest" in the coming negotiations - meaning the vested interests of Britain's big companies and shareholders against their European rivals, which will be the only real stake in the Brexit horse-trading.

Towards another capitalist offensive

In fact, this whole election campaign has been a warning of what the future government has in store for us, workers.
    What is already crystal clear, is that its primary agenda will be to ensure that the cost of Brexit falls entirely onto the working class majority, while preserving the profits of British capital:  this is the real meaning of both parties' pledge to defend the "national interest".
    In this cost, the hefty bill that the government will have to pay for breaking all its commitments towards the EU, will only represent a small part.  The cost of the state subsidies that will be paid to big business for any loss they might incur as a result of Brexit, is likely to be much higher!
    In fact, to have an idea of this "hidden cost" of Brexit, we only have to think of the bill for the bailout of the banks, which we've been paying ever since 2008, in the form of budget cuts, in particular.  Except that, this time, not only the banks will be affected by Brexit, but also production and service industries, which make a large part of their profits out of the EU.  And like the bill for the bank bailout, the bill to compensate them will be spread out over many years and used to justify cutting social budgets much further than we have seen so far.
    Finally, the experience we've had since 2008, tells us that we should expect the bosses to use Brexit as a pretext to turn the screw of exploitation, by cutting our jobs, wages and conditions.

Putting working class interests first!

So, another capitalist offensive is coming.  And, regardless of whom we have voted for (or not!), our interest is to start preparing for it, right now!
    The government will lay all sorts of traps in front of us, to weaken our capacity to fight.  Like, for instance, May's call for a show "national unity" to strengthen her hand in the Brexit process.  As if we could ever be represented by the likes of May!
    Likewise, her cynical attempt to use the last terrorist attacks, to further her own political agenda.  She called for "the whole country to come together" behind the victims - but, in reality, what she means is together behind the British state's ongoing (and future wars) in the Middle East and elsewhere.
    Murdering innocent victims is utterly despicable.  There can be no justification for this.  And yes, to use May's own words, "it is time to say enough is enough".  But not in the name of "our" "British values" being "superior"!  Those same values used to justify the bombing of Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya?  Were not these bombings murder as well?  These are not the values of the working class!
    So yes: enough of these hypocritical, cynical politicians shedding tears on victims here, while ordering the RAF to murder tens, hundreds of thousands of women, men and children across the Middle East.  These state crimes cannot justify terrorism, but they do cause it.  And it is high time we, workers, made our voices heard to stop this murderous escalation!
    Just as it is high time to oppose the punitive measures that May threatens to introduce against workers who have the "wrong" skin, passport or religion.  Enough is enough!  Enough of these attempts at dividing our class.  Those who try to undermine our class unity are our worst enemies!
    The ballot paper has never been a decisive weapon for us.  What really matters is our capacity to use all our collective strength to stop the bosses and their politicians from wreaking havoc on our backs - by taking our fate into our own hands.  No-one else will do it for us!