I note commentators turning up on this site to say that there is no way I am progressive because I remain in favour of the European Union.<\/p>\n
It is, apparently, a sign of your progression that you wish to leave the EU, with the resulting inevitability of the breakup of the Union, which may well be advantageous for Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, but which will be deeply and harmfully disruptive in England.<\/p>\n
It is likewise a sign of your left wing status that you wish reduce the income of people in this country, inevitably.<\/p>\n
And it is also progressive to want to consign the politics of the remaining rump nation - whatever it is and might be called - to being about negotiating new trade deals with Europe and other countries for the next fifteen years.<\/p>\n
If that is progressive politics, then I want nothing of it.<\/p>\n
But that\u2019s because I do want progressive politics. I want to do a Green New Deal. And in the mayhem post-Brexit that will not be possible. The simple fact is that there will only be the political capacity in England to do a Green New Deal or Brexit, but not both.<\/p>\n
And I want to achieve real reform of the City. But that will be impossible when post-Brexit UK politics will be hard-right, without a doubt, and will be aimed to create tax haven UK.<\/p>\n
And I want to fight fascism - which cannot be done right across Europe without being in Europe.<\/p>\n
I could go on, and on. I hope I don\u2019t need to. I hope the point is obvious. If being a little-Englander is progressive that\u2019s news to me. And it\u2019s not what I want to be. I want real reform. In the real world. For the benefit of real people. With international impact. And there\u2019s not a hope of that if we leave the EU.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"