Launch of Croydon Labour’s campaign to stay in the EU
Labour has launched a campaign to persuade Croydon to vote ‘Remain’ in the EU referendum. Steve Reed MP was joined on Saturday by two of London’s Labour MEPs and council leader Tony Newman to launch the campaign at a rally in St James’s Road followed by door knocking in Selhurst.
Seb Dance MEP and Claude Moraes MEP both made passionate speeches about how jobs, investment and public services in Croydon depend on Britain remaining part of the EU.
Steve Reed MP said:
Britain benefits massively from being a member of the European Union. One in ten British jobs is linked to trade with Europe, investment comes to our country because we’re inside the EU, and we are safer because we co-operate with our European partners on security and fighting terrorism.
Mortgages and unemployment would go up if we left, and right-wing Tories are desperate to leave because they could then cut back basic employment rights secured by the EU like paid holiday, maternity pay, and rights for part-time workers.
There’s always room for improvement, but Britain has a voice for change inside the EU while we’d be voiceless and alone outside. If you care about jobs, investment, security, and Britain’s place in the world, then you should vote to remain in the EU.
Steven Reed is Labour MP for Croydon North and Shadow Minister for Children and Families. In 2018 his private member’s bill on reducing violent mental health restraint became law. In June 2019 he launched Labour’s civil society strategy outlining radical plans to empower citizens and communities.
Steve chairs the Cooperative Councils Innovation Network, co-chairs the All-Party Parliamentary Group for London, was Leader of Lambeth Council 2006-12 where he led the council’s children’s services to become best-rated in the country and pioneered the public-health approach to tackling violent youth crime. He worked in publishing for 16 years and was an elected trade union branch secretary.