Ian Austin, MP for Dudley, has pointed out that an impressive body of rules, limitations, barrings and financial charges, unrelated to those of the EU, is already in existence (though not always employed) in British labour law. These rules may be readily imposed upon prospective immigrants. If they were to be properly applied in the face of a too-great body of immigrants, they could dispel the well-managed fear of a vast, EU–derived influx of workers. Labour, rightly wishing to stay in the EU, not least for all-round steadier employment, should resonantly endorse all these native powers. The UK could be a member of the EU, employing native regulation to serve British workers – native, settled, resident and accepted.
Edward Pearce
York
• The remain camp is losing the argument because it can’t give a straight answer to a straight question about control – whether it’s regarding control of immigration, control of our borders or control of our lives (Labour steps up fight for EU as alarm grows, 14 June). The reason is that most remainers, whether Tory or Labour, are committed to neoliberalism, which indeed does mean we have little control over these matters, any more than we have control over the multinational corporations that cross borders with impunity, shifting profits to tax havens, withdrawing capital and transferring jobs to other countries in search of greater profits. Withdrawing from Europe or remaining in will only give us greater control if it is coupled with a return to social democracy and a well-regulated capitalism. Since there is less prospect of this with Gove, Johnson and co in charge, we should vote to remain in.
John Quicke
Hull
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