When/Why/how did the "far left" become "eurofiles" ?

Shan Doras

Genuine question. I would guess that most young people who've only recently started to follow politics wouldn't know that Brid Smith, Paul Murphy and Richard Boyd were "Brexiters", Indeed,Paul Murphy even went to the Uk to campaign for a leave vote. Fast forward to today and it's now a "far right" thing to be Eurosceptic. SF and the socialist party campaigned strongly against the union expanding in the early 00s, today they want Ukraine and Moldova to join yesterday

donaghs

Late 80s/early 90s for the mainstream UK Labour Party. Previous to that they had campaigned to leave the EEC, e.g. 1983 elections.

Irish Labour campaigned against joining the EEC in 1972, but dropped their opposition much earlier than uk Labour. Possibly due to overall obviois financial benefits of being in the EEC (even when some Irish manufacturing like our small car industry went out of business after joining).

The fringe stayed anti-EU for longer though . Sinn Féin’s position seemed to be a gradual shift, starting in the late 90s.

The left fringe including Sinn Fein opposed the Lisbon Treaty, 2009.

I get the feeling that after Trump and Brexit, the left fringe now feel that being pro-EU is the “correct” “team” to be on.

randd1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058358439/when-why-how-did-the-far-left-become-eurofiles

Basically, oppose the Brits.

riffmongous

I'd say it's due to the fact that younger people tend to have positive attitudes towards the EU and the newer generations of left wing politicians and parties either directly reflect that, or have had to adapt to that to get support.

ancapailldorcha

I think the old left of socialism and trade unionism has been fading for some time. Today's left is more concerned with equality, respect, action on climate change and opportunity.

crusd

Probably about the same time as policies that were once considered centre left started to be painted as far left. At this stage centre right policies are painted as far left

Podge_irl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122342347#Comment_122342347

This is basically it. The "far left" is in many cases more of a "populist left" and being anti-EU simply isn't the popular viewpoint.

growleaves

The French Communist Party are still soft eurosceptic. Their European Parliament grouping contains other democratic socialists, greens and various other left-wingers who share this view.

I hadn't realise Paul Murphy had campaigned for Leave. That is interesting.

Shan Doras

www.newstalk.com/news/paul-murphy-calls-for-brexit-despite-racist-opinions-of-leave-campaigners-591015

Podge_irl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122342654#Comment_122342654

So much of that makes it clear that he is genuinely quite stupid and hasn't a clue how anything works.

Lexiteers drove me mad. On a purely realpolitik basis it was so insanely stupid to support when it was clear why those pushing it from the right were doing so and they were the ones in power.

Danzy

Working class areas tended to be more euro skeptic. The left. Especially the far left, are now middle class and up.

It was a natural drift as the bulk of the left moved away from being working class.

Ten of Swords

Mod - not a CA

Closed