100 Days of Brexit - Discussion

100 Days of Brexit: The triumph of reaction Speaker: Liam McQuaid (Anti-Capitalist Resistance) 21 April 2021 19.00 London/Dublin Zoom platform Speaker Liam McQuaid is a socialist activist based in East London. Summary Brexit may be just 100 days old but already its reactionary character is clear. In GB the most right-wing Conservative government in living memory stokes up a frenzy of flag waving nationalism and dismantles democratic rights. Abroad the military are granted immunity to commit war crimes while at home the police are empowered to violently suppress protest and dissent. Life for immigrants and refugees becomes ever more oppressive and precarious. In the face of this offensive the Labour party under the leadership of Keir Starmer has completely capitulated. It stands shoulder to shoulder with the government – endorsing every repressive measure while making the dramatic shift to support for Brexit. In the north of Ireland unionists’ rail against the Irish Sea border and loyalists engage in violent street disorder and sectarian provocations. This discussion will examine how the dynamics of Brexit are playing out across Britain and Ireland and how they are likely to develop into the future. Is there any validity to claims that Brexit is advancing the cause of Scottish independence or a united Ireland? Also, how do socialists go about countering the tide of reaction unleashed by Brexit.