To mobilise support for a Yes to Europe, we need to engage with the difficult questions

Europe was founded on the principle of solidarity, which is of course also a fundamental principle of the left. Nothing has put that symbiosis under more strain than the events of the past few weeks, when any semblance of solidarity seems to have been abandoned by our European leaders.

A Greece on its knees – access to cash, food, medicines, even paper to print newspapers on, dwindling –sought help from its neighbours. The response from EU Member State leaders has been likened to ‘mental waterboarding’ and ‘a catalogue of cruelties’. The UK is not exempt from this, as Cameron’s attempt to block the bridging loan demonstrated. ‘What kind of family,’ beseeched the Guardian, ‘does this to one of its own members?’

Reams have been written about how it came to this and yes Greece bares its share of responsibility. But we might wonder, when Greece is berated for corruption, inflated public pensions, tax avoidance, rampant oligarchy and the like, how some European leaders are able to keep a straight face. How tempted Tsipras must have been to turn to his peers with an ‘Et tu, Brute’.

We’ve also had reams about German ‘hegemony’ with surprisingly little said about the acquiescence of the other European Member States. France’s last minute gestures notwithtstanding, no one seemed willing to challenge Greece’s punitive treatment. Without truly knowing what happens behind closed doors, we are left with Varoufakis’ chilling image of the ‘finely tuned orchestra.’

And whatever happened to collective responsibility? Economists of all persuasions have argued that monetary union without fiscal and political union is delusional. So is the Greek crisis its inevitable denouement, the precipitator of the unravelling of the whole European project even? And how should Labour and the rest of the European centre left respond?

We should start by repudiating the formation of perhaps the first serious Eurosceptic left grouping which seems poised to fight for a No to Europe. To do this the Labour leadership must break the silence about the recent cataclysmic events in Greece and do more than just ‘stick to our guns’ and defend, defend, defend. We can no longer rely on reminding people that Europe gave us the Social Charter and half a Century of peace. That won’t cut it with a British construction worker any more than it will with a Spanish graduate or a Greek pensioner. The parties of the radical right and radical left know this and are ascendant while the Centre left flounders.

However strongly we believe that Europe is a vehicle for social democracy and solidarity, these well-rehearsed arguments look farcical in light of events. If we are to convince the British electorate, indeed if we have aspirations to be at the heart of Europe as we once claimed, we must do better. That includes a change of message in respect of berating Cameron for preaching EU reform. It is clear from the Greek crisis that the battle is between reform and rejection; the only way to prevent the latter is to embrace the former.

That means addressing some overdue questions rather than ceding the terms of the debate to the Tories. If ever closer Union is the only way to save the Eurozone are we content to remain in the slow lane, or will we advocate for the bold and counterintuitive step of joining the inner core? How long will we tolerate the opaque machinations of the European Council without calling for the transparency we insist on for the other European institutions? Are we prepared to uphold the European ideal even when this involves national sacrifice? And what of the migrants drowning in our seas, who will speak up for them?

Whether we like it or not, another referendum awaits. To mobilise support for a Yes to Europe, we urgently need to engage with the difficult questions and start articulating a far reaching reform agenda rooted in the principles of equality, solidarity, dignity and rights.

The Greek crisis has shown that solidarity within the European ‘family’ is not a given. It is something that now needs to be recreated and fought for anew. Otherwise we are dangerously close to facing our very own OXI.