Working classes in danger of being 'whipping boys' of Brexit, warns Barry

Working-class people will be made the "whipping boys" of a no-deal Brexit unless the Government gives clear guarantees to protect every job at risk from the deepening crisis.

Solidarity-People Before Profit made the claim at their annual pre-Dáil think in today, saying Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, Tánaiste Simon Coveney and other ministers must ensure feared mass job losses do not take place.

Asked about the ongoing Brexit stand-off and continuing Government calls for companies to access supports to protect them from any fallout, Solidarity-PBP TD Mick Barry said workers must be given the priority in any plans.

Hitting out at what he said has been a lack of clarity on the situation to date, the Cork North Central TD said ordinary people must not be made into "the whipping boys" of any political dispute.

"The cabinet meeting was told there was a threat of 10,000 jobs to be lost in the tourism and hospitality industry within three months of a no-deal Brexit.

"We think this should act as an alarm call to the trade union movement in this country and that the trade union movement used to send out a very clear and very strong message, and that message being that working-class people will not be made the whipping boys for a no-deal Brexit.

"There will need to be a fight to defend every single job, to prevent every single attempt at wage cut, and other measures which would make ordinary people pay," Mr Barry said.

Mr Barry said there is a focus from the Government on the need for all of the country to prepare fully for a hard Brexit situation.

However, he said even in this scenario ordinary workers must not be left to "carry the can" or "sacrifice" their income or jobs to protect the wider country.

"We want to make it very clear we are totally opposed to ordinary people, working-class people, being asked to carry the can, any austerity measures being talked about in the context of the budget," he said.

Mr Barry was speaking at the Solidarity-PBP pre-Dáil think in, which also saw TDs raise concerns over the housing crisis, a lack of action on climate change and the need to ensure financial fairness in Ireland.