Union Movement - Key Issues

Europe a Nation (1948) Britain must advance beyond the concept of a so-called united Europe and Common Market. This "third force" should have a central government for its defence, the economy, finance and scientific development, with power to raise wages and control prices as production increases for a guaranteed market, insulated against unfair competition from the rest of the world.

National and Regional Governments (1948) There should be independent national and regional governments for each European country and the main regions. This would enable England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland and other European countries and regions to have their own parliaments for internal affairs and for the preservation of their national and regional cultures.

Incomes Policy (1955) Mosley was first in the field with ideas now followed and urged by many leading economists, he stressed the necessity of incomes policy for over twenty five years; Galbraith claims to have done so for ten (New Statesman, 22.1.71). Detailed exposition appeared in Europe: Faith and Plan.

Personal Liberty Mosley proposed a variety of measures to guarantee and extend individual freedom. For example, he urged a constitutional enactment to prevent imprisonment without trial and a facility whereby maligned individuals or groups can obtain the right to reply in the mass media (Government of Tomorrow, 1955).

Immigration Mosley first proposed immigration control in 1952 to prevent any problems arising and then suggested that the United Kingdom should have similar rights in this respect as the Dominions. He fought the North Kensington election (1959) on this issue, among others, when the 'coloured immigration" problem was of sufficiently manageable proportions to be solved decisively and humanely by economic reconstruction within the Commonwealth.

On the partition of Ireland. (1970) The division of Ireland is wrong. It should end as soon as possible. It caused hardship to the South because the Six Counties contain industries which are a natural complement to the agriculture of the South. It is bad for Catholics in the North as they are denied full civil rights and social justice by the controlling Protestants.

Oswald Mosley offers a suggestion through Union Movement whose policy advocates the union of Europe - "Europe a Nation". This does not mean a great mix-up of the people of Europe; on the contrary it would be wished to preserve the roots and culture of all Europeans. A European government would guarantee the rights of all minorities in Europe, for even large nations would be minorities of the whole. The union of Europe will solve the problems of the Tyrol and of Gibraltar, of the Flemish in Belgium and of Protestant and Catholic in Ireland.

Guerrilla Warfare (1950) Mosley's analysis proved true in Vietnam and elsewhere. Mosley also argued that urban guerrilla warfare may decide future conflicts; a view now supported by military experts (e.g. General Béthouart, Figaro, 9.3.70, and others since).

Union of Europe policies to feed the hungry of the world in conjunction with America (Kensington Town Hall. 25.2.63). These proposals become more than ever relevant in the Common Market agricultural difficulties and resistance to Mansholt plans to uproot millions or peasants from the land and put them in growing urban unemployment queues. Mosley suggested full western agricultural production, using the surplus to end world starvation and carrying the cost on a combined budget.

Link inflation to environment problem Mosley said that the unemployed should be used in dealing with the environment and in other constructive public works long advanced in detailed policy. "it may in the end even prove an advantage for some proportion of manpower to be employed in stopping pollution instead of promoting surplus growth - otherwise the environment problem will never be met" (22.11 .70).

Science and Government Their linking together for constructive purposes goes back to his resignation speech (1930) and Greater Britain (1932), but the ideas have been considerably developed in later years. He wrote that statesmen should live "in the company and inspiration of scientists, as a Medici lived in the company and inspiration of artists' - (The Alternative, 1947).

Participation Mosley urged several social reforms to provide participation and a full life for the individual in modern society. Some of these were outlined in his articles in Eboracum (York University. 1.12.70) and Daily Telegraph Magazine (29.1.71).

"Higher Forms" Mosley gave much thought to the development of a doctrine which can successfully synthesise the deepest traditional values of our European civilisation with the biological and technological discoveries of modern science. (Closing pages of Europe: Faith and Plan, 1958, and My Life, 1968).

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