British Jobs for British Workers?

Remember that speech where Gordon Brown said:

As we set out on the next stage of our journey this is our vision: Britain leading the global economy - by our skills and creativity, by our enterprise and flexibility, by our investment in transport and infrastructure - a world leader in science; a world leader in financial and business services; a world leader in energy and the environment from nuclear to renewables; a world leader in the creative industries; and yes - modern manufacturing too - drawing on the talents of all to create British jobs for British workers.

Which of course those of us who know our EU regulations know is bollocks, and when Cameron flagged it up in his speech, I wrote:

It's not just the Human Rights Act, it's EU Directive 2004/58/EC which means you can only deny entry to / deport EU criminals for terrorism. But keep this in your mind - this mock outrage at Gordon Brown telling people he's going to do something he can't do...

Now, let's scroll forward from 2007 to today:

Strikes have been breaking out across the UK in support of a mass walkout by energy workers in Lincolnshire angry at the use of foreign workers.

Hundreds gathered for the third day of the original strike at Lindsey Oil Refinery after owner Total gave a £200m contract to an Italian firm.

They have been supported by hundreds of strikers in Scotland, Wales and other parts of England

When we joined the EEC as was, a condition of this was that workers from the other countries would be able to come to the UK to work. It's not a collection of states, it's a group of people with a desire for one state. Simple. (And can we please remind ourselves who signed us up...)

This isn't even a question of the EU Constitution or the Lisbon Constitution: this is a founding principle of our membership. Now, if you want that, then fair enough, but don't fucking lie about it. Don't give me this bullshit of 'British jobs for British workers' when you know very well it's illegal. Any of you.

And whilst the irony of an Italian company being more efficient is not lost on me, I can't support free movement of people across borders when we have such a welfare state. I can't afford to. Were we to just have a safety net then I'd reconsider my opinions based on the principles of comparative advantage but right now, when we're in the shit economically, I don't want to have another group of people on my payroll.

It's one way we can join in with the rest of Europe I suppose, though: France are striking, the Greeks were way ahead of the game, and now we can join in.

Let's hope they all remember why when they vote in the European Elections.