BREXIT: WHAT, WHY AND HOW

2017

Südosteuropa

The Brexit vote was not simply a rejection of the European Union but also of a politics based on calculated self-interest or reasoned idealism. The author outlines how the referendum came about, provides crucial background information, and analyses its results. The reasons for the success of the Leave campaign are concisely presented, including the role of parties other than the Labour and Tory parties and that of the media in promoting, instead of critically assessing, a campaign characterized by exaggerated, even false claims. In his outlook towards the future, the author focuses on the UK/EU relationship and the internal constitutional crisis the Brexit vote has created and the dangers these pose for (further) destabilisation both of Britain and Europe.

EU Centre in Singapore Background Brief No. 14 , 2015

The UK’s membership of the EU has become a highly charged topic in British politics. In January 2013, Prime Minister David Cameron promised an in/out referendum if his Conservative Party won the 2015 General Election. Now that the Conservatives have formed a new government after winning a slim majority, David Cameron will push on for EU reform ahead of his referendum promised for 2017, while hoping that British voters would choose to remain in the EU for the benefit of a stable economy. What is really at stake for the UK, with regard to its membership of the EU? This background brief charts the arguments for and against Brexit – the term coined for the potential exit of the UK from the EU. Various analyses from think tanks and observers across the political spectrum are presented here. While attempting to offer a balanced coverage of the debates on Brexit, this background brief nevertheless seeks to offer a fact-based assessment of the merits of the UK leaving the EU, or otherwise. Economic considerations, rather than ideological underpinnings, are therefore the key here. A separate section charts out the economic relations between the UK and Singapore, a key political and economic partner of the UK in Asia, to discuss the potential impact of Brexit internationally.

Maastricht Journal of European and Comparative Law, 2017

The key questions were about the interpretation of the royal prerogative and the status of the devolved legislatures in the context of Brexit. With regard to the prerogative powers, the Supreme Court confirmed that the UK government cannot trigger Article 50 procedure without an authorizing Act of Parliament. On the role of the devolved 1 Any views expressed in this article are personal and do not represent the positions of the Law Society of England and Wales, the Law Society of Scotland, the Law Society of Northern-Ireland or the Joint Brussels Office. 2 legislatures, the Supreme Court ruled that they do not have a veto on the UK's decision to withdraw from the EU.

Anthropological Journal of European Cultures, 2021

When history books about Brexit are written a key question asked will be ‘how did it happen?’ How did a country renowned for stable governments, pragmatism and diplomacy produce a chaotic outcome so harmful to its economic interests and international standing? This article examines the factors that produced Brexit by analysing its political and historical context, the main campaign groups and their communication strategies. Drawing on the work of Verdery (1999), Maskovsky and Bjork-James (2020) and other anthropologists, I suggest we need to look beyond conventional political science concepts and consider Brexit in terms of ‘enchantment’, ‘angry politics’ and ‘technopopulism’. I conclude that while Brexit provides a window for analysing fault lines in contemporary Britain, it also highlights problems in the EU, its austerity politics and democratic deficit.

European View, 2014

A referendum on whether the United Kingdom should remain a member of the EU is no longer science fiction. British Prime Minister David Cameron has committed to a referendum in 2017 if the Conservatives win the 2015 elections. Before that, Cameron wants to negotiate a ‘better deal’ with the EU. What is his understanding of this ‘deal’, and what would the prospects for Britain be if they fail to achieve this and vote for an exit from the Union? How should the EU react to this British challenge? Are there any areas that could be reformed in order to please the British, while avoiding a ‘Europe a la carte’? The article describes the political background and history that has led to the current situation and British prospects outside the EU. It concludes with Britain's demands for EU reform and a possible EU response.

Conteporary Macedonian Defence, 2021

Abstract: This paper analyzes the attitude of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland towards European integration before and after the referendum on 23 June, in which the citizens of Great Britain voted to leave the full membership of the Euro- pean Commonwealth. The paper points out that Great Britain had certain reservations about the realization of the plan for European integration, and it underlines the complexity of Great Britain’s attitude towards European integration, which can be most clearly shown through the analysis of its traditional geographical and cultural isolationism, but also through integration, before and after its accession to the European Community in 1973. In the end, it is concluded that Brexit surprised the ruling elite in both Great Britain and the EU and it is emphasized that it is a historical event of first-class importance for the country itself, which produces numerous economic and geopolitical consequences for Europe and the whole world. Key words: European Union, United Kingdom, Brexit, Article 50, Treaty on European Union, negotiations.

2016

Universität zu Berlin through the Excellence Initiative of the German Federal Government and its Federal States. Contents Foreword Notes on Contributors 1. Between Internal and External Divisions Marius Guderjan 2. The EU Referendum and the Crisis of British Democracy Pauline Schnapper 3. Loose but not Lost! Four Challenges for the EU in the Aftermath of the British Referendum Sandra Schwindenhammer 4. European, not British? Scottish Nationalism and the EU Referendum

Claremont-UC Undergraduate Research Conference on the European Union, 2018

This argumentative paper addresses the question, why did the British public vote to leave the European Union in the June 2016 referendum? "Brexit" captivated the attention of countless scholars, journalists and political leaders, as most of the world was shocked that the "Leave" campaign, spearheaded by the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP), ultimately won out over the "Remain" campaign. Since the Brexit vote, debates have arisen, as perplexed outsiders attempt to discern the factors that contributed to 51.9% of referendum participants voting to leave the EU. I examine two dominant causes of the Brexit vote: first, the pervasiveness of anti-immigration rhetoric and sentiments; second, the powerful argument presented for economic independence. I discuss how the "Leave" campaign used and manipulated these arguments to ignite Euroscepticism and fear in the voters. After considering the causes of the vote, I analyze potential consequences of Brexit; specifically, how the restriction of the freedom of movement will impact the British economy and the possibility of another referendum on the independence of Scotland.