Adobe Systems Brexit and UK political institutions Dr Monika Brusenbauch Meislová EVS465: Brexit: Politics, Policies and Processes 14 April 2020 [USEMAP] Adobe Systems Defining Brexit narrative ̶UK referendum triggered a series of processes in the UK (not just about handling the exit but also about defining what sort of country the UK wants to be). ̶ ̶British politics defined by a fight to define the Brexit narrative ̶ ̶Why has the process of defining Brexit narrative been so difficult? ̶Theresa May struggling to find unity within her govt over what Brexit should mean. ̶ ̶Churchill: history is written by the victors. Is it really so in the case of Brexit? ̶ [USEMAP] Adobe Systems Defining Brexit narrative ̶‘Brexit means Brexit‘ motto sounds self-explanatory but is meaningless unless Brexit itself is defined. ̶ ̶ ̶ [USEMAP] Adobe Systems Defining Brexit narrative ̶TM’s Brexit narrative defined in “big speeches on Brexit“ (Lancaster; Florence etc.) ̶ ̶Three most important aims: ̶ Ending immigration from elsewhere in the EU Ending the jurisdiction of the CJEU Opting for free trade agreements with European markets ̶ ̶Her Brexit narratives challenged from many sides. ̶ [USEMAP] Adobe Systems [USEMAP] Adobe Systems Defining Brexit narrative ̶Global Britain narrative [USEMAP] Adobe Systems HM Government and Brexit ̶Brexit = for the government, it is an unprecedented peacetime challenge in terms of political unity, administration and delivery ̶ Unity/collective responsibility ̶TM’s premiership struggled bc of Conservative divisions over Europe (something many of her predecessors faced) ̶In appointing her first cabinet she tried to bring in some balance into this by appointing leading pro-Leave campaigners ̶TM‘s leadership overshadowed by doubts from the very beginning ̶She won the leadership race without a vote. ̶ ̶Her leadership has been a sore point for many – not least bc of the centralisation of decision making in Downing Street 10 around her two closest advisors: Nick Timothy and Fiona Hill. ̶ [USEMAP] Adobe Systems HM Government and Brexit ̶Her decision to call snap elections (in part on the advice of some of her advisors) caught many in her cabinet by surprise. ̶Her weak campaining skills and dire campaign – left her even more vulnerable post-election. ̶ [USEMAP] Adobe Systems HM Government and Brexit The administrative challenge ̶Brexit = the biggest set of administrative, legal, negotiating and constitutional task since 1945 ̶ ̶Organising British govt for Brexit = a formidable task: i.a. because new departments had to be established: ̶Department for Exiting the EU (DexEU) ̶Department for International Trade ̶ ̶Some departments busier than others ̶ ̶Enormous stretch of UK-EU links [USEMAP] Adobe Systems HM Government and Brexit The search for strategy ̶The inability of British decision makers to know what they want and whether they can get it. ̶ ̶No clear ends and confused ways (no surprise the UK has struggled to prepare) ̶ ̶TM triggered Article 50 on 29 March 2017: by choosing this time she made time an ally of the EU ̶ ̶Quick realization that the UK lacked the ways and means to secure a ‘quick victory‘. ̶ ̶Repeated failures to analyse and understand the position of the rest of the EU ̶ [USEMAP] Adobe Systems Parliament and Brexit ̶Brexit and the notion of parliamentary sovereignty in the UK ̶Dilemma for Remain-backing MPs (nearly three quarters of MPs voted Remain in the 2016 referendum) ̶Impact of 2017 snap elections ̶ ̶UK’s legislative system – nothing more than an elected dictatorship? ̶ ̶Brexit highlighted the centralisation and high degree of power exercised by the UK government ̶ ̶Parl. = site of intense arguments and differences over what the UK’s vote to leave should mean ̶ ̶The deep divisions in the Conservative and Labour parties reflect similar divisions in British society! ̶ [USEMAP] Adobe Systems Parliament and Brexit ̶Parliament’s role in constant flux, as demonstrated by the three roles it has played in the Brexit negotiations: approving, scrutinising and instructing Brexit. ̶ ̶EU Withdrawal Act 2018 gave parliament a defined role in approving any deal with the EU and in scrutinising and approving any course of action in the event of there being no agreement. ̶ Approving Brexit ̶Implementing withdrawal could not be done through Royal Prerogatives (powers government wields without much parliamentary oversight) → Britain’s Supreme Court ruled in January 2017 against the British government. ̶ [USEMAP] Adobe Systems Parliament and Brexit ̶Tensions between the executive and legislature clearer when the Conservative Party lost its majority in the 2017 general election (confidence and supply arrangement with the ten MPs of Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist Party/DUP). ̶Meaningful vote on Brexit (one that is more than simply rejecting or accepting any agreement put forward) ̶So far 3 (2.5) meaningful votes on the Withdrawal agreement. ̶Cross-party talks (difficult bc of the majoritarian nature of politics in the House of Commons - a single party system of governing has long prevailed; consensus politics between parties does not come easy in the UK) [USEMAP] Adobe Systems Parliament and Brexit Scrutinising Brexit ̶Parliament has succeeded in scrutinising the handling of Brexit by the British government (which has a long-standing reputation for being centralised and secretive). ̶ ̶E.g. House of Commons successfully compelled the British government to reveal more than 58 internal government studies on the economic effects of Brexit. [USEMAP] Adobe Systems Parliament and Brexit Instructing Brexit ̶Brexit has raised some unique questions about the ability of parliament to instruct government (traditionally the role of parliament, especially in international negotiations, has been to react to the executive instead of defining what policy should be). ̶ ̶Late March 2019: MPs have finally taken control of the Brexit process (question for you: how successful was it?) [USEMAP] Adobe Systems Judiciary and Brexit ̶Brexit → series of legal challenges that eventually reached the UK’s Supreme Court. ̶24 January, 2017: Supreme Court rules in favour of campaigner Gina Miller, that the Government must obtain the approval of Parliament before starting the Brexit process. ̶Press attacks on the judiciary ̶Can a second referendum be called? ̶ [USEMAP] Adobe Systems Party politics and Brexit ̶All parties (and their leader) have struggled to cope with the referendum result. ̶ Conservative Party ̶Divided over Britain’s EU membership more than ever ̶Theresa Ma proved incapable of bringing order to the party (her agenda pushed to a more traditional right wing in British politics, incl. hard Brexit) ̶TM: “If you believe you’re a citizen of the world, you’re a citizen of nowhere“ (2016) ̶2017 elections – the result of hung parliament reignited challenges to her leadership ̶ [USEMAP] Adobe Systems Party politics and Brexit The Labour Party ̶Conservative divisions over the EU have distracted attention from Labour’s own problems with the issue ̶Jeremy Corbyn’s pathetic efforts (according to many)→ leadership challenges ̶2017 elections changes the narrative on Corbyn’s leadership → Corbyn emerged a strengthened and popular leader (but still facing the issue about how to approach the EU) ̶ [USEMAP] Adobe Systems Party politics and Brexit Liberal Democrats ̶Have failed to benefit from the Brexit vote (despite the surge in new members) ̶Reasons for this failure? ̶Large number of members in the House of Lords = a pivotal position in votes over Brexit legislation in the upper house. ̶ UKIP ̶A party in search of both unity and a cause ̶Is UKIP doomed? ̶ [USEMAP] Adobe Systems ̶ ̶ Thank you for your attention! 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