ANGLAIS

CM #5

Brexit

I) From joining to leaving the EU (European Union)

The difficult relationship between the UK and the EU : - 1973: Britain joined the EU (then
known as the EEC)
- Some opposition from the start => 1st referendum on membership in 1975
- Since the 1990s: Rise of Eurosceptic right and far right (UKIP)

Brexit : - Brexit= ‘Britain’ + ‘Exit’

- Official term: the withdrawal of the UK from the EU

The 2016 Referendum : - 2013: Prime Minister David Cameron promised final national
referendum on membership (‘Remain’ or ‘Leave’)
- 23 June 2016: Brexit referendum (51,9 % leave)

Reasons for the ‘Leave’ victory : - Perception of the EU as a dysfunctional entity →

Economy (e.g. unemployment, agriculture...)
- The EU = threat for national sovereignty → European Court of Justice rulings,
Regulations, Desire to take back control
- Rise of nationalism → Population movements, Immigration crisis
- Political crisis = vote of protest → Against the Conservative and Labour parties
(traditional parties), Against the Establishment

Brexit negotiations (The Brexit deal) : - Find an agreement with the EU on the Brexit bill
- Find an agreement on the new relations UK  EU
- Repeal and revote all the laws that were introduced during EU membership.
- A long and difficult process → David Cameron (Prime Minister: 2010-2016) =
Resignation after the referendum result
- Theresa May (Prime Minister: 2016-2019)
- March 2017: Beginning of the Brexit process
- July 2019: T. May resigned after Parliament rejected different version of the agreement
- Boris Johnson (Prime Minister 2019-2022) → Supported a ‘no-deal Brexit’ if necessary,
New agreement => The UK formally withdrew from the EU on 31 January 2020
- Post-Brexit difficulties → Health sector (NHS + Covid-19), Trade sector, Energy

II. Post-Brexit Britain

1. Northern Ireland and Brexit

Northern Ireland conflict– Background history : - 1801: Act of Union => Ireland=part of the
UK
- 19th and 20th centuries => Irish rebellions (for autonomy)
- 1921: Government of Ireland Act => Partition of Ireland
- 1968-1998: « The Troubles » in Northern Ireland → Divisions along political and religious
lines (Unionists (or ‘loyalists’)=loyal to the union NI UK, Protestant majority
- Republicans (or ‘nationalists’)=united & independent Ireland, Catholic majority.
- Open conflict: terrorist attacks (bombings), murders
- Attacks in Ireland, in NI, and in England
- April 1998: Northern Ireland peace deal (Good Friday agreement) → Creation of a power-
sharing Northern Ireland Assembly, Cross-border cooperation (Ireland NI) on a range of
issues

The Northern Ireland Protocol : - Part of the Brexit agreement – Started Jan. 2021
- Northern Ireland=will continue to enforce the EU's customs rules
- Open border between Northern Ireland (=UK) and Ireland (=EU)
- No “hard border”
- Custom checks for British products entering Northern Ireland

The UK wants to change the protocol : - Creation of « red lanes » and « green lanes » for
goods imported from Great Britain into NI
- goods are split into 2 different lanes → goods only destined for NI go into the Green Lane
and are not checked, goods destined for NI and UE go into the Red Lane and are checked
- just a project, no changes yet

Consequences of the Northern Ireland Protocol in Northern Ireland : - REMINDER: A ‘hard

border’ might have reignited conflicts in Northern Ireland
- NI protocol= open border between Ireland and NINI protocol= open border between
Ireland and NI
- Divisions persist → Republican parties=approve the Protocol, Unionist parties=oppose
the Protocol

2 ; Scotland: Calls for independence

2014: Referendum on the independence of Scotland → 55%='no’  Scotland remained

part of the UK
2016: Brexit → Only 38 % of Scottish voters voted ‘Leave’
Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon called for another referendum => “Indyref2”

Will there be a second referendum? : - Devolution (1997) => Scottish Parliament =

autonomy on devolved matters
- Referendum on Scottish independence = ‘reserved matter’
- The British government needs to agree to a referendum on independence
- Since 2016, refusal by 4 consecutive Prime Ministers

Arguments for a referendum : - No changes since the 2014 referendum → Scotland

wanted to remain in the EU → Brexit
- The Scottish Parliament wanted more power → No changes
- Scottish people vote against Conservative governments → UK
government=Conservative

Potential problems with initiating a referendum : - Domestic problems in Scotland →

Difficult financial situation (Brexit, inflation), Strikes in the public sector and transport
- Scottish people divided on independence → Polling=> split around 50-50

3. The impacts of Brexit

Impacts of Brexit for the UK : - Trade

- With the EU → The UK left the customs union and single market, Trade agreement = No
tariffs & no quotas between EU and British goods
- With other countries → Need to negotiate new trade agreements
- Economy → UK’s growth=slowed (because of uncertainty), Fall of the British pound,
Helps exports, Increases the price of imports, Less investors in the UK• Less investors in
the UK
- Travel → End of free movement UK  EU, End of Erasmus exchanges
Jobs → British workers can’t work in the EU without a visa, EU workers left the
UK=>Shortage of low-skilled & medium-skilled workers
- Security → EU law no longer applies to the UK, Cooperation UK  EU on law
enforcement and criminal justice

Impacts of Brexit for the EU : -Risk of a ‘snowballing’ effect (anti-EU movements)

- BUT strong support of the union by majority of EU citizens

Impacts of Brexit for the USA : - London=unstable status as a global financial centre
-US Trade Deal (USA  UK) → On hold since early 2021, Different regulations on
agriculture and animal welfare