EU referendum
Accusing the ‘Leave’ campaign of utopianism is playing into its hands
The ‘Remain’ campaign, who are in favour of the UK’s continued membership of the European Union, recently accused Michael Gove of the rival ‘Leave’ campaign of engaging in “utopianism”. This, kind of thinking, argues Craig Berry in a post which originally appeared on the New Statesman’s Staggers blog is counterproductive, as it hands the baton of optimism […]
President Obama is right to repeat his opposition to Brexit
President Obama’s intervention into the debate over whether or not the UK should leave the European Union has been attacked by Eurosceptics in the UK. Tim Oliver writes that given that the UK and US frequently interfere in one another’s domestic matters, and the concerns in Washington over the consequences of Brexit for both the EU […]
A vote to leave the EU may have a detrimental impact on Parliament
What will life be like in the UK House of Commons and House of Lords if the UK leaves the EU? And if it is a vote to remain? Will Parliament have more or less influence on the government’s dealings with its European partners post-23 June? Sara Hobolt and Sara Hagemann report on the expert evidence gathered […]
The legitimacy of the EU referendum requires that citizens are informed of the implications of their decision
The campaign over whether to leave the EU or remain a member has predictably focused on matters such as immigration and the economy. However, at stake at the referendum later this year are a set of rights that UK citizens have accrued by virtue of their EU citizenship. Here, Katie Boyle argues that the democratic […]
Can we really not predict who will vote for Brexit, and where?
In a recent Guardian article, Simon Jenkins suggested that voter decisions regarding the EU referendum will be made on the basis of gut instinct alone, and that personal characteristics and previous party support provide no guide. Using a new modelling strategy applied to a large body of YouGov opinion poll data, Ron Johnston, Kelvyn Jones and David Manley address Jenkins’ claim, and find it wanting. The […]
The Commonwealth is not an alternative to the EU for Britain
Opponents of the UK’s continued membership of the European Union have been known to invoke the Commonwealth as an alternative political and economic union based on Britain’s former empire. Here, Andrew Dilley argues that it is a mistake to do so, with this notion resting on misguided thinking. Similar PostsThe UK’s renegotiation: What a fair […]
The generation gap: How young voters view the UK’s referendum
Opinion polls on the UK’s upcoming referendum have consistently shown a clear generational divide, with younger voters more likely to support staying in the EU than older citizens. Using recent survey data, James Sloam assesses the factors underpinning this split, noting that if young people have such a distinct position on the EU, it is […]
Although it has been largely ignored, soft security matters in the EU referendum debate
People fear the extreme and demand their governments be tough on security, but in truth our safety comes largely through control of the mundane. Matt Wood and Rita Hordósy write that the current Brexit debates links security to concerns about immigration and the danger of a terrorist attack. However, if we see long-term economic and social stability as related […]
Watching from the sidelines: Wales and Brexit
From a Welsh perspective there’s a sense of having been watching the EU referendum from the sidelines until now. But now campaigning for both the Assembly and referendum votes have launched in earnest, the confusion of concerns and agendas will be hard to escape, writes Jo Hunt. Similar PostsHidden dragon: why is Wales ignored in London and […]
The EU doesn’t weaken UK parliamentary democracy as much as Leavers would have you believe
For many advocates of a Brexit, the principle of ‘returning powers to Westminster’ is sacrosanct. They point out that parliamentary debate subjects legislation to proper domestic scrutiny in a way that is impossible in Brussels and Strasbourg. Yet, argues Thomas Winzen, Britain’s opt-outs and the considerable parliamentary time already devoted to EU-related questions suggest that the Commons […]
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