Negotiating Brexit
| Date | 01 June 2018 |
| Published date | 01 June 2018 |
| DOI | 10.1177/2041905818779316 |
JUNE 2018 • POLITICAL INSIGHT 3
Last year, Liam Fox, the
UK’s Secretary of State for
International Trade, said that
securing a post-Brexit deal
with the European Union would be the
‘easiest in human history’. While Dr Fox
remains bullish, it is fair to say that recent
months have shown that there are few
easy wins when it comes to negotiating
with the EU. Cake can be had or cake can
be eaten. It cannot be both.
The final shape of the Brexit deal
remains elusive at the time of writing
but it will almost certainly involve
compromises, particularly from the
British side. A striking feature of the
negotiations has been the unity of the
EU, which has, at times, stood in stark
contrast to the uncertainty from its
British interlocutors.
In this issue’s lead feature, Simon
Usherwood examines how the EU has
approached and managed its side of the
Article 50 negotiations. The European
Union looks a lot like a model performer
as a negotiator, in part because the
union is itself a negotiation, a permanent
set of discussions and debates between
its constituent parts.
The degree to which all 27 member
states have kept in close step with the
EU on Article 50 has been frequently
commented upon. The effectiveness of
this principled approach could still be
tested to its limits, with the toughest
issues to come. However, the biggest
question mark for the EU isn’t itself, but
its negotiating partner – the UK. Can the
British government actually do a deal if it
isn’t the ‘easiest in human history’?
Brexit continues to frame just about
every aspect of British political debate.
Around three million European Union
citizens live in the UK. Most are not
eligible to vote in British elections. Rob
Ford argues that the time has come to
extend the franchise to EU citizens in the
UK.
Elsewhere, Anand Menon reflects
on his personal experience of bringing
social science into the Brexit debate as
director of the UK in a Changing Europe.
Benjamin D. Hennig maps the UK’s
current trading position with a group
of nations that some have suggested
could replace the European Union as the
destination for British goods and services
– the Commonwealth.
The UK’s vote to leave the EU was as
much a product of divisions within the
Conservative party as wider concerns
about Britain’s relationship with Europe.
Looking back over recent history, from
John Major’s struggles over Maastricht
to David Cameron’s fears about the rise
of Ukip, Ben Williams charts the often
complex relationship between domestic
and foreign policy and its impact on
Brexit.
The role of data in political
campaigning has emerged as a
major issue. Revelations about the
controversial data analytics firm
Cambridge Analytica wiped billions off
the value of Facebook shares and led to
questions at parliamentary committees.
But how important is data for political
campaigning? Nick Anstead examines
the issues posed by the rise of data-
driven politics.
Meanwhile, Tim Bale, Monica Poletti
and Paul Webb report on a major
study of the attitudes of women party
members, and Colin Copus casts a critical
eye over the state of local government
in English. Is big really beautiful when it
comes to councils?
James Newell reports on the recent
Italian General Election that saw major
gains for anti-establishment forces. Alex
Waddan looks ahead to November’s US
midterm elections. Can Republicans
retain control of both houses of
Congress? What would an electoral
setback mean for President Trump? In
the regular Last Word slot, Katy Hayward
reports on what is fast becoming the
biggest political issue in Europe –
borders.
If the first six months are anything
to go by, 2018 is likely to be another
eventful political year. We will be
there providing in-depth analysis and
commentary on the major themes and
events. If you would like to join the
debates or contribute to
Political Insight
get in touch or visit www.psa.ac.uk/
insight-plus.
Peter Geoghegan
Editor
Negotiating
Brexit
Political Insight June 2018 NEW.indd 3 02/05/2018 15:39
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