Category: Foreign Policy & Security

Brexit, Foreign Policy & Security

Brexit and UK Foreign Policy: ‘Keeping Britain Great’ or ‘Putting the Great back into Great Britain’?

The Leave and Remain campaigns defined British ‘Greatness’ in very different ways. The referendum reflects more than attitudes toward EU membership — it  marks a new understanding of Britain’s role in the world, as Benjamin Martill, Dahrendorf Postdoctoral Fellow at the LSE, argues in this piece. The end of the postwar consensus of liberal internationalism has important implications and needs to be taken seriously. The … Continue reading Brexit and UK Foreign Policy: ‘Keeping Britain Great’ or ‘Putting the Great back into Great Britain’?

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Brexit, Foreign Policy & Security

Why a landslide victory might actually be a bad thing for Theresa May

If Theresa May is hoping an increased Commons majority will aid the Brexit negotiations, she is likely to be disappointed, argues Benjamin Martill, Research Associate at the UCL European Institute.  Theresa May’s decision to call a snap election at a time when her party is riding high in the polls has been widely seen as an opportunity for her to dramatically increase her majority in … Continue reading Why a landslide victory might actually be a bad thing for Theresa May

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Brexit, Foreign Policy & Security

Britain has lost a role, and failed to find an empire

Responding to Theresa May’s long-awaited Brexit speech on Tuesday 17th January, Benjamin Martill, Research Associate at the UCL European Institute, argues that the speech must be understood as an aspiration, rather than a roadmap, since its realisation requires the consent of other parties and the removal of important contradictions. In her long-awaited ‘Brexit speech’, Theresa May set out a comprehensive vision for the future of Britain … Continue reading Britain has lost a role, and failed to find an empire

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Brexit, Foreign Policy & Security

Fear Trumps Fact

The Brussels attacks have been used by both sides of the Brexit debate to claim that the UK is either more or less secure as a result of EU membership. Richard Whitman, Professor of Politics and Senior Fellow at The UK in a Changing Europe , argues that rhetoric has played a greater role for both sides than evidence-based claims. The Brussels airport and Metro bombings were … Continue reading Fear Trumps Fact

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Brexit, Foreign Policy & Security

Defence on the Brexit frontline

Richard Whitman, Senior Fellow at The UK in a Changing Europe and Professor of Politics, argues that the UK has shown little interest of late in enhancing military cooperation with Europe, preferring to work through NATO instead. Would a vote for Brexit change that? This piece is part of the UCL European Institute’s first guest editor week on openDemocracy. Britain’s former field marshals, generals, admirals and lieutenant generals have been deployed on … Continue reading Defence on the Brexit frontline

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