Why the UK Voted for Brexit: David Cameron's Great Miscalculation PDF
Preview Why the UK Voted for Brexit: David Cameron's Great Miscalculation
Palgrave Studies in European Union Politics Series Editors Michelle Egan School of International Service American University Washington, District of Columbia, USA Neill Nugent Manchester Metropolitan University Manchester, United Kingdom William E. Paterson Warwick, United Kingdom Following on the sustained success of the acclaimed European Union Series, which essentially publishes research-based textbooks, Palgrave StudiesinEuropeanUnionPoliticspublishescuttingedgeresearch-driven monographs. The remit of the series is broadly defined, both in terms of subject and academic discipline. All topics of significance concerning the nature and operation of the European Union potentially fall within the scope of the series. The series is multidisciplinary to reflect the growing importance ofthe EU asapolitical, economic andsocialphenomenon. More information aboutthisseries at http://www.springer.com/series/14629 AndrewGlencross Why the UK Voted for Brexit ’ David Cameron s Great Miscalculation AndrewGlencross DeptofPoliticsandIntlRelations AstonUniversity Birmingham,UnitedKingdom PalgraveStudiesinEuropeanUnionPolitics ISBN978-1-137-59000-8 ISBN978-1-137-59001-5(eBook) DOI10.1057/978-1-137-59001-5 LibraryofCongressControlNumber:2016954024 ©TheEditor(s)(ifapplicable)andTheAuthor(s)2016 Theauthor(s)has/haveassertedtheirright(s)tobeidentifiedastheauthor(s)ofthisworkin accordancewiththeCopyright,DesignsandPatentsAct1988. Thisworkissubjecttocopyright.AllrightsaresolelyandexclusivelylicensedbythePublisher, whetherthewholeorpartofthematerialisconcerned,specificallytherightsoftranslation, reprinting,reuseofillustrations,recitation,broadcasting,reproductiononmicrofilmsorinany otherphysicalway,andtransmissionorinformationstorageandretrieval,electronicadaptation, computersoftware,orbysimilarordissimilarmethodologynowknownorhereafterdeveloped. Theuseofgeneraldescriptivenames,registerednames,trademarks,servicemarks,etc.inthis publicationdoesnotimply,evenintheabsenceofaspecificstatement,thatsuchnamesare exemptfromtherelevantprotectivelawsandregulationsandthereforefreeforgeneraluse. Thepublisher,theauthorsandtheeditorsaresafetoassumethattheadviceandinformation in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publishernortheauthorsortheeditorsgiveawarranty,expressorimplied,withrespectto thematerialcontainedhereinorforanyerrorsoromissionsthatmayhavebeenmade. Coverillustration:DétaildelaTourEiffel©nemesis2207/Fotolia.co.uk Printedonacid-freepaper ThisPalgravePivotimprintispublishedbySpringerNature TheregisteredcompanyisMacmillanPublishersLtd. The registered company address is: The Campus, 4 Crinan Street, London, N1 9XW, UnitedKingdom To MJG (twice),MEG, and,last butnever least, JG C ONTENTS 1 Introduction:The Great Miscalculation 1 2 The40-Year “Neverendum”on theUK’s Relationshipwith Europe 7 3 RenegotiatingTerms of EUMembership Priortothe Referendum 21 4 TheEU Referendum Campaign 35 5 TheUnfinishedBusiness of Brexit 47 6 Rousseau’s Revenge:The Political Philosophyof Brexit 61 References 73 Index 81 vii A BBREVIATIONS EEC EuropeanEconomicCommunity EU EuropeanUnion CJEU CourtofJusticeoftheEuropeanUnion OECD OrganisationforEconomicCo-operationandDevelopment SNP ScottishNationalParty UK UnitedKingdom UKIP UnitedKingdomIndependenceParty WTO WorldTradeOrganization ix L F IST OF IGURES Fig.2.1 Theimpactofrenegotiationonthe1975referendum 16 Fig.3.1 ThepreferenceforrenegotiationamongstUKvoters 22 Fig.4.1 Responsestoquestion:Doyouthinkyoupersonallywouldbe financiallybetterorworseoffif(Scotlandbecameanindependent country/theUKlefttheEuropeanUnion)orwoulditmakeno difference? 43 xi CHAPTER1 Introduction: The Great Miscalculation Abstract On 23 June 2016 the UK electorate voted to leave the EU, turningDavidCameron’sreferendumgambleintoagreatmiscalculation. This book analyses the renegotiation that preceded the vote, before examining the campaign itself so as to understand why the government’s strategyforwinningfoundered.Itthenevaluatestheimplicationsthatthis decision has for the country’s international relations as well as for its domestic politics. It concludes by reflecting on the political philosophy ofBrexit,whichisfoundedonacritiqueofrepresentativedemocracy.Yet theuseofdirectdemocracytotriggerEUwithdrawalleavesthesovereign Britishpeopleatanimpasse.Foritisuptothepeople’srepresentativesto negotiatethe termsof Brexit. Keywords Referendum(cid:1)Euroscepticism(cid:1)Neverendum(cid:1)Representation(cid:1) Popular sovereignty(cid:1)Rousseau This is a brief book about Brexit: the short-hand expression for Britain’s withdrawal from the European Union (EU), which was decided by a majority of just less than 52 % in a referendum held on 23 June 2016. It was the 2015 UK General Election that set the stage for this momentous decision.Fordespiteheraldingareturntoone-partymajoritygovernment, thatelectionrevealedacountrytornbetweenexceptionalistidentityclaims. The Conservative Party campaigned for a referendum onEU membership ©TheAuthor(s)2016 1 A.Glencross,WhytheUKVotedforBrexit,PalgraveStudies inEuropeanUnionPolitics,DOI10.1057/978-1-137-59001-5_1
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