Ebook: Stretching the Constitution: The Brexit Shock in Historic Perspective

What was the meaning of the European referendum of 23 June 2016? How far did it justify and necessitate the policies pursued in response to it? What are the implications of the vote and its prolonged aftermath for the United Kingdom (UK) constitution? This book seeks to answer these questions. They involve a specific episode that has been important to the UK and the outside world; and also engage wider challenges faced by many developed democracies internationally. Deploying methodology adapted from applied history, the work makes a virtue of being written without knowledge of the final outcomes of the tendencies it considers. The author assesses from a constitutional perspective the way in which the decision to leave the EU was taken and then pursued, discussing in particular the role of Parliament. It includes a close analysis of the referendum legislation, and parliamentary debates and publications. The book then considers the wider implications of Brexit for the UK political system. It does so through analysing a series of proposals made from 1900 onwards for constitutional reform, and discerning their contemporary applicability. Reflecting the expansive implications of Brexit, a variety of aspects of the UK system are considered, including participation in international organisations, referendums, Parliament, devolution and the Union, the executive, and the system of representative democracy itself. The book also guides readers toward issues that have gained in salience in connection with the Brexit controversy, in particular uses of the Internet and social media. Finally, the author makes proposals for constitutional reforms intended to help the democratic system of the UK to adapt to its changing environment, whatever particular conclusions the Brexit episode may reach.
Volume 9 in the series Hart Studies in Constitutional Law