London will find more traction in Islamabad than Delhi

2019 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Policy ◽  
United Kingdom ◽  
Conservative Party ◽  
General Election ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
The Eu ◽  
Opposition Parties

Significance Prominent FCO Minister Tariq Ahmad earlier this month visited India. Meanwhile, contention over a Brexit settlement with the EU has raised the prospect of an imminent UK general election, when the ruling Conservative party will face a tough challenge from opposition parties such as Labour. Impacts Islamabad will press London to support its interests in Washington. Delhi will largely ignore London in formulating its foreign policy. An outbreak of hostilities between India and Pakistan would likely prompt tense protests involving diasporic groups in the United Kingdom.

Member states will drive EU foreign policy

2018 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Policy ◽  
United Kingdom ◽  
Member States ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Eu Member States ◽  
Eu Foreign Policy ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Policy Goals ◽  
National Defence ◽  
The Eu

Significance However, member states have the dominant foreign policy role in the EU. After Brexit, that will be France and Germany despite the United Kingdom insisting that it wants to maintain as close a relationship with the EU as possible. Impacts EU reformers will light on foreign policy as an area to drive forwarded integration. However, the EEAS lacks the competencies and institutional horsepower to be a force for integration. The strategic needs of the 27 post-Brexit EU members will be various, thus acting as a drag on integration. Smaller EU member states will see more advantage than larger ones in collectively pursuing foreign policy goals through Brussels. Larger member states will be unwilling to submit their national defence policies to greater EU authority.

Extending Brexit may be needed despite EU deal hopes

2018 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
United Kingdom ◽  
Transition Period ◽  
General Election ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Political Opinion ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Article 50 ◽  
The Eu

Subject Final stages of Brexit negotiations. Significance There has been much talk of the possibility of extending the Article 50 process to allow more time for further negotiations, and possibly a second referendum or a general election. With under 150 days to go until the United Kingdom is due to leave the EU, there is much debate about the circumstances under which a delay might be required and, if so, how it could be achieved. Impacts A new government may use an extended transition period to change or prevent Brexit. Calls of a second referendum will deeply polarise UK political opinion. The EU could decide to block an extension to the transition, heightening fears of a no-deal Brexit.

EU integration will be restricted post-Brexit

2020 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Policy ◽  
United Kingdom ◽  
Economic Integration ◽  
Relative Weight ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Eu Integration ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Policy Tool ◽  
The Eu

Subject EU direction post-Brexit. Significance Some Europhiles believe that the United Kingdom’s departure from the EU removes a veto-wielding disruptor, thereby enabling the EU to achieve deeper political and economic integration. However, opposition to integration will remain strong, with former UK policy allies in the EU now looking to occupy the ground left by the United Kingdom. Impacts German-French hopes to create European champion firms to bolster EU competition will strengthen following Brexit. The relative weight in the EU of countries opposed to using sanctions as a foreign policy tool, such as Italy and Hungary, will now grow. Future defence and security initiatives could be established outside EU structures in order to accommodate the United Kingdom.

Brexit will pose dilemmas for UK constitution

2019 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Policy ◽  
United Kingdom ◽  
Free Market ◽  
Corporate Tax ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Constitutional System ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Eu

Subject Brexit and the UK constitution. Significance After Brexit, the United Kingdom will move from a protected constitutional system, established by EU treaties, to one dominated by the sovereignty of Parliament. Such an unprotected system is difficult to reconcile with the protection of rights and with devolution. Impacts There will likely be entrenched division over the prospect of a codified constitution and what it includes. The United Kingdom should remain in a close and strategic foreign-policy relationship with the EU. There will be pressure from free-market Conservative MPs to lower tariffs and deregulate personal and corporate tax to encourage business.

An opening of the Brexit deadlock nears

2019 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
United Kingdom ◽  
Political Change ◽  
Prime Minister ◽  
Conservative Party ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Alternative Plan ◽  
European Parliament Elections ◽  
Theresa May ◽  
The Eu

Subject Brexit outlook. Significance If Prime Minister Theresa May can get the Withdrawal Agreement (WA) and Political Declaration on future relations approved in Parliament this week, the United Kingdom should leave the EU on May 22. However, it remains unlikely that her deal will gain a parliamentary majority, setting up a different deadline. The United Kingdom must come up with an alternative plan by April 12 or face the prospect of crashing out of the EU with no deal. Impacts The United Kingdom could have a new prime minister within weeks; a general election cannot be ruled out. The EU will remain distracted by Brexit as it heads into a season of political change beginning with European Parliament elections in May. As a final option, May could commit to resigning to get support for the WA from Conservative Party MPs.

No-deal Brexit trading would be highly disruptive

2019 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
United Kingdom ◽  
Legal Status ◽  
Trade Agreement ◽  
Conservative Party ◽  
Party Leadership ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Financial Obligations ◽  
The Eu

Subject Brexit and trade. Significance As both candidates for the Conservative Party leadership say they would countenance the United Kingdom leaving the EU without a deal on October 31, the likelihood of a no-deal Brexit is increasing. Impacts A no-deal Brexit would leave the legal status of UK citizens residing in the rest of the EU uncertain. It would cause the pound to depreciate, partially offsetting tariffs and the costs of customs procedures. The EU will likely insist that any future trade agreement is contingent on London fulfilling its financial obligations for leaving the bloc.

Brexit threatens future Irish-UK relations

2019 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
United Kingdom ◽  
Northern Ireland ◽  
Common Law ◽  
General Election ◽  
Mutual Trust ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Minority Government ◽  
Global Influence ◽  
The Eu

Subject The future of Irish-UK relations. Significance Brexit has deeply unsettled relations between Ireland and the United Kingdom, after a generation in which the two states and peoples grew closer in terms of trust, policy convergence and openness to each other. As London looks to strengthen its global influence, closer to home, historical tensions look set to resurface in some form, especially regarding mutual trust and affairs in Northern Ireland. Impacts MI5 will strengthen its operations in Northern Ireland in the event of a hard border. As one of the few common-law countries in the EU after Brexit, Ireland will attract greater legal investment. Once phase one of the Brexit talks are complete, Ireland’s minority government will be forced to call a general election.

Why should broadband be free? Promises and rhetoric in the United Kingdom general election of 2019

2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (5/6) ◽  
pp. 413-435
Author(s):  
Ewan Sutherland
Keyword(s):  
United Kingdom ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Conservative Party ◽  
General Election ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Party Leaders ◽  
Party Manifestos ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Dominant Parties ◽  
The Uk

Purpose This paper aims to analyse the promises of the various political party in the 2019 general election in the United Kingdom (UK) concerning the provision of broadband, especially in remote and rural areas. Design/methodology/approach This is an analysis of the party manifestos, some interviews and speeches involving party leaders. It identified the various commitments, any costs for those and the reasoning given. Findings The UK lags badly on fibre to the premises, both homes and offices. Without analysing the reasons, the two dominant parties proposed to borrow large amounts of money to fund fibre deployment, the Conservative Party without explaining how it would be disbursed. The Labour Party produced a confused proposal to nationalise BT Openreach and probably other operators, without explaining how this transition would work. Nor did they explain why the service was to be free to users. Practical implications The UK political parties need to improve their understanding of broadband and digital policies, including means to simplify the governance of markets. Originality/value This is the first analysis of the broadband commitments of a UK general election and one of the very few analyses of political offers in an election.

UK foreign policy is looking towards the Indo-Pacific

2020 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
United States ◽  
Foreign Policy ◽  
United Kingdom ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Transatlantic Cooperation ◽  
Uk Foreign Policy ◽  
The Eu

Significance Public statements by Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab have made clear that an ‘Indo-Pacific tilt’ -- focusing more effort and resources on the region “east from India” -- will be at the heart of that strategy. Impacts Climate change is one area where the United Kingdom, United States and the EU can significantly bolster transatlantic cooperation. Brexit provides an opportunity to reform the E3 group so as to broaden the issues it cooperates on and potentially widen its membership. The EU’s willingness to be open to looser diplomatic arrangements could be crucial in bolstering foreign policy cooperation with London.

UK government is preparing for an early election

2019 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
United Kingdom ◽  
Northern Ireland ◽  
General Election ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Uk Government ◽  
The Government ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Eu

Significance Johnson's cabinet overhaul is the largest in decades, replacing 17 cabinet ministers from the previous government mostly with individuals who support Johnson’s hard-line stance on Brexit. Impacts Brussels could offer London a ‘Northern Ireland only’ backstop, but this will be rejected by the UK government. The government will likely pass legislation to protect EU citizens’ rights in the United Kingdom if there is a no-deal Brexit. The EU will only grant another extension if a deal is almost agreed, or if there is a UK general election or second Brexit referendum.

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