Brexit – The Legal and Constitutional Implication for the UK and EU

Overview

Key facts:

• This intensive Brexit – The Legal and Constitutional Implication for the UK and EU course at the Radboud University gives you the possibility to see behind the politics and explore the legal implications. You will be introduced to the relevant UK and EU case law and the course will also subject the statements of EU officials and Member State authorities to a critical legal analysis.

• The UK has long been seen as a 'semi-detached' member of the EU. It joined the EEC late and has been seen as disengaged from some of the political elements of the EU project. Politically, the Brexit referendum divided the UK down the middle. London, Scotland and Northern Ireland, together with several major cities, voted to remain. Younger and better educated voters voted to remain, older and less well educated voted to leave. In many cases, while the adverse impact of 'uncontrolled' immigration was said to be a key factor, those districts with high numbers of migrants voted to remain and those with low numbers voted to leave. 
• The UK has an essentially political rather than a legal constitution and the Conservative government, although containing a majority of members who campaigned to remain, committed itself to implementing Brexit as an inescapable political imperative. They seemed to largely ignore the impact of Brexit on the EU as a whole and politically the EU27 reacted by demanding that the UK receive no concessions, partly as just desserts for its 'desertion' and partly to ensure that there would be no emulation by Eurosceptic populists in other states.