Tag: BrexitVote
The EU doesn’t weaken UK parliamentary democracy as much as Leavers would have you believe
For many advocates of a Brexit, the principle of ‘returning powers to Westminster’ is sacrosanct. They point out that parliamentary debate subjects legislation to proper domestic scrutiny in a way that is impossible in Brussels and Strasbourg. Yet, argues Thomas Winzen, Britain’s opt-outs and the considerable parliamentary time already devoted to EU-related questions suggest that the Commons […]
Death of a citizen: Britain’s referendum and EU nationals living in the UK
With the exception of individuals from Ireland, Malta and Cyprus, non-British EU nationals living in the UK will not be permitted to vote in the country’s referendum on EU membership. These eligibility rules are similar to the rules applying to the 2015 UK general election.Veerle Heyvaert writes that although it would have been counter-productive for […]
Heavy duty: what are the shortcomings of the BBC’s reporting of the EU?
With so much British media coverage of the EU biased, if not actively hostile, the BBC has a heavy responsibility to ensure voters have enough knowledge to make an informed decision on 23 June. Mike Berry analysed BBC reporting of the Lisbon Treaty and EU budget and found it focussed unduly on infighting between Labour and Conservative politicians. […]
Freedom of movement is not simply an economic good, but a bulwark against oppression
Freedom of movement is frequently posited as an economic good, writes Floris de Witte. But it is much more than that. It allows Europeans to pursue a way and quality of life that simply may not be possible in the state where they were born. And in curbing the capacity of domestic politicians to scapegoat and […]
Granting a free vote on the EU referendum could see Cameron keep the peace within his party
David Cameron has announced that he will grant the members of his cabinet the right to campaign against Britain’s continued EU membership when the question of whether to stay or remain is put to Britain’s voters. Here, Eunice Goes argues that while the decision may not have been an easy one, it could see him […]
No more ‘Welsh effect’? Why the EU may be becoming a scapegoat in Wales
It used to be that case that Wales was distinguished by the strength of the Labour vote and the presence of the Welsh nationalist vote. Today, however, the conditions are perfect for Wales to be completely absorbed into the British mainstream, explains Daniel Evans. And this means that chances are high that Wales will vote for a departure […]
A British departure from the EU will not inevitably lead to Scottish independence. Referendums are always unpredictable
Determining whether or not a Brexit will inevitably lead to the breakup of the United Kingdom is anything short of an educated guess. Jan Zurawski argues that the example of the volatility of Scotland’s public opinion regarding voting on the independence of their country may as well be replicated when it comes to the European […]
European Union policy would change in a number of areas if the UK were to vote to leave
How will the direction of EU policies change if the UK leaves? Doru Frantescu, director and co-founder of VoteWatch Europe, predicts five likely changes if the European Parliament loses its British members. Similar PostsThe UK’s renegotiation: What a fair deal between London and its European partners might look likeIt would be a democratic travesty for Brexit not to be […]
Enfranchising 16 and 17 year olds won’t create a new politics, but a more inclusive version of politics as usual
We need an intelligent debate on whether 16- and 17-year-olds should vote in the EU referendum, says Richard Berry – not least because the notion that different age groups have very different policy priorities is misguided, at best. Similar PostsThe purdah controversy – setting the rules of the referendum gameSwitching off E4 on election day is a bold […]
The UK’s renegotiation: What a fair deal between London and its European partners might look like
David Cameron is in the process of renegotiating the terms of the UK’s EU membership ahead of a referendum to be held before the end of 2017. However there remains little clarity on the precise concessions that the UK wishes to secure. Thierry Chopin outlines a proposal for a fair deal between the UK and […]
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