The vote in favour of BREXIT on 23 June 2016 was a manifestation of a crisis of identity in England. 62% of voters in Scotland opposed Brexit, as did all the political parties in Scotland, apart from UKIP which secured 0.2% of the vote at the general election in 2017. Thus, the Prime Minister claiming that in enacting Brexit, the government is enacting the “will of the British people” is absurd. Scotland is deeply divided on the question of independence. Support for Brexit is spread across all parties, but in none is there a pro Brexit majority. The Scottish government and parliament may well refuse “legislative consent” for a Brexit deal that does not keep the UK in the Customs union and the Single Market.  There would then be a constitutional crisis.

The UK government and overstretched civil and diplomatic services have little capacity for anything apart from the Brexit negotiations.  Except in the unlikely event of exit from Brexit the consequences could be very damaging indeed, not only for the economy, but also for the UK’s capacity to play a part, appropriate to its status as a Permanent Member of the UN Security Council, in European Security, broadly defined.

Discuss this and more with Colin Munro. His introductory remarks are followed by a Q&A, and discussion with the audience. Please note that the event will take place in English.

This event is a cooperation between Deutsch-Britische Gesellschaft and Polis180.