Brexit And The Commonwealth What Next? | Politics

The decision of the UK to ‘Leave’ the European Union (EU) was unexpected and as a consequence the precise details of what would come next were left very unclear and still today there is little certainty or agreement over what ‘Brexit’ will actually mean. It is within this context that this edited volume has been produced. The Commonwealth featured quite heavily in the referendum campaign particularly on the ‘Leave’ side; claiming that a vote for Brexit would allow the UK to re-new and extend links with the countries of the Commonwealth. However critics highlighted the potential limitations of a new bilateral link and that in many instances the UK’s role is strengthened by its membership of the EU. The tension between aspiration and likely reality is a key theme of the volume. Another is how the decision of the UK may have consequences across the Commonwealth in terms of both domestic policy and regional cooperation. In short the volume shines a detailed light on the historical and contemporary nature of relations between the UK and the Commonwealth. Linked to this and possibly of greatest utility is the consideration of how policy should be formulated to best strengthen the relationship in the future. This book originally appeared as a special issue of The Round Table. |Brexit and the Commonwealth What Next? | Politics