Description
Book SynopsisBrexit has changed everything - from our government, to our economy and principal trading relationship, to the organization of our state. This watershed moment, which surprised most observers and mobilized previously apathetic sections of the electorate, is already transforming British politics in profound and lasting ways.
In this incisive book, leading analysts of UK and EU politics Geoffrey Evans and Anand Menon step back from the immediacy and hyperbole of the Referendum to explain what happened on 23 June 2016, and why. Brexit, they argue, was the product of both long-term dissatisfaction with the EU and a gradual breakdown in the relationship between parties and voters that spawned detachment, disinterest and disenchantment. Exploring its subsequent impact on the June 2017 General Election, they reveal the extent to which Brexit has shattered the contemporary equilibrium of British politics. These reverberations will continue to be felt for a very long time and could pose a real danger to the health of British democracy if the government fails to deliver on the promises linked to Brexit.
Trade Review"Amidst all the noise, the heat and the rage generated by Brexit here are some much needed facts, insights and analysis on what really led to Brexit and how it is changing our politics forever."
—Nick Robinson, Presenter, Today programme and former Political Editor at the BBC
"Here is the thinking person's guide to Brexit... all the facts crunched so you don't have to, it is a trusty book to have close at hand in the years (yes, years) ahead. Tireless referees during the referendum, the authors were my valued sounding boards and, if not already, should be yours too."
—Allegra Stratton, National Editor of ITV News
"There is a need for a concise, well-written book that puts matters in perspective and sketches the impact on British politics and society. Brexit and British Politics, by Geoffrey Evans and Anand Menon, fits the bill."
—Tony Barber, Financial Times
"Nobody is better qualified than Geoff Evans and Anand Menon to provide a penetrating analysis of the UK's truly historic decision to leave the EU. This book is bound to be a must-read for anyone seeking an incisive guide to Brexit and its aftermath."
—Tim Bale, Professor of Politics at Queen Mary University of London and author of The Conservative Party from Thatcher to Cameron
"Geoffrey Evans and Anand Menon's authoritative text digs into the rebalancing of political values that lay behind the referendum."
—Progress
"For those who want a short, readable and well-researched introduction to Brexit and its place in British politics, this is the book to have. Its accessibility is deceptive: behind the text, there is a library of research that has been distilled into its pages."
—Albert Weale, University College London
Table of ContentsAcknowledgements
Figures and Tables
Preface: That Was a Year, That Was
Chapter One: The Best of Enemies
Chapter Two: Broken Politics
Chapter Three: The Referendum
Chapter Four: Voting to Leave
Chapter Five: The Shaping of Things to Come
Afterword: All Change: Brexit and British Politics
