Tuesday

19th Mar 2024

UK in political turmoil after Brexit vote

  • Corbyn at climate change rally in London last year (Photo: Matthew Kirby)

The UK's political establishment has engulfed in a crisis following the referendum vote last week to leave the European Union with both the Conservative and the Labour party lacking clear leadership and beaming confusion.

As the UK should begin the legal process to leave the EU, it has become clear that neither the Leave camp, nor prime minister David Cameron has prepared for a Brexit scenario.

Read and decide

Join EUobserver today

Get the EU news that really matters

Instant access to all articles — and 20 years of archives. 14-day free trial.

... or subscribe as a group

One EU official described the UK as being in a "very significant political crisis".

The official also added that other EU countries understand that they cannot expect the UK to start the exit procedure amidst a political crisis, so the pressure for the UK to do so has reduced to some extent.

Cameron has not said anything since last Friday when he signalled that he would resign in the fall and let his successor guide the UK out of the EU.

One of the likely contestors for the prime minister's job, former London mayor Boris Johnson and lead campaigner for leaving the EU seemed confused about the UK's future role in the union in an article published in The Telegraph on Sunday.

"I cannot stress too much that Britain is part of Europe, and always will be. There will still be intense and intensifying European cooperation and partnership in a huge number of fields," Johnson wrote.

He did not lay out a concrete plan on how to guide the UK throught the painful process of leaving the EU, or how much freedom of movement would he accept for access to the bloc's single market, a key issue for UK politics in the upcoming weeks and months.

On the possiblity of the UK breaking up, following Scotland overwhelmingly voting for Remain, Johnson added: "We had one Scotland referendum in 2014, and I do not detect any real appetite to have another one soon."

Scotland's first minister Nicola Sturgeon however, has said over the weekend that another referendum is "highly likely" and that Scotland would do whatever it takes to remain in the EU, including potentially blocking the legal process behind Britain's exit.

Another contender for the job at Downing Street 10 could be Theresa May. The home secretary kept a low profile during the referendum campaign, and could now emerge as a unifying figure in the party, and could win support of those who dislike Boris Johnson.

Labour in pain

The opposition Labour party is also caught up in internal disputes as the UK faces its biggest chellange in decades.

Over the weekend twelve shadow secretaries have withdrawn their support for party leader Jeremy Corbyn, who on Sunday vowed to stay on.

"I regret there have been resignations today from my shadow cabinet. But I am not going to betray the trust of those who voted for me, or the millions of supporters across the country who need Labour to represent them," Corbyn said in a statement.

Corbyn, elected last year with the overwhelming support from grassroots Labour members, is also facing criticism from Labour lawmakers that he had not done enough to convince the voters to back Remain, with one MP accusing him of "sabotaging" the campaign to stay in the EU.

Corbyn has come under huge pressure from the resignations, and will likely be facing a no-confindence vote from Labour lawmakers on Monday.

With general elections being a possiblity in the coming months, there is once again a battle emerging for Labour's core between Westminster politicians and Labour party members who elected Corbyn.

Brexit nerves help traditional Spanish parties

Center-right PP of prime minister Rajoy and center-left PSOE came out first in Sunday's general election but failed to win majority. Anti-austerity Podemos lost 1 million votes.

EU will not press UK for immediate exit talks

EU leaders say there is a "very significant crisis" in the UK. At a summit on Tuesday, they will not press the British prime minister to trigger the procedure to leave the EU.

Brexit Briefing

Brexit vote devours UK's Labour Party

Britain's referendum was instigated by the Conservatives, but the result has left Labour staring into the abyss.

Opinion

Brexit: EU needs to better defend itself

National leaders need to bring tangible proof of the benefits of the EU to their citizens, and remind them why they joined in the first place.

Poles and Muslims insulted after Brexit vote

Polish people, Muslims and other minorities in the UK have reported an outbreak of what British police are treating as “hate crimes” following the Brexit vote.

Opinion

How the EU can raise its game in the Middle East

Could the EU repair its reputation and credibility by taking action on Gaza? EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell, Spain, Belgium and Ireland, have worked hard to repair the damage, but have faced political headwinds due to internal divisions.

Latest News

  1. Borrell: 'Israel provoking famine', urges more aid access
  2. Europol: Israel-Gaza galvanising Jihadist recruitment in Europe
  3. EU to agree Israeli-settler blacklist, Borrell says
  4. EU ministers keen to use Russian profits for Ukraine ammo
  5. Call to change EIB defence spending rules hits scepticism
  6. Potential legal avenues to prosecute Navalny's killers
  7. EU summit, Gaza, Ukraine, reforms in focus this WEEK
  8. The present and future dystopia of political micro-targeting ads

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. Nordic Council of MinistersJoin the Nordic Food Systems Takeover at COP28
  2. Nordic Council of MinistersHow women and men are affected differently by climate policy
  3. Nordic Council of MinistersArtist Jessie Kleemann at Nordic pavilion during UN climate summit COP28
  4. Nordic Council of MinistersCOP28: Gathering Nordic and global experts to put food and health on the agenda
  5. Friedrich Naumann FoundationPoems of Liberty – Call for Submission “Human Rights in Inhume War”: 250€ honorary fee for selected poems
  6. World BankWorld Bank report: How to create a future where the rewards of technology benefit all levels of society?

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. Georgia Ministry of Foreign AffairsThis autumn Europalia arts festival is all about GEORGIA!
  2. UNOPSFostering health system resilience in fragile and conflict-affected countries
  3. European Citizen's InitiativeThe European Commission launches the ‘ImagineEU’ competition for secondary school students in the EU.
  4. Nordic Council of MinistersThe Nordic Region is stepping up its efforts to reduce food waste
  5. UNOPSUNOPS begins works under EU-funded project to repair schools in Ukraine
  6. Georgia Ministry of Foreign AffairsGeorgia effectively prevents sanctions evasion against Russia – confirm EU, UK, USA

Join EUobserver

EU news that matters

Join us