On June 23 rd 2016, a majority of voters in the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union. This was effected after two general elections and a protracted debate on January 31 2020. The United Kingdom is now outside of the Union but in a Trade and Cooperation Agreement with it, parts of which are still not fully defined. This agreement carries with arrangements of mutual benefit to both sides but does not include the UK in EU decision structures, the customs union, the single market, or the free trade area. The UK is in a series of separate agreements with the Irish government which causes there to be a border issue on the island of Ireland. Article 50 and Referenda in the UK The means by which the UK transitioned from the status of EU membership was initiated by the existence of Article 50 of the Treaty of Lisbon. This article was, ironically, inserted by the British permanent representative to the EC, Sir John Kerr, in the belief that it would not be invoke...
This is a collection of personal and largely unedited observations covering the years from 2006 to now; I assert my copyright but am fine with links and footnotes. Some posts are obviously much more researched than others, and any errors are wholly mine except where I have innocently disseminated or linked to other bloggers or commentators.