@BrigidLaffan Eight reasons why implementing Brexit is a wicked problem for U.K.
1. UK’s adversarial political culture translates party preferences into national interest without the reflex found in consensus democracies.
2. @BrigidLaffan many U.K. electoral contests are not contests because of the proportion of safe seats-limits the political efficacy of electorate.
3. Monarchy-above and outside politics. Cannot being key leaders together to get them to focus on ‘national’ dimension.
4. UK is not a referendum country so electorate has little experience with this form of democracy. ‘Will of the people’ is elevated beyond representative democracy.
5. Multi-national state which becomes very problematic when different parts of the Union vote differently on major constitutional issues.
6. Unwritten constitution & weak checks & balances-Executive dominated political system.
7. Size & political history of country. Overestimates its power & influence. Expects special treatment. Re. Brexit its size is a difficulty for EU not an advantage. Small state exceptionalism is much easier to deal with.
8. Last but not least - Undoing the ties that bind in a brave gamble as we approach the third decade of 21st century.
