2 observations following a number of academic & policy exchanges on Brexit this week.1. Almost all UK commentators-academic, official & political now argue that EU needs to re-think its approach to third country neighbours-few of them were making case when UK a MS @BrigidLaffan
This call is because reality of 3rd country status begins to bite & however desired by hard Brexiteers, it sits uneasily with almost 50 years of membership. 2. Brexit is seen as the ultimate benchmark for EU by many in U.K., most recently by @GoodwinMJ last night. @BrigidLaffan
What kind of benchmark is Brexit? U.K. is 1 medium sized state while EU remains dominant economic power in Europe. All neighbours have to adjust to its presence not the other way around & all European third countries benefit from the public goods supplied by EU. @BrigidLaffan
How would UK operate in its neighbourhood without the heavy lifting done by EU on market making. The frictions caused by Brexit would multiply & of course EU is much more than its market. @BrigidLaffan
So if Brexit is a benchmark what is it a benchmark of? For individual member states I suspect is the argument but if Brexit had led to a domino effect would this have been in U.K. interest? would a disintegrating EU sought by the Europhobes be good for GB?
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
