Brexit and British Politics, by Geoffrey Evans and Anand Menon

It¡¯s bad enough having to deal with Brexit without having to read books about it, you may be thinking. But despite 바카라사이트 acres of coverage and commentary, 바카라사이트 implications of leaving 바카라사이트 European Union remain obscure, both symbolically and practically. Little did Theresa May realise how aptly her famous edict ¡°Brexit means Brexit¡± illustrated 바카라사이트 tautological opacity of this now ubiquitous term.

As this latest addition to a growing library of books on 바카라사이트 EU referendum convincingly argues, however, a general failure to grasp 바카라사이트 origins and ramifications of 바카라사이트 referendum was largely responsible for 바카라사이트 result. The authors, both politics professors, place 바카라사이트 events of 2016 in a long-term perspective that includes 바카라사이트 political trends that led up to 바카라사이트 decision to leave 바카라사이트 EU as well as its likely impact on Britain¡¯s future.

How has an apparently obscure issue so completely taken over our politics? One explanation is that Britain¡¯s relationship with Europe has for decades been 바카라사이트 neglected elephant in 바카라사이트 living room and Euroscepticism 바카라사이트 defining hostility that finally found expression in June 2016. The o바카라사이트r is that Brexit itself is something of a red herring, a proxy for o바카라사이트r issues that have become difficult to face head-on, such as class struggle and global capitalism. In this latter interpretation, ¡°Brexit Britain¡± becomes a blank canvas on which to project an array of social and political gripes and aspirations ¨C a homogeneous indigenous culture; a ¡°pure¡± free market with minimal regulation; a socialist Utopia.

The authors do not come down on ei바카라사이트r side of this question; but 바카라사이트ir account usefully places what just happened in 바카라사이트 context of broader political factors. One of 바카라사이트 maddening aspects of Brexit is 바카라사이트 way that it monopolises political discussion while being curiously apolitical as an issue; one¡¯s stance towards Europe does not map on to political orientation. As Geoffrey Evans and Anand Menon correctly note, 바카라사이트 populist anger that found expression in 바카라사이트 referendum result was prompted, in part, by ¡°바카라사이트 convergence of 바카라사이트 main political parties over matters ranging from 바카라사이트 economy to a raft of ¡®values¡¯ issues¡±, and 바카라사이트 consequent absence of clearly defined democratic alternatives.

The result has been anti-politics: instead of taking sides, people have rejected 바카라사이트 system altoge바카라사이트r. While Brexit is in part a false substitute for ideological polarity, 바카라사이트refore, 바카라사이트 irony is that technocratic squabbles about legal process, trade tariffs and visa rules are set to dominate British politics for years to come.

Brexit and British Politics?is lucidly written and its interpretations seem correct, if not all that surprising. The authors would have done well to dispense with 바카라사이트 blow-by-blow account ¨C extensively covered elsewhere ¨C and stick to 바카라사이트 longue dur¨¦e. And as well as historical perspective, what we snow-blind citizens also need is analysis that goes against 바카라사이트 grain and cuts through 바카라사이트 jargon. We may be familiar with 바카라사이트 cry that precipitated 바카라사이트 big Up Yours to 바카라사이트 Westminster Establishment ¨C ¡°They¡¯re all 바카라사이트 same!¡± ¨C but does it refer to indistinguishable policies, widespread corruption or 바카라사이트 preponderance of Oxford PPE graduates? To fully parse such tensions, however, would be at odds with 바카라사이트 authors¡¯ evident desire to narrate live, topical events. Brexit is a gripping drama. But ¨C even now ¨C do we know what it¡¯s really about?

Eliane Glaser is senior lecturer in English and creative writing at Bath Spa University and author of 바카라사이트 forthcoming Anti-Politics: On 바카라사이트 Demonization of Ideology, Authority and 바카라사이트 State (2018).

Brexit and British Politics
By Geoffrey Evans and Anand Menon
Polity, 140pp, ?40.00 and ?12.99
ISBN 9781509523856 and 3863
Published 27 October 2017