Nation in Crisis, A: Division, Conflict and Capitalism in the United Kingdom

Since the 2007-8 financial crisis and its aftershocks, international capitalism has once again been in crisis. The crisis has been particularly marked in the UK and its outcome is currently unclear. Based upon a wealth of sources, from newspapers, journals, government, political party and polling organisation publications, as well as archival and secondary material, Neville Kirk examines the systemic crisis facing the nations of the UK. The book traces the crisis from the period following the 2016 EU referendum up to 2022, a period during which the crisis intensified and became more widespread. Kirk covers the elections of 2017 and 2019, political fragmentation, Scottish nationalism, Brexit, the coronavirus pandemic, continuing economic problems and conflicts around class, gender, race and nation. Finally, the book considers competing pathways out of the current impasse. Through his thorough examination of the UK’s main political parties and players, Kirk offers the reader a new and original understanding of how we reached the present situation. Cover Halftitle page Title page Copyright page Contents Acknowledgements Introduction 1 A Political Earthquake: The 2017 General Election and Its Aftershocks Introduction Results of the election Press reactions Explaining the election The Tories Labour The SNP The aftershocks Conclusion 2 The Brexit Crisis, 2018–2019 Introduction The UK and Europe: the historical context The UK and Europe: the EU referendum Theresa May: from resurgence to humiliation, January–September 2018 Theresa May: from success to failure, October 2018 to March 20I9 May’s fall, March to June 2019 May: an assessment Conclusion 3 The Triumphs, Trials and Troubles of Boris Johnson, 2019–2021 Introduction From July 2019 to March 2020 From March 2020 to May 2021: trials, tribulations and recovery The UK government and the pandemic: an assessment Conclusion 4 Scotland: Another Way is Possible? Introduction 2014: the Scottish independence referendum The post-referendum period, November 2014–May 2015 Scottish self-determination and independence, 2015–2020 From 2016 to 2020 2021: overall strengths and successes Conclusion 5 To the Present Introduction Boris Johnson: from triumph to downfall The future Notes Bibliography Index "Since the 2007-9 financial crash and its aftershocks, international capitalism has once again been in crisis. In politics, social structure, the economy, culture and ideology, Western democracies seem to be fragmenting. Yet this crisis has been particularly marked in the UK, and its outcome is currently unclear. Based on a wealth of sources, Neville Kirk examines the systemic crisis currently facing the nations of the United Kingdom, by exploring how we ended up here. From 2010 and the politics of austerity, fall in living standards, crises in political leadership, Scottish nationalism, societal divisions and institutional fragmentation - to the present day consequences of the pandemic, inflation, polarised political parties, Brexit, the future of the Union, and cultural and ideological clashes around identity, class, race, gender and ethnicity in UK's past, present and future. By developing a thorough analysis of the UK's past and present crises, Kirk sheds light on how and what will determine whether the crisis is resolved, and in which 'old' conservative or 'new' radical ways"-- Provided by publisher