Why the UK Voted for Brexit: David Cameron's Great Miscalculation (Palgrave Studies in European Union Politics)

This book studies the unprecedented decision of 23 June 2016, which saw the UK electorate vote to leave the EU, turning David Cameron's referendum gamble into a great miscalculation. It analyzes the renegotiation that preceded the vote, before examining the campaign itself so as to understand why the government's strategy for winning foundered. It then evaluates the implications that this decision has for the country's international relations as well as for its domestic politics. The author's final reflections are on the political philosophy of Brexit, which is founded on a critique of representative democracy. Yet the use of direct democracy to trigger EU withdrawal leaves the supposedly sovereign British people at an impasse. For it is up to the people's representatives to negotiate the terms of Brexit. By engaging with a highly charged political debate in an accessible and non-partisan manner this book will appeal to a broad readership of academics, policy-makers, journalists, and interested citizens. Andrew Glencross is Senior Lecturer in the Department of Politics and International Relations, Aston University, UK. He has published widely on the politics of European integration in journals such as Journal of Common Market Studies, International Affairs, Political Studies, and The Political Quarterly. He is a Senior Fellow of the Foreign Policy Research Institute, Philadelphia.-- Provided by publisher This book studies the unprecedented decision of 23 June 2016, which saw the UK electorate vote to leave the EU, turning David Cameron's referendum gamble into a great miscalculation. It analyzes the renegotiation that preceded the vote, before examining the campaign itself so as to understand why the government's strategy for winning foundered. It then evaluates the implications that this decision has for the country's international relations as well as for its domestic politics. The author's final reflections are on the political philosophy of Brexit, which is founded on a critique of representative democracy. Yet the use of direct democracy to trigger EU withdrawal leaves the supposedly sovereign British people at an impasse. For it is up to the people's representatives to negotiate the terms of Brexit. By engaging with a highly charged political debate in an accessible and non-partisan manner this book will appeal to a broad readership of academics, policy-makers, journ alists, and interested citizens. Andrew Glencross is Senior Lecturer in the Department of Politics and International Relations, Aston University, UK. He has published widely on the politics of European integration in journals such as Journal of Common Market Studies, International Affairs, Political Studies, and The Political Quarterly. He is a Senior Fellow of the Foreign Policy Research Institute, Philadelphia Front Matter....Pages i-xi Introduction: The Great Miscalculation....Pages 1-6 The 40-Year “Neverendum” on the UK’s Relationship with Europe....Pages 7-20 Renegotiating Terms of EU Membership Prior to the Referendum....Pages 21-33 The EU Referendum Campaign....Pages 35-46 The Unfinished Business of Brexit....Pages 47-60 Rousseau’s Revenge: The Political Philosophy of Brexit....Pages 61-72 Back Matter....Pages 73-84 Introduction : The Great Miscalculation -- The 40-year Neverendum On The Uk's Relationship With Europe -- Renegotiating Terms Of Eu Membership Prior To The Referendum -- The Eu Referendum Campaign -- The Unfinished Business Of Brexit -- Rousseau's Revenge : The Political Philosophy Of Brexit. Andrew Glencross. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. This volume studies the unprecedented decision of 23 June 2016, which saw the UK electorate vote to leave the EU, turning David Cameron's referendum gamble into a great miscalculation. It analyses the renegotiation that preceded the vote, before examining the campaign itself so as to understand why the government's strategy for winning foundered