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Brexit and the constitution
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Lecture notes study book Geschiedenis van het publiekrecht of Alain Wijffels - ISBN: 9789463799843, Edition: 1, Year of publication: - (Notes of the lesson)
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GESCHIEDENIS VAN HET PUBLIEK RECHT19.10.2020
Thema 3: Brexit & The constitution
Boek: Beyond Brexit: Towards a British Constitution (Vernon Bogdanor)
As the result of having been a member of the EU and Brexit, the UK is experiencing the
need for a codified Constitution
1. Main aspects of the constitution which have become controversial or uncertain:
The doctrine of parliamentary sovereignty
The constitutional status of referendums
The collective responsibility of the government
The place of fundamental rights in the hierarchy of legal norms
Devolution
The call for a codified constitution
2. Timeline
Late 1940s, 50s and 60s:
- Decolonization (including the disintegration of the British Empire)
- Decolonization led to experiments in complex political structures between the
former colonial powers and their ex-colonies
a) Commonwealth of Nations (UK and, mainly, former colonies)
b) Union Française, Communauté Française, CFA
- Samenwerkingsverbanden tussen soevereine staten – welke vorm zou die
samenwerking krijgen
- Data:
i) 1949: Treaty of Washington DC: North Atlantic Treaty (creation of NATO
in the context of the Cold War)
ii) 1949: Treaty of London: Council of Europe (1950: European Convention
of Human Rights) – grote rol van de VK, nu conservatieven zijn er tegen
iii) 1951: Treaty of Paris: European Community of Coal and Steel (B, D, F, I,
L, NL): 2002 – incorporated in the EU without remaining a separate entity
iv) 1954: Western European Union (amendment of the 1948 Treaty of
Brussels, creating the Western Union), 1954 – 2011 (tasks transferred to
the EU)
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, v) 1957: Treaty of Rome: European Economic Community (the same as
ECCS); 1993: European Community, 2009: incorporated in the EU
vi) 1957: EURATOM (European Atomic Energy Community, the same
members)
vii) 1960: Convention of Stockholm: European Free Trade Association
(originally: outer 7, A, CH, DK, N, P, S, UK), oplossing voor problemen
met een ‘te sterk’ geintegreerde EU, maar vrij snel zou de VK beseffen dat
ze zich afsluiten van de groeiende Europese Gemeenschap en continentale
markt (if you can’t beat them, joint them)
viii) 1961-63: UK application to EEC, (Macmillan govt., Cons.), vetoed (by
France)
ix) 1967: UK application to EEC (Wilson govt., Lab), vetoed (by France)
x) 1969-71: successful application, under Heath govt. Cons.
xi) 1972: Treaty of Accession (with DK, IRL, N, but Norway did not become
member following a negative referendum)
xii) 1972: European Communities Act (into effect on 01.01.1973)
xiii) 1975: UK European Communities membership referendum (under
Wilson govt., Lab.) – tegenstanders van de EU, niet altijd enkel
conservatieven
o The Labour party is divided
o The Conservatists are pro-European at that point
o Even Margaret Thatcher supports the EU
o More than 2/3 want to stay in the European Community
o Labour party can’t negate the result of the referendum
o Map of 1st referendum and the 2nd (Brexit referendum) is almost
completely opposite
xiv) 1979: UK opts out of the European Monetary System (after win
Thatcher)
xv) 1991: UK Independence Party (UKIP)
o Hoogtepunt van groei van de macht van de EC/EU
o Will play a big role in Brexit
o Evolution of UKIP: from small beginnings, fast growth (because of
FPTP – still only one chair in the Parliament)
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, xvi) 1993: The EC becomes the EU (following the Maastricht Treaty of
1992)
xvii) 1994-97: Referendum Party (1997 general elections: 2.6% votes
overall)
xviii) 1997-2010: (New) Labour government
o less conservative
o PM Tony Blair
xix) 2010-2015: Hung Parliament, Conservative & Lib-Dem coalition
government (PM D. Cameron, Conservative)
xx) 2014: Scottish Independence Referendum
o Scottish National Party is biggest party in Scotland
o As a result: Scottish Independence Referendum (end to the UK)
o Referendum result: no Scottish Independence
o Ondertussen is er Brexit gekomen – een politiek argument voor een
nieuw onafhankelijkheidsreferendum
xxi) 2015: General Elections (Conservative majority)
xxii) 2015-16: Conservative government with PM David Cameron
xxiii) 23.06.2016: UK European Union membership referendum
o More than 70% of the population took part
o 52% leave, 48% stay in the EU
o Leave mainly in England in Wales
o Why a referendum: to settle the growing divide inside the Conservative
Party
xxiv) 2016-17: First Theresa May government (conservative)
xxv) 2017: General Elections – Hung Parliament
xxvi) 2017-19: Second Theresa May government (Conservative, minority
backed by DUP)
xxvii) 29.03.2019: PM notifies UKs decision to leave the EU (art. 50 TEU)
xxviii) 24.07 – 13.12.2019: First b. Johnson government (conservative
minority)
xxix) 12.12.2019: General Elections
xxx) 13.12.2019: Second B. Johnson government (conservative)
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