Author Archives: admin

The sleeping dog of ‘Europe’: UK relations with the EU as a non-issue

This piece was originally posted as part of the UK Election Analysis project. Do visit for lots of other pieces on all aspects of the 2024 General Election. Given that the past decade of British politics has arguably been shaped … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorised | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Europe in the 2024 manifestos

It’s a week until the General Election, so a good point to consider the European issue in the campaign so far. This will be a short post, mostly because very few parties want to talk about the EU, and those … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorised | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Article 2 of the Northern Ireland Protocol: More headaches in London

Back when the Withdrawal Agreement was first concluded, I did wonder about whether there was a need for an explainer for each of the provisions contained within it, one graphic at a time, so that everyone could be more on … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorised | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Labour’s EU policy: Early markers

A bit of tricky one, this. It partly explains the hiatus in posting of late, although that might also be down to the rubbish weather. As we move towards a General Election, interest has naturally turned towards what a Labour … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorised | Tagged | Leave a comment

Updating graphics on the WA/TCA, Windsor and border controls

Last week’s announcement of a package of measures to support the return of the Northern Ireland Assembly and Executive might not have produced much substantial change in UK-EU relations, but it has prompted me to update a number of key … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorised | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Some ado about not much: The DUP deal on power-sharing

The publication on Wednesday of a UK Command Paper “Safeguarding the Union” came largely out of the blue. For months the Secretary of State and budding author, Chris Heaton-Harris, has been talking with the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) about returning … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorised | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Retained EU Law is dead! Long live assimilated law!

During the Christmas break, the UK got rid of all its Retained EU Law (REUL). But not really. The entry into force of the Retained EU Law Act at New Year’s Eve meant that all that “Retained EU Law” got … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorised | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

The sun goes down in Retained EU Law, sort of

Christmas is, of course, the most Brexit-y time of year. Who can forget such classic moments as reading treaties under the tinsel in 2019 and 2020, or pondering the no-confidence vote in 2018 over a glass of eggnog? Obviously keen … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorised | Tagged | Leave a comment

Is sovereignty democracy?

I’ve been turned over this question for some weeks now, mainly because it has kept on popping up in different places. And because I fundamentally disagree. Last month, I heard the line ‘sovereignty is democracy’ fall from the lips of … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorised | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Making Northern Ireland consent work

2024 is going to be a busy year for UK-EU relations. As much as we talk about the 2026 TCA review as a key point, next year will see a full refresh of EU leadership and the European Parliament, plus … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorised | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment