Brexit, A Drama: The Interregnum

Summary:

This article continues on a previous article, on the legal challenges of triggering Article 50 of the Treaty of European Union (TEU). It covers the period after the Brexit referendum to the present. The approach in the earlier article is preserved, employing the metaphor of an unfolding drama, with Shakespearian quotations appropriately chosen for each Act or Scene. This article therefore begins with Act 7, following on from Act 6 of the previous piece.

The article starts with an introduction of the leading political ‘players’ in the UK and the EU that shaped political developments over this period, and will continue to do so during the Brexit negotiations. It then shifts to the evolution of the Brexit strategy. Subsequently, the article discusses the legal battle of the UK government trying to ascertain the constitutional legal requirements for triggering Article 50 TEU. Lastly, the article discusses the time after the formal triggering of Article 50. Including a discussion of the UK general election, the electoral impact on Brexit negotiations and the key issues of the withdrawal agreement.