The Scoop on Brexit

It isn’t easy for a country to break away from a union it has been a part of since 1973, but that’s exactly what happened when Great Britain separated from the European Union earlier this year in a process commonly called Brexit (a mixture between “Britain” and “exit”). The idea of exiting the EU had been tossed around for many years, but a vote wasn’t cast until 2016, with a result of 52% choosing to leave and 48% opting to stay. Brexit officially began when the United Kingdom’s government announced the withdrawal. The exit stalled when the United Kingdom’s parliament became deadlocked, and further complications concerning the split between politics, economics, and federal laws. Brexit may not be simple, but it certainly is historical, and there are many events that both went into the process and will become of it.

The Beginning of Brexit

There would be no opportunity for Brexit if there was no European Union, which came about because of the establishment of the European Economic Community. After World War II, European countries were desperate for a way to maintain order, and prevent another war, which was where the EEC came in, in an attempt to facilitate both peace and trade. The UK struggled to get into the group, but almost as soon as they were accepted, thoughts about backing out began to surface. Questions about Britain’s identity as a country, its economic status, and the division between the country’s political parties: the Conservative Party, the UK Independence Party, and the Labour Party, part of which eventually split off into the Social Democratic Party. However, the country remained a part of the organization and the European Union that is still in existence today, which was created from the 1993 Maastricht Treaty with the goal of unification: a unifying currency, the euro, as well as common foreign policies and citizenship rights. But conflicts between Great Britain and the rest of Europe, as well as economic unrest in the country, led to the 2016 referendum that cemented the decision of Brexit.

The 2016 Referendum

Before setting up a vote for the prospect of Britain leaving the EU, governmental officials from the UK tried to negotiate with the organization over issues such as welfare payments for migrants and refugees, financial safeguards, and compromises concerning Great Britain’s blocking of EU regulations and laws. David Cameron was the British financial sector in 2016, and he was the one to propose the 2016 vote that would take place in June and would show the British people’s opinion on Brexit. The referendum was voted upon by nearly 72% of the British people, an amount equating to 30 million individual citizens. Northern Ireland and Scotland chose to avoid leaving the EU, while Britain and Wales chose to participate in Brexit. Theresa May, Britain’s Prime Minister at the time, formally announced Great Britain’s decision to leave the European Union in October of 2016, even though the event wouldn’t happen for over three years, and the law was signed in May of 2017.

Britain’s Official Departure, and Its Effects

Although the intentions of Great Britain to leave the European Union were officially and legally declared in 2017, the country did not officially separate from the EU until January 31, 2020. Since the separation happened less than a month ago, so much is still undecided, and the political, economic, and legal relationships between the United Kingdom and the EU are still blurry for the most part. Many are optimistic about the ability of the country and the group to work together, while others worry about the relationship between them will only worsen. Several negotiations have been determined, while others are still up in the air. In years to come, the relationship between Britain and the rest of Europe could better or worsen, but the drama surrounding Brexit will certainly be something to watch in the political world.