Using recent events in A Level Politics: The EU referendum Part 3

The EU referendum: What happened?

On 23^rd June 2016, a referendum was held in the UK. The electorate was asked whether the UK should remain a member of the European Union (EU), or leave, an option popularly known as ‘Brexit’. The result was a victory for ‘Leave’, 52% voting in favour of Brexit.

How is it relevant to A Level Politics?

Neo-liberalism, libertarianism, and free-market economics

AQA paper 3: Political ideas

• Core ideologies
• Liberalism/Conservatism

Edexcel component 1: UK politics and core political ideas

• Core political ideas
• Liberalism/Conservatism

Sample question: ‘Conservatives are now more committed to free market economics than liberals.’ Discuss.

The referendum campaign highlighted strong support for free trade. As a member of the EU, the UK was part of the ‘single market’. This meant that there were no tariffs on trade between EU countries. In other words, there was free trade between EU member states. The ‘Remain’ campaign, including key figures from Labour, the Conservatives, and the Liberal Democrats, claimed that this was one of the major benefits of EU membership. They argued that Brexit would damage the UK’s economy, by limiting free trade. Many ‘Leave’ campaigners also presented themselves as proponents of free trade. They insisted that leaving the single market would open up greater opportunities for Britain to trade outside Europe. Much of the debate around trade, therefore, was more ‘economic’ than ‘ideological’: both sides often accepted the principle of freedom, but disagreed on which option would provide the UK with greater trading opportunities.

Human nature and rationalism

AQA paper 3: Political ideas

• Core ideologies
• Liberalism/Conservatism

Edexcel component 1: UK politics and core political ideas

• Core political ideas
• Liberalism/Conservatism

Sample question: ‘Belief in the power of reason is the most important liberal belief about human nature.’ Discuss.

The division between the ‘Leave’ and ‘Remain’ campaigns could be seen as a division between rational, intellectual argument and emotional pull. The ‘Remain’ campaign repeatedly drew on the support of experts in various fields, particularly economics. Its supporters believed in the power of human reason and rational argument, and were swayed by the arguments of specialists and intellectuals. Michael Gove, a prominent figure in the ‘Leave’ campaign, responded that ‘the British people have had enough of experts’. This statement demonstrated that support for Brexit may have been based not on economic calculation, but on the promise of restored British pride and independence (see the sections relevant to nationalism below). The ‘Leave’ victory may therefore be evidence of British politics becoming more emotional, and less rational.

Social contract, liberal democracy, sovereignty, self-determination

AQA paper 1: The government and politics of the UK

• Core ideologies/Other ideologies
• Liberalism/Nationalism

Edexcel component 1: UK politics and core political ideas

• Core political ideas
• Liberalism

Edexcel component 2: UK government and non-core political ideas

• Non-core political ideas
• Nationalism

Sample questions: To what extent do liberals agree about the right extent of state power? ‘Self-determination is no longer a crucial issue for nationalists in developed countries.’ Discuss.

The ‘Leave’ campaign argued that the EU was an example of overbearing state power. EU membership obliges the UK to follow EU regulations in areas such as workers’ rights, the environment, and food standards. Moreover, should EU law and UK law be in conflict, UK law is overruled (see the section on ‘Parliamentary sovereignty’ in the first post in this series for more on this). ‘Brexiteers’ argue that these regulations go too far, and limit the freedom of individuals in EU member states. In the language of John Locke, the EU state has gone beyond simply protecting the Natural Rights of citizens, and is therefore in breach of the contract between state and individual. Moreover, some liberals would argue that the EU is insufficiently democratic, and therefore illegitimate. Whilst liberals are generally opposed to direct democracy, they believe that representative democracy is essential to limit the power of government. Although members of the EU Parliament are elected by the member states, Eurosceptics claim that there are too few mechanisms by which other EU institutions can be held to account. Therefore, there is no way to ensure that the EU abides by the social contract between state and individual, and to prevent its encroachments on the freedom of member-nations, or individuals within them. In the language of nationalism, many ‘Leave’ voters argued that EU membership denied the British people the right to self-determination. The slogan ‘Take back control’, used by the ‘Leave’ campaign, may be seen as an appeal to nationalist sentiment.

Tolerance and multiculturalism

AQA paper 1: The government and politics of the UK

• Core ideologies/Other ideologies
• Liberalism/Multiculturalism

Edexcel component 1: UK politics and core political ideas

• Core political ideas
• Liberalism

Edexcel component 2: UK government and non-core political ideas

• Non-core political ideas
• Multiculturalism

Sample questions: To what extent is support for multiculturalism in decline in the UK?

The EU referendum exposed deep divisions in British society regarding multiculturalism and tolerance towards immigrants. The UK’s membership of the EU obliged Britain to accept ‘freedom of movement’: citizens of any EU country are permitted to enter and live in the UK. Immigration became central to the debate over membership as the ‘Leave’ campaign argued that Brexit was essential in order to reduce immigration. Many commentators have argued that fears over mass immigration were the main reason for the ‘Leave’ victory. It may therefore indicate a decline in support for multiculturalism. Many liberals fear that a rise in hate crime towards immigrants reported by the police in the weeks following the vote may be an indication that the liberal value of tolerance is in decline, and that the ‘Leave’ victory legitimised such attitudes. In some areas, fears of a rising intolerance produced support for the EU. Liberals condemned a poster produced by the Nigel Farage’s Leave.EU group, showing a line of immigrants next to the words ‘Breaking point’, on the basis that it aimed to arouse hatred towards immigrants. Cosmopolitan London voted strongly in favour of ‘Remain’, perhaps because support for the EU had come to symbolise support for multiculturalism, opposition to racism, and belief in a tolerant society.

Cultural and conservative nationalism

AQA paper 1: The government and politics of the UK

• Other ideologies
• Nationalism

Edexcel component 2: UK government and non-core political ideas

• Non-core political ideas
• Nationalism

Sample question: ‘The primary aim of nationalism is to forge a cohesive society.’ Discuss.

The ‘Leave’ campaign arguably drew support from nationalist feeling. The EU was criticised for obliging the UK to accept unlimited immigration (see ‘Tolerance and multiculturalism’, above). Fears regarding immigration were often based on a perceived ‘erosion’ of ‘British values’ and ‘British culture’. Those who feared that immigration leads to multiculturalism, and that multiculturalism represents an attack on traditional British culture, were likely to vote for Brexit. Some of the rhetoric of the ‘Leave’ campaign, such as the promise to ‘take back control’ may even have played on myths of British cultural superiority, and promised a return to a golden age of British international power. The ‘Leave’ victory, therefore, could be seen as evidence for a rise in this form of nationalism.