Analysis
Divisions in the Select Committee on Exiting the European Union
Philip Lynch and Richard Whitaker The Select Committee on Exiting the European Union (the DExEU committee, or Brexit committee) is one of the most divided since the creation of departmental select committees in 1979. It has seen divisions – that is, formal votes on reports…
Data from our article ‘All Brexiteers Now?’ are available
You can now access the data used in Philip Lynch and Richard Whitaker’s article ‘All Brexiteers now? Brexit, the Conservatives and Party Change’ on the Data page.
The European Union Withdrawal Bill: The House of Commons Strikes Back!
Professor Adam Cygan The European Union (Withdrawal) Bill, which has just concluded its Committee stage in the House of Commons, is probably the most important constitutional legislation laid before Parliament since the European Communities Act (ECA) 1972. The Bill, which will be subjected to detailed…
What would be a ‘Good’ Brexit for Leicester and Leicestershire?
Professor Adam Cygan In the June 2016 referendum the County of Leicestershire overwhelmingly voted ‘leave’ while the City of Leicester narrowly backed ‘remain’. The overall picture in Leicester and Leicestershire was consistent with the broader pattern of voting in England with strong evidence that voters…
New article: All Brexiteers now? Brexit, the Conservatives and party change
How much is Brexit bringing about change within the UK Conservative Party? Philip Lynch and Richard Whitaker have published an article in the journal British Politics dealing with this question. The research is based on an original dataset created by the authors to establish positions on…
Select committee inquiries on Brexit: opportunities and challenges
Philip Lynch and Richard Whitaker The process of leaving the European Union (EU) brings opportunities and challenges for House of Commons select committees. Previous research shows how their inquiries can influence policy and bring expert evidence to discussions of government policies. On the issue…
Select committee composition: the Brexit divide
Philip Lynch and Richard Whitaker Select committees are among the most significant tools available to MPs for scrutinising government and shaping the agenda. With a small number of exceptions, these are now up and running for the 2017-19 session. Many select committees are holding, or…
The second reading of the EU Withdrawal Bill: beginning of the end...
By Adam Cygan The second reading of the EU Withdrawal Bill marks another important milestone in the UK’s journey to formally exit the European Union on 29 March 2019. Legally, this Bill is a necessary step to enable the UK to end the supremacy of…
Parties, Parliament and the Brexit process: tensions facing parties, government and MPs
Richard Whitaker and Philip Lynch The UK’s 2016 referendum vote to leave the EU has already heavily tested the cohesion of Parliamentary parties at Westminster. The UK’s relationship within the EU has long been a source of tension within and between parties, and Parliament is…
Conservative divisions on Brexit: the general election and beyond
Philip Lynch The 2017 general election is being viewed as both a ‘Brexit election’ and one in which the Conservative Party’s campaign was disastrous. But the two are not inextricably linked. As in 1997 and 2001, a Conservative campaign built around the EU issue…