A Family of Nations? Brexit, Devolution and the Union

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The project examines the impact of Brexit on relationships between the four nations/territories of the UK. Devolution was designed and developed within the context of the EU, and EU membership has been important in easing territorial relationships within the UK. The Brexit process is straining these relationships, and could mark a turning point in the system of multi-level government in the UK.Politicians often use the family as a metaphor when discussing territorial relationships. This project will draw upon ideas developed by sociologists to study relationships within families as a way of understanding and explaining dynamics in the relationships between governments and territories across the UK. The project aims to identify new tensions, opportunities and constraints. It examines the evolution of formal engagement and decision making between the UK and the devolved governments, but it tests the idea that these are conditioned by more informal interactions and the culture surrounding these. This includes the perceptions key players have about their role and the role of others, and the attitudes and behaviour they display. Relationships are studied in three sets of discussions provoked by Brexit: the UK's approach to EU negotiations; the negotiation and implementation of new trade deals; and the future of the UK 'internal market', which aims to avoid distortions in trade and competition once the UK is no longer subject to EU laws.The UK's exit from the EU coincides with the 20th anniversary of devolution. Brexit is posing big challenges for devolution, but it also offers an opportunity to reform the ways in which the governments and territories of the UK interact and work together. However, the project contends that opportunities for reform will be limited by five sets of constraints: (i) how the UK as a country, and the roles and responsibilities of its different governments, are understood among key players; (ii) the asymmetry, or unevenness, of devolution and decentralised government, including the lack of a distinctive national voice for England; (iii) pressures from the EU and the international community for the UK to speak with one voice in international negotiations and treaty-making; (iv) party political differences and competition between the UK and devolved governments; and (v) the politics of Scottish independence, especially in light of the expectation that Brexit will be the justification used by the Scottish First Minister to take steps towards a new independence referendum.The project benefits from a small comparative study of Australia and Canada, as two countries outside of the EU that have wrestled with how to share power between their federal and regional governments. These case studies will pay particular attention to how the territories work together to negotiate and implement trade deals, and to support trade and mobility within each of the countries. Brexit attracts a lot of media and public interest, but its effect on the territorial future of the UK is often neglected. This project aims to raise awareness of the challenges that Brexit has generated for the relationships between the governments and territories of the UK. A major focus will be to increase understanding of these issues among policy makers, supporting them in responding to the challenges, including with ideas for reform. The project will also raise awareness among the public by making use of digital communication including videos and other visual images, articles in newspapers, appearances on radio and TV news, and public events designed to helping citizens be more informed about and engaged in debates on the territorial and constitutional future of the UK.