One of the greatest blows to the European Union has been the vote of one of the Union’s key members, Great Britain, to exit the EU in a measure known as Brexit. The resolution was passed by only a slim majority of the British public. Concerns about the stability of the Union as the United Kingdom begins to make its slow break from the fold were heighted recently, according to John Cassidy’s 2018 article in the New Yorker: “Boris Johnson’s Resignation Can’t Disguise the Harsh Reality of Brexit.” Two critical negotiators for Britain, David Davis, the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union and Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, resigned from Prime Minister Theresa May’s cabinet, accusing her of allowing for too many concessions. There are concerns within Britain’s Conservative Party of embarking upon a so-called “soft” Brexit that does not sufficiently extricate Britain from its responsibilities to the European Union.
Of course, that is precisely what the current remaining membership of the EU fears. Since Johnson was considered one of the most reactionary members of May’s cabinet, his absence some hope may pave the way to a more reasonable settlement, although there is considerable ire directed toward the government and calls for another vote due to the magnitude of the step of withdrawing from the EU. If Brexit does go through, this may send a message to other European nations that it is possible or acceptable to opt out what was once hoped to be a vital engine of growth for Europe. On the other hand, the likelihood of the damage caused by Brexit—economists, according to the article forecast dire economic results if a so-called “hard” Brexit is enacted, given the ties British businesses have forged with Europe—means the United Kingdom’s example could be a telling warning. Regardless, this article shows that even within May’s cabinet, profound ambivalence remains regarding exiting the EU. As a political point of rhetoric, nativist language is popular, but its actual execution is less so.
References
Cassidy, J. (2018). Boris Johnson’s resignation can’t disguise the harsh reality of Brexit. The New Yorker. Retrieved from: https://www.newyorker.com/news/our- columnists/boris-johnsons-resignation-cant-disguise-the-harsh-reality-of-brexit.
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