MEDIA RELEASE: 09 December 2019 – R00189
The UK’s general election on Thursday, Dec. 12 could have a major impact on the protracted process known as Brexit, or the departure of Great Britain from the European Union (EU).
Paul Williams, lecturer in the Department of Political Science, recently completed a dissertation on migration and the movement of people within the EU in Brock’s Interdisciplinary Humanities doctoral program.
Williams, who also studied External Relations of the European Union at the Université Libre de Bruxelles, Université D’Europe, was not surprised when the deadline for Brexit was extended into January, an EU decision which gave Boris Johnson and the Conservatives time to enact legislation allowing an early general election in the UK in advance of the deadline.
“I don’t think either the EU or the UK want a ‘no-deal’ Brexit,” says Williams.
On the UK side are well-documented concerns over free trade, tariffs and the land border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. But the key priorities of the EU have not been as widely discussed.
“The EU wants a deal in order to ensure the UK maintains similar environmental and social regulations as EU member states,” Williams says. “If the UK begins dismantling these regulatory practices, there is a fear that this may make businesses more interested in the UK than the EU.”
Williams notes that the EU promotes consensus-building and efficiency, and that the departure of a member state could create or deepen divisions among other member states.
However, he also points out “the UK has always argued for intergovernmental decision making as opposed to deeper authority given to EU institutions. So there may be a feeling that once an obstructionist member has left, it is a time for renewed optimism that European integration can solve the problems plaguing Europe.”
Other issues in the UK election, including criticisms of the major parties’ failure to root out anti-Semitic and anti-Islamic sentiment within their ranks, are reflective of broader political concerns of migration, integration and nationalism, the last of which is the most pressing concern for the EU, according to Williams.
“The global migration crisis and the rise of a new nationalism in Europe illustrates the importance that the migration of peoples plays on European politics,” says Williams. “Nationalist leaders shape their discourse for their national audience, but now also have a wider European message.”
Paul Williams is available for media interviews, and can be reached at pwilliams@brocku.ca.
For more information or for assistance arranging interviews:
- Michelle Pressé, Brock University Communications, mpresse@brocku.ca or 905-688-5550 x4420 or 905-246-1963
- Dan Dakin, Manager Communications and Media Relations, Brock Universityddakin@brocku.ca, 905-688-5550 x5353 or 905-347-1970
Brock University Marketing and Communications has a full-service studio where we can provide high definition video and broadcast-quality audio.
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