The Impact of Brexit

'ETV that Brexit has significantly enhanced parliamentary sovereignty'

1) Domestic Policy

2) Retained Laws

3) Trans-National Issues

Why did the UK not have a veto as part of the EU?

Due to qualified majority voting-- UK disempowered in policies passed by EU

What was the impact of the 1992 Maastricht Treaty on parliamentary sovereignty?

It moved 30 areas such as consumer protection under qualified majority voting (UK can not veto)

Which case settled that EU law had precedence over UK law?

1991 Factortame Case

What did the 1985 Schengen Agreement and 1992 Maastrich Treaty mark for the nature of the EU?

That it was moving towards federalism, becoming one state

What was the Schengen Agreement?

Removed border controls to enhance free movement of people-- conflicted with UK aims to reduce immigration

Which EU compact did the UK refuse to join in 2012?

2012 Fiscal Compact Treaty, would have advanced economic/monetary union

How was the PM previously empowered by EU membership?

PM had an enhanced profile due to being in the Council of the European Union and only ministers had access to this-- no longer the case, (parl sovereignty?) + ministers would attend meetings of the European Council

How did Johnson justify declining to attend two liaison committee meetings?

Saying he was busy due to Brexit

What did Speaker Bercow increasingly do as a consequence of Brexit?

Empowered backbenchers by increasingly allowing urgent questions and debates

What undemocratic aspect was there of EU membership?

The European Commission was unelected-- undemocratic

Why was the EU cumbersome in terms of trade deals?

The UK could only make trade deals through the EU, which is difficult when there are 28 member states

Example of a workplace regulation that the UK government intends to scrap after leaving the EU?

Working Time Directive-- limits working week to 48 hours

What did the 2023 Retained EU Law Act do and how did this impact sovereignty?

2023 Retained EU Law Act-- removed 587 EU laws entirely and affirmed that parliament's laws have supremacy over any remaining EU laws --enhanced sovereignty

How did Truss initially intend to address retained EU laws?

She wanted to sunset ALL EU laws while choosing exceptions-- the inverse actually happened which left more EU law in place than Truss wanted

How did the 2020 Agriculture Act mark reaffirmation of parliamentary sovereignty?

An example of parliament passing new laws to replace old EU ones-- replaced the EU's Common Agricultural Policy

Why did the UK previously not have a veto in the EU?

Qualified Majority Voting

Which things did the UK opt out of while in the EU?

The UK never adopted the Euro and was not part of the Schengen Zone

UK trade agreements after Brexit:

Free trade agreement with Australia + the 2021 EU-UK trade agreement means the UK still has a trade relationship with the EU

Example of the UK clamping down on immigration once out of the EU?

Sunak Rwanda deportation plans + plans to stop the small boats now that the UK can independently set its own immigration policy

Example of the UK making laws on transnational issues now out of the EU?

2020 Fisheries Act --UK taking back control over its waters and transnational fishing policies

How is NI still impact by EU trade laws?

The Northern Ireland Protocol means EU trade laws still apply to NI-- NI still effectively remains in EU single market