UK Policy after Brexit and COVID Flashcards
(20 cards)
What do Brexit and COVID have in common as crises?
Both are overlapping, system-shaking crises prompting centralised UK government control
How did devolved governments respond to centralised control and what institutional change occurred during Brexit and COVID?
Thye pushed different strategies -> highlighting identity-based tensions
The civil service also expanded significantly
What was the relationship between Westminster and regional leaders like during these crises?
Friction increased (particularly with Metro Mayors like Andy Burnham)
What characterised the UK’s Brexit planning and what constitutional issues did it raise?
Was no clear implementation plan -> led to uncertainty and economic shocks + was a possibility of a second Scottish referendum and an Irish border poll
What was significant about May’s Brexit deal in Parliament?
Was rejected three times (with the largest Commons defeat ever)
What actions did Boris Johnson take on Brexit?
He replaced May, sidelined Parliament, scrapped NI backstop, and finalised Brexit via a 2019 election
What did the Withdrawal Agreement cover and what was the purposed of the political declaration alongside the Withdrawal Agreement?
Covered financial settlements, citizens’ rights, and the NI protocol
The political declaration was used to outline future UK-EU relationship talks
What were the key features of the 2020 Trade and Cooperation Agreement?
UK left Single Market & Customs Union
Ended free movement
Minimal European Court of Justice role -> seen as a ‘hard’ Brexit
How much was spent on no-deal Brexit preparations and what scandal arose from Brexit planning contracts?
Over £4.4bn on logistics, staff, and communication -> scandals involving failed ferry deals (like Seaborne Freight) cost tens of millions
What insifituinal changes followed Brexit and what European institutions did the UK remain part of?
UK lost MEPs, EU representation, and voting power
Remained in the Council of Europe and the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR)
What sovereignty questions did Brexit raise?
Whether powers returned from the EU were devolved or centralised
How did Brexit threaten the Good Friday Agreement?
Through border complexities between NI and the Republic of Ireland
What political fallout occurred in NI over the protocol and what did the Windsor Framework (2023) do?
DUP boycotted Stormont drom 2022-2024
Windsor Framework introduced a “green lane”, more NI autonomy, and the “Stormont Break” to ease tensions
How did the UK initially respond to COVID in March 2020?
Had a coordinated UK-wide lockdown
How did devolved COVID response evolve over time and how did it effect devolved leaders?
Devolved governments diverged with different restrictions and apps
The leaders visibility increased, but policy outcomes were mixed
What was a key criticism of Westminster’s COVID response?
Over-centralisation that ignored local capabilities
What broader debates were intensified by Brexit and COVID?
Questions around devolution, authority, and accountability
How did Brexit affect right-wing politics?
Splintered parties -> i.e. UKIP, Brexit Party, Reform UK
What societal issues did COVID responses highlight?
Increased public distrust and belief in conspiracies
What phrase describes the UK’s post-crisis state?
A “post-crisis landscape where nothing work”
