The Parliamentary Battle Over Brexit provides answers to those
who want to understand the bitter arguments that occurred over Brexit,
what might have been handled better, and the role that parliament
played.
Since the 2016 referendum, the hotly contested issue of Brexit has
raised fundamental questions about the workings of British democracy.
Nowhere was this more true than regarding the role of parliament. This
book addresses important questions about parliament's role in the UK
constitution, and the impact on this of the Brexit process. While
initially intended to re-establish 'parliamentary sovereignty', Brexit
wrought significant damage on the reputation of parliament, and the
wider culture of UK democracy.
Charting the full story of the parliamentary battle over Brexit, Meg
Russell and Lisa James show that it wasn't always what it seemed. Based
on careful documentary research and extensive interviews with key
protagonists, the book explores multiple nail-biting moments, procedural
innovations, and political 'what if's'. Drawing on insider accounts,
alongside media and parliamentary debates, the book puts the events of
Brexit into context and provides a clear and reliable document of record
on a complex and disputed story. Ultimately, it argues that Brexit was
largely a battle inside the Conservative Party, for which parliament got
the blame.
Insightful and comprehensive, the book is necessary reading to those
with broader interests in British Politics, the culture of UK democracy,
and the challenges of populism and democratic 'backsliding'.
