This year has been divided into two very distinct eras: BB and AB. Before Brexit and after Brexit. The former is a hazy, halcyon time and the latter has been a whirlwind in which time has oddly simultaneously stood still and sped up.
We were told that England’s decision to leave the European Union via a giant public opinion poll (aka referendum) was a historic moment which would change our country’s destiny. It was all grand narratives and epic predictions. Change did follow, but it was hardly the stuff of blockbusters: the Prime Minister resigned and was replaced with another one, cabinets were reshuffled and the sort of vile racism and xenophobia which normally occurs behind closed doors went public in the ugliest of ways.
At present, as a nation, we hang in a strange limbo. Neither in the European Union nor out of it, we’re kept hanging while politicians try to figure out what happens next. Almost daily there are news reports about the progress of Brexit but it’s hard to keep track of what’s what, that is, of course, if you can still face clicking on any article relating to the subject.
So, what’s actually going on with Brexit right now? Will Brexit happen? Can Brexit be stopped? What does Brexit mean? Here’s a roundup of the latest developments:
Visas to visit Europe?
Before the referendum there was much speculation about this. Those who campaigned for Britain to remain in the EU said yes, those trying to convince us to Vote Leave said no.
This week the Justice Minister, Dominic Raab, confirmed that Britons could indeed need a visa ‘or some other kind of check’ to travel to continental Europeonce Brexit has occurred. However, as ever, nothing is confirmed because Brexit hasn’t actually happened yet and negotiations are ongoing.
Could Brexit be stopped?
David Davis, the Brexit Secretary, admitted to the Foreign Affairs Select Committee that Parliament could, in theory, block Brexit. This would happen if members of the House of Lords voted against the new legislation which will be needed to extract Britain from the European Union. The House of Lords committee is also demanding that MPs and peers should be given the opportunity to approve the use of Article 50. However, Theresa May has remained clear that ‘Brexit means Brexit’ and she’s expected to ignore the Lords if this does happen.
What’s happening with immigration?
In short, nothing yet. UKIP aren’t happy about this: they don’t feel like our Brexit Government is Brexity enough. Theresa May says that restricting immigration will be at the top of the agenda in negotiations with the EU, however what any policies will actually look like is still the subject of much debate and as things stand we still don’t have any answers.
Will Brexit happen?
It’s likely that you’ve occasionally stumbled across a grabby headline that reads something like ‘Here’s Why Brexit Will Never Happen’at least once in the last couple of months. Most of them argue that leaving the European Union is so complicated that it won’t actually ever happenwith estimates as to how long to process could take ranging from 10 to 20 years.
While it’s true that Theresa May hasn’t yet triggered Article 50 and begun the official process of exiting the EU, Brexit is very much happening. There have been no signals from the Government that they have any intention of doing anything other than getting Britain out of the EU.
Finally, what does Brexit actually mean?
It means that Britain is leaving the European Union because that’s what 52% of the people who turned out to vote in June’s referendum decided. When we leave and how we leave has yet to be revealed. For now, Britain has decided to leave the EU but hasn’t actually pushed the eject button, we are like an ex crashing on Europe’s sofa long after dramatically announcing that we wanted to break up.
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This article originally appeared on The Debrief.