Bristol University Press
14 Brexit, Devolution and Northern Ireland’s Political Parties: Differential Solutions, Special Status or Special Arrangements?
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Abstract
Uniquely, Northern Ireland is distinctive within the UK in having power sharing arrangements between the parties. The parties within this system must confront the particular problems posed by Brexit: that Northern Ireland would be the only part of the UK with a land border with the EU, and that there are serious implications for cross border travel and trade, the large 'agri-food' industry and existing EU support for socio-economic improvement and the peace process. Underpinning the difficulties are fundamental policy cleavages between the two largest parties constituting the Northern Ireland Executive: the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), which is in favour of leave, and Sinn Fein, which is in favour of remain. This chapter explains the implications for the Brexit negotiations, and examines the consequences of this deep division in the lack of a consensus in Northern Ireland on Brexit issues, total lack of agreement on government departments or Assembly committees publishing reports and little response to the fears of civic society about the consequences of Brexit.
Abstract
Uniquely, Northern Ireland is distinctive within the UK in having power sharing arrangements between the parties. The parties within this system must confront the particular problems posed by Brexit: that Northern Ireland would be the only part of the UK with a land border with the EU, and that there are serious implications for cross border travel and trade, the large 'agri-food' industry and existing EU support for socio-economic improvement and the peace process. Underpinning the difficulties are fundamental policy cleavages between the two largest parties constituting the Northern Ireland Executive: the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), which is in favour of leave, and Sinn Fein, which is in favour of remain. This chapter explains the implications for the Brexit negotiations, and examines the consequences of this deep division in the lack of a consensus in Northern Ireland on Brexit issues, total lack of agreement on government departments or Assembly committees publishing reports and little response to the fears of civic society about the consequences of Brexit.
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents iii
- List of Tables v
- Notes on Contributors vi
- Acknowledgements ix
- Introduction 1
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The Politics and Culture of Austerity: Impacts and Resistance
- The Contracting State: Austerity and Public Services 19
- Breaking Britain’s Working Class: the Left Out 33
- Political Activism and Agency under Austerity and Brexit 45
- Culture Matters: Cuts and Resistance 59
- Agents and Agency in the Face of Austerity and Brexit Uncertainty: the Case of Legal Aid 73
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The Politics and Discourse of Brexit
- The Economy of Brexit: Performance, Interests and Agency 89
- Brexit Populism: Disenfranchisement and Agency 103
- A Sovereign People? Political Fantasy and Governmental Time in the Pursuit of Brexit 117
- ‘Not an International Health Service’: Xenophobia, Brexit and the Restoration of National Sovereignty 131
- ‘Uni-Culti’ Myths and Liberal Dreams: Brexit and Austerity from the Perspective of Migrants 145
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Austerity and Brexit in a Divided Union
- From Brexit to the Break-Up of ... England? Thinking in and Beyond the Nation 161
- Understanding Brexit in Wales: Austerity, Elites and National Identity 175
- Scotland, Brexit and the Broken Promise of Democracy 189
- Brexit, Devolution and Northern Ireland’s Political Parties: Differential Solutions, Special Status or Special Arrangements? 203
- More Than the Border? Looking at Brexit through Irish Eyes 219
- Conclusion 233
- Index 247
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents iii
- List of Tables v
- Notes on Contributors vi
- Acknowledgements ix
- Introduction 1
-
The Politics and Culture of Austerity: Impacts and Resistance
- The Contracting State: Austerity and Public Services 19
- Breaking Britain’s Working Class: the Left Out 33
- Political Activism and Agency under Austerity and Brexit 45
- Culture Matters: Cuts and Resistance 59
- Agents and Agency in the Face of Austerity and Brexit Uncertainty: the Case of Legal Aid 73
-
The Politics and Discourse of Brexit
- The Economy of Brexit: Performance, Interests and Agency 89
- Brexit Populism: Disenfranchisement and Agency 103
- A Sovereign People? Political Fantasy and Governmental Time in the Pursuit of Brexit 117
- ‘Not an International Health Service’: Xenophobia, Brexit and the Restoration of National Sovereignty 131
- ‘Uni-Culti’ Myths and Liberal Dreams: Brexit and Austerity from the Perspective of Migrants 145
-
Austerity and Brexit in a Divided Union
- From Brexit to the Break-Up of ... England? Thinking in and Beyond the Nation 161
- Understanding Brexit in Wales: Austerity, Elites and National Identity 175
- Scotland, Brexit and the Broken Promise of Democracy 189
- Brexit, Devolution and Northern Ireland’s Political Parties: Differential Solutions, Special Status or Special Arrangements? 203
- More Than the Border? Looking at Brexit through Irish Eyes 219
- Conclusion 233
- Index 247
