It is both reasonable and understandable that many of us are exhausted with the seemingly perpetual Brexit narrative that has cast an omnipresent shadow over political rhetoric since the referendum. Britain’s vote to exit the European Union has sparked some of the most fundamental, existential questions concerning identity politics in the UK, cultural attachments and global hegemonic futures. Parting from the EU means a complete refurbishment and renegotiation of Britain’s position on the world stage, probing us to reify our supranational relationships with the world’s superpowers. Inevitably, leaving the EU carries much fear and anxiety at the level of the individual agent and the collective group, stirring up a great sense of angst regarding to what extent our place in the world will change as a corollary. Nonetheless, as worrying a future as it may appear, it is essential we remind ourselves that exiting the EU does not mean leaving Europe.
The treaties that shaped and defined the EU project created a federal structure that sought to bind member states under a common framework of shared socioeconomic and political interests. What began as a project seeking to ameliorate the condition of Europe, with regards to the cultural, economic and political wellbeing of nation states, gradually morphed into a system engendering grave Euroscepticism from numerous countries, significant of course amongst the British administration and electorate. One need only look back at Boris Johnson’s crucial dissection of the EU during his role as Brussels correspondent to The Times; this very much epitomised the general sentiment towards the EU that was bubbling to the political surface in Britain. It marked a general attitude of pessimism and wariness at the growing power of an apparently undemocratic European Union over its increasingly dominated member states.
A direct effect of EU disillusion and disenchantment was the increasing tension and debate amongst the Tory cabinet with regards to Britain’s position as an EU member state. Despite never having entered the Euro as a currency, the protection and reinforcement of monetary and judicial sovereignty has still been a major concern in the minds of many a sceptic. Here in 2017, we have now reached the political juncture where deep Euroscepticism has manifested itself in one of the most crucial political strides Britain has ever taken. What is on the horizon – despite vague, unconvincing attempts from a Conservative government to delineate an exit strategy – is in no way clear to anybody. The upshot of this is widespread anxiety for both people and institutions.
Amongst all this political turmoil and upheaval, we nevertheless continue to remain a nation state that is part of Europe; much of our cultural, social, political and economic history has been deeply European. Britain has played a key role in a Europe that has sought to champion peace, stability, growth and cooperation. The European Union is only one aspect of the geographical and political entity that is Europe; as obvious as it may sound, we must distinguish what is a federal bloc from what is a continent full of diverse sociocultural heritage. We can, and most likely will, continue to play a major role in Europe, shaping our collective identity along European lines. The vote put to the British public in June 2016 was not a referendum on whether we should remain European.
As the somewhat exhausting, somewhat addictive Brexit narrative continues to meander through political rhetoric, let us keep a close grip on our identity as a proud part of Europe, and as a nation with great history and culture rooted in this wonderful continent.