After a massive overtime extension on London’s withdrawal process, the United Kingdom finally blew the whistle on its exit from the European Union on January 31, 2019. Following the U.K.’s withdrawal from the EU on February 1, 2020, however, it’s unlikely that Britain will ever come to see another Beckham grace the Bernabéu — or any other European football team — in quite the same way, carrying implications far beyond the stadium.
All in Brexit
An historically high number of Conservative MPs have put their hats into the ring to succeed May so the party has decided to change its rules for the leadership contest attempting to quicken the process and avoid the impression of a drawn out vanity project at a time of national political crisis. The reality is that the new PM will face the same problems that May did alongside the added anger and distrust that has accumulated over the last two years. There appears to be three options for the new Prime Minister to pursue, however each has its difficulties.
Large bombings, only days apart, in Bogota and Derry/Londonderry have put paid to any notions of a simple peace process in either country. The Irish and Colombian peace processes face increasing uncertainty as the FARC deal remains delicately balanced against social tension and the Good Friday Agreement hangs under threat from the Brexit process. In both Colombia and Northern Ireland this situation incentivizes outbidding and conspicuous displays of force as armed groups jockey for power in anticipation of a breakdown in social order.
Between the acronyms and the shorthand terms used in the Brexit debate, it’s easy to get lost. To help bring a sense of meaning back to some of this language, let’s lay out the main options for Brexit facing the UK government and their advantages and disadvantages.