Podcast Series

Books on Brexit

‘Books on Brexit’ is a podcast for anyone interested in the UK and the EU. Our guest authors represent a range of views on how we got here, and future prospects for the UK and UK-EU relations. They include: Michel Barnier, Philip Cunliffe, Stefaan De Rynck, Peter Foster, Brigid Laffan, Mary C. Murphy and Jonathan Evershed, and Robert Tombs.

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**Episode 1: Peter FosterLink opens in a new window, Public Policy Editor of the Financial Times, is author of 'What went wrong with Brexit', published by Canongate Books.**

Offering a clear-eyed discussion of the practical effects of Brexit on UK businesses, this book outlines the steps – political, economic, and diplomatic –the UK could follow if it is to address the problems he has identified.

Episode 2: Stefaan de RynckLink opens in a new window, Head of the EU Representation in Belgium, and former advisor to Michel Barnier, is author of 'Inside the Deal: How the EU got Brexit done', published by Columbia University Press.

Noting the distance between perceptions of the negotiations in the UK and the EU, this book gives an unvarnished account of the EU approach in the face of a constantly changing cast of actors on the UK side.

Episode 3: Philip CunliffeLink opens in a new window, Associate Professor, the Institute of Risk and Disaster Reduction, University College London, is co-author with George Hoare, Lee Jones, and Peter Ramsay of 'Taking Control: Sovereignty and Democracy After Brexit', published by Polity.

"Leaving the EU was a necessary but insufficient step for building democratic sovereignty", this book argues, then sets out its proposals for building a democratic nation.

Episode 4: Michel BarnierLink opens in a new window, French politician, former European Commissioner, and EU chief negotiator, is author of 'My Secret Brexit Diary: A Glorious Illusion', translated by Robin Mackay, and published by Polity.

From Brussels to London, from Dublin to Nicosia, Michel Barnier’s secret diary gives an insider’s account of the hidden world of Brexit and those who made it happen. This episode was recorded in early July 2023.

Episode 5: Robert TombsLink opens in a new window, Emeritus Professor of French History and Fellow of St John’s College, Cambridge, is author of 'This Sovereign Isle: Britain In and Out of Europe', published by Allen Lane.

In this succinct book, Robert Tombs shows that the decision to leave the EU is historically explicable by Britain's very different historical experience, especially in the twentieth century, and because of our more extensive and deeper ties outside Europe. He challenges the orthodox view that Brexit was due solely to British or English exceptionalism: in choosing to leave the EU, the British, he argues, were in many ways voting as typical Europeans.

Episode 6: Mary C. Murphy, Jean Monnet Chair in European Integration, University College Cork and Jonathan Evershed, Newman Fellow, University College DublinLink opens in a new window, are authors of 'A Troubled Constitutional Future: Northern Ireland after Brexit', published by Agenda Publishing.

Mary and Jonathan examine the factors, actors and dynamics that are most likely to be influential, and potentially transformative, in determining Northern Ireland's constitutional future. This book offers an assessment of how Brexit and its fallout may lead to constitutional upheaval, and a cautionary warning about the need to prepare for it.

Episode 7: Brigid LaffanLink opens in a new window, Emeritus Professor and former Director of the Robert Schuman Centre, European University Institute, is co-author with Stefan Telle of 'The EU’s Response to Brexit: United and Effective', published by Palgrave Macmillan.

The first detailed analysis of the EU’s response to the UK referendum result, this book recounts how the EU was able to create and preserve its unity, and protect the polity.

Good Neighbours? The UK and Europe after Brexit

This is a podcast series for anyone interested in the UK’s departure from the EU. In each episode, we ask guest experts to explore how the UK has re-positioned itself in Europe and the world since it left the EU on 31 January 2020.

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Episode 1: The view from BrusselsLink opens in a new window

With guests Stefaan De Rynck, former Senior Advisor to EU Chief Negotiator Michel Barnier on Brexit matters and Dan Ferrie, Press Officer for Brexit between November 2016 and December 2019 in the European Commission.

Episode 2: The Irish borderLink opens in a new window

With guests Katy Hayward, Professor of Political Sociology at Queen’s University Belfast and a Senior Fellow of UK in a Changing Europe and David Phinnemore, Professor of European Politics at Queen’s University Belfast.

Episode 3: The EU-UK trade agreement: how different is it?Link opens in a new window

With Georg Riekeles, Associate Director at the European Policy Centre and former diplomatic adviser to Michel Barnier, and Sieglinde Gstöhl, Professor of International Relations at the College of Europe in Bruges.

Episode 4: The Swiss model and beyondLink opens in a new window

With Stefanie Walter, Professor of International Relations and Political Economy at the University of Zurich, and Christian Frommelt, Director and Head of Research Politics at the Liechtenstein Institut.

Episode 5: Norway, the EU and BrexitLink opens in a new window

With John Erik Fossum, Professor of Political Science at ARENA Centre for European Studies at the University of Oslo, Merethe Dotterud Leiren, Research Director at CICERO (Center for International Climate Research) in Oslo, and Christopher Lord, Professor at ARENA Centre for European Studies at the University of Oslo.

Episode 6: Beyond Europe? The UK’s foreign policy after BrexitLink opens in a new window

With Richard Whitman, Professor of Politics and International Relations at the University of Kent and The Rt Hon. the Baroness Neville-Jones DCMG of the House of Lords.

Episode 7: After Brexit: whatever happened to the Anglosphere?Link opens in a new window

With Michael Kenny, Professor at POLIS at the University of Cambridge; Leslie Vinjamuri, Director of the US and the Americas Programme at Chatham House; and Srdjan Vucetic, Associate Professor at the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, University of Ottawa.

After Brexit: What has changed?

This is a podcast series for anyone interested in the UK’s departure from the EU. In each episode, we ask guest experts to explain the issues, describe what has changed and why, and to discuss the future prospects for UK divergence.

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Episode 1: Environmental Policy, Climate Change, Energy and RenewablesLink opens in a new window

Environment and climate change present a challenge to the UK, not least because much of the UK’s action in these areas was taken while it was a member of the European Union. Moreover, the UK has promised to be green global leader, which is quite an ambition given the high standards of EU regulation. Energy, as a source of global warming, is frequently discussed in association with environment. As well as pollution and renewables, it raises questions of infrastructure, market access, and consumer protection.

Episode 2: The Irish BorderLink opens in a new window

Katy Hayward takes us back to the Good Friday Agreement and what it brought about and why the Irish border become such an issue, the solutions proposed, and the formula finally agreed by the government of Boris Johnson with EU.

Episode 3: FisheriesLink opens in a new window

Christopher Huggins explains why fisheries became so totemic for both the UK and the EU, what has changed since 1 January 2021, and why some UK fishers feel aggrieved by the terms of the deal struck between the UK and the EU.

Episode 4: Data And Digital RegulationLink opens in a new window

Legal expert Karen McCullagh explains how data featured in the EU-UK negotiations, the positions taken by the two sides, and what was ultimately agreed.

Episode 5: Immigration and Asylum PolicyLink opens in a new window

Catherine Barnard explains how freedom of movement works in the EU and looks at what changed after 1 January 2021: who does the UK now let into the country, how does it distinguish between would-be immigrants, and how much does a UK visa cost.

Episode 6: Food Safety & SecurityLink opens in a new window

In this episode, we ask the views of two experts, Tola Amodu and Andrew Fearne. We ask them first of all about how food safety is regulated. They tell us about self-regulation all the way from the farm to the fork.

Episode 7: Financial ServicesLink opens in a new window

Sarah Hall and Scott James map out the financial services sector. They look at how financial services worked when the UK was part of the EU, the UK’s contribution to the EU system, as well as the tensions between the UK and its EU partners on how to approach regulation in the sector.

Episode 8: Transport Policy Link opens in a new window

Transport has been deeply affected by the UK’s departure from the EU and especially the single market. In this episode, we look at what changed in road, sea and air. Although the long queues of lorries at Dover did not materialise, we examine the challenges faced by road hauliers since the beginning of the year and discuss whether the new obstacles they confront are likely to disappear anytime soon. We ask about the impact on UK shipping and assess the effects on UK airlines. We also invite our guests consider the role of the Covid-19 pandemic and its impact on traffic.

Episode 9: Regulatory ArchitectureLink opens in a new window

Michael Harker and Kathryn Wright discuss the traditional model of UK regulation, the challenges it faces, and how it has been affected by Brexit.

Episode 10: TradeLink opens in a new window

David Bailey discusses why trade matters and its importance to the UK. He explains what is distinctive about the EU’s single market, and examines what changed for the UK as a result of its departure from the EU.

Episode 11: Intellectual PropertyLink opens in a new window

Sabine Jacques discusses the various forms of IP. She takes us through patents, trademarks, design and geographical indications, and explains why they matter and to whom.

Negotiating Brexit: views from the Member States

The series ‘Negotiating Brexit: views from the Member States’ looks at how European capitals responded to the UK referendum vote, how European governments approached the negotiations, what accounts for unity on the EU side, and the future of the UK’s bilateral relations.

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Episode 1: How does Germany view Brexit?Link opens in a new window

How does Germany view Brexit? How did Berlin approach the negotiations? What does the post-Brexit future hold for relations between Germany and the UK? Eva G Heidbreder from the Otto-von Guericke University in Magdeburg and Nicolai von Ondarza from the German Institute for International and Security Affairs in Berlin join Cleo Davies and Hussein Kassim to discuss.

Episode 2: How does Spain view Brexit?Link opens in a new window

How does Spain view Brexit? How did Madrid approach the negotiations? What are the prospects for the future relationship between Spain and the UK? Salvador Llaudes from the German Council on Foreign Relations and Ignacio Molina of the Autonomous University of Madrid and The Elcano Institute join Cleo Davies and Hussein Kassim to discuss.

Episode 3: How does France view Brexit?Link opens in a new window

How does France view Brexit? How did Paris approach the negotiations? What are the prospects for relations between France and the UK? Christian Lequesne from Sciences Po Paris and Pauline Schnapper from Sorbonne Nouvelle University in Paris join Cleo Davies and Hussein Kassim to discuss.

Episode 4: How does The Netherlands view Brexit?Link opens in a new window

How does The Netherlands view Brexit? How did The Hague approach the negotiations? How are the bilateral relations between The Netherlands and the UK likely to develop? Catherine de Vries from Bocconi University in Milan and Rem Korteweg from Clingendael, The Netherlands Institute of International Relations, join Cleo Davies and Hussein Kassim to discuss.

Episode 5: How does Poland view Brexit?Link opens in a new window

How does Poland view Brexit? How did Warsaw approach the negotiations? What are the prospects for the future relationship between Poland and the UK? Przemysław Biskup from the Polish Institute of International Affairs in Warsaw and Natasza Styczyńska from the Jagiellonian University in Krakow join Cleo Davies and Hussein Kassim to discuss.

Episode 6: How do Estonia and Lithuania view Brexit?Link opens in a new window

How do Estonia and Lithuania view Brexit? How did Tallinn and Vilnius approach the negotiations? What are the prospects for the future bilateral relations with the UK? Piret Kuusik from the Estonian Foreign Policy Institute/ICDS in Tallinn and Ramūnas Vilpišauskas from Vilnius University join Cleo Davies and Hussein Kassim to discuss.

Episode 7: How does Denmark view Brexit? Link opens in a new window

How does Denmark view Brexit? How did Copenhagen approach the negotiations? What are the prospects for the future relationship between Denmark and the UK? Rebecca Adler-Nissen, from the University of Copenhagen and Sara Hagemann from the London School of Economics join Cleo Davies and Hussein Kassim to discuss.

Episode 8: How did Ireland view the UK referendum result and Brexit?Link opens in a new window

Ireland has a very close and particular relationship to the UK. How did Ireland view the UK referendum result and Brexit? How did Dublin approach the negotiations? How are relations between Ireland and the UK likely to develop? Brigid Laffan from the European University Institute in Florence and Mary C. Murphy from the University College Cork join Cleo Davies and Hussein Kassim to discuss.