UK Euroscepticism and the Brexit Referendum

This article shows that key to understanding the referendum outcome are factors such as a profoundly eurosceptic public, high levels of citizen uncertainty, divided mainstream political parties on the EU and lack of unity within the ‘Leave’ campaign. The Brexit referendum is more than just about dom...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inThe Political quarterly (London. 1930) Vol. 87; no. 2; pp. 219 - 227
Main Author Vasilopoulou, Sofia
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published London Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.04.2016
Subjects
Accession
Approval
Brexit referendum
Britain
Citizens
Cost-benefit analysis
EU freedom of movement
European Union
Euroscepticism
Freedom
Freedom of movement
Membership
Political campaigns
Political parties
Referendum
Referendums
Voters
Voting
voting behaviour
United Kingdom > UK
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Summary:This article shows that key to understanding the referendum outcome are factors such as a profoundly eurosceptic public, high levels of citizen uncertainty, divided mainstream political parties on the EU and lack of unity within the ‘Leave’ campaign. The Brexit referendum is more than just about domestic issues and government approval. Utilitarian concerns related to economic evaluations of EU integration coupled with support of or opposition to EU freedom of movement are very likely to influence vote choice. Those campaigns that focus on rational utilitarian arguments about the costs and benefits related to EU membership as a whole but also to EU freedom of movement are expected to swing voters.
Bibliography:ArticleID:POQU12258
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ISSN:0032-3179
1467-923X
DOI:10.1111/1467-923X.12258