Post-Brexit trade policy in the UK: placebo policy-making?

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Abstract

Trade policy and negotiations have lain at the heart of the Brexit process. Initial UK trade policy has been characterised by: (1) the need to limit the impact of changes in trading relations (mainly with the EU) to minimise challenges for businesses and the possibility of economic losses; (2) a strong ideological commitment to free trade, and related to that; (3) symbolic and ‘placebo’ actions designed to show that the UK can enact an independent trade policy. Negotiation of free trade agreements (FTAs), thus, became a priority of trade policy. This article explores how approaches to FTAs have evolved, focusing specifically on post-Brexit FTAs with Australasia. Overall, the desire to complete speedy agreements has at times trumped business and societal interests, and precluded the development of a coherent long-term UK FTA vision, revealing the symbolic motivation of being seen as ‘delivering Brexit’ behind the initial years of post-Brexit trade policy.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2492-2518
Number of pages27
JournalJournal of European Public Policy
Volume30
Issue number11
Early online date26 Jul 2023
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 31 Dec 2023

Funding

I am very grateful to the anonymous reviewers and editors for their constructive criticism and very helpful comments. Special thanks to Jeremy Richardson for his valuable suggestions and feedback on earlier versions.

Keywords

  • Brexit
  • FTA
  • policy-making
  • post-Brexit
  • symbolism
  • trade policy

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Sociology and Political Science
  • Public Administration
  • Political Science and International Relations

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