Should the United Kingdom remain a member of the European Union or leave the European Union?

On 23 June 2016 Britons went to the polls to cast their opinion on the following referendum question:

“Should the United Kingdom remain a member of the European Union or leave the European Union?”

Voters could choose from the following responses:

“Remain a member of the European Union” “Leave the European Union”

What has unfolded since that 2016 vote has been unexpected and chaotic. Britain has gone through years of debate and votes, two prime ministers, and much political drama. Most recently, the path to Brexit grew murky as Parliament was prorogued and the Prime Minister lost control over the government. As of now, Britain is slated to leave the European Union on 31 October, deal or no deal. The consequences of this could be great: no trade deals in place, hard borders between Ireland and Northern Ireland, skyrocketing costs for Britons, and limited supply to necessities.

The assignment you are to complete is to produce a 5-6 page analysis of the Brexit situation. This analysis must include:

1. A brief introduction to the history of Britain’s place in the European Union, including an introduction to the history of the European Union itself.

2. A brief account of the Brexit narrative so far, identifying the various positions political parties and Britons have taken on Brexit, the arguments for Brexit, the arguments against Brexit, and how developments have unfolded since David Cameron called for the referendum.

3. Potential paths forward for Britons and their government, i.e., what could happen between now and 31 October, and if Brexit extends beyond, what are the options Britain has for implementing Brexit.

4. An endorsement of one of those potential paths and an explanation of why you think it is the best path forward for Britain.

The assignment must be well-researched and carefully written. Students may not reference Wikipedia, but instead must use reputable sources, including credible media resources, government websites, and at least one scholarly source. Type your assignments and please double-space them. Review the course policy on plagiarism before you begin your work. Cite your sources as you write.