Blogs about EU issues from before 23 June 2016 can be found here.

The EU and the UK after Brexit

Every man for himself?
The EU was partly built to check its members’ worst instincts in dealing with each other. But that only holds within its ranks (28 January 2021)

State aid and the union state
Defending the Union is not the same as owning the Nats. Tory disdain for devolution post-Brexit endangers it even further (18 July 2020)

Acceptance
I thought I might be less grief-stricken than most Remainers. But it turns out that even if it’s the hope that kills you, a lack of hope isn’t much of an antidote (31 January 2020)

Fellow Remainers, wise up
We’ve had three and a half years to make our peace with Brexit. Let’s make better use of the next three and a half (24 January 2020)

Withdrawal Agreements: May’s and Johnson’s

Not all Brexit Deals are alike
On balance, I supported Theresa May’s Deal. I can’t support Boris Johnson’s (19 October 2019)

Uncompromising compromisers
The self-inflicted fate of Labour’s referendum sceptics (4 June 2019)

Blame games
MPs should spend more time proving Theresa May wrong and less time moaning about her domestic diplomacy (24 March 2019)

The Brexit Deal: avoiding the worst comes first
MPs should choose the dispiriting, but safer, course (10 December 2018)

Brexit and Northern Ireland

Special cases
Northern Ireland is a post-conflict region with a unique border challenge. Don’t use it as a grievance or a rhetorical trick (14 October 2019)

Brexit and a balanced backstop
The backstop is supposed to be a last-ditch solution. We’re seeking tolerable imperfection. This idea might fit the bill (6 September 2018)

Consent and conciliation
Brexit and the Border (4 March 2018)

Brexit and Scotland

Hard choices
The SNP should debate whether a separate Scotland should join the EU post-Brexit. But all their options are bad (10 February 2020)

1707 and 1973
Scotland, the UK and Brexit (9 January 2017)

Seeking a soft Brexit

A Brexit speech for a Labour leader
‘By the strength of our common endeavour we achieve more than we achieve alone’. But working together requires finding common ground (22 February 2017)

On Article 50
There comes a point where Labour MPs must consider the policy consequences of their votes, however electorally inconvenient that may be (27 January 2017)

Saving the single market
The referendum result mandates some form of Brexit. But all of us, not just some of the 52%, should have a say as we decide what form we choose (23 September 2016)

Brexit as if the 48% mattered
We’re neither fighting hard enough nor focusing our efforts. That has to change. If it doesn’t, leaving the EU will be wholly defined by our opponents (20 August 2016)

Brexit: breaking the fall
To contain the fallout, we will need to ditch sentiment quickly. We will need to prioritise and choose which Leave promises we will break (30 June 2016)

Brexit from an EU perspective

Denial versus dread
How the Brexiters misread their neighbours (17 November 2016)

Europe after Brexit: what now?
Brexit is disastrous for the UK, but also a crisis for the EU (19 September 2016)

Specific issues

Legitimacy’s limits
Parliament has the right to cancel Brexit without a referendum. That doesn’t make it wise (16 September 2019; cross-posted at Harry’s Place)

Sentiments and statistics
Why CANZUK won’t fly (8 April 2017)