On 7 November 2016, RGSL Pro-Rector and incoming Rector, Professor Mel Kenny, held his inaugural lecture: “Brexit: a million mad questions”. During the lecture he analysed both the context of the UK’s ‘Brexit’ referendum, held on 23 June 2016, and the implications of the referendum result; the UK’s decision to leave or ‘Brexit’ from the European Union.
Mel Kenny focused on some of the constitutional questions raised after the referendum: for instance, should the Government be able to trigger Article 50 TEU under its prerogative powers, or is the High Court right, to insist on a debate in Parliament (R Miller v Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union (2016) EWHC 2768, judgment of 3 November 2016). Similarly, is a second referendum required or can Parliament bypass Article 50 TEU altogether? More practically, what of the status of EU and UK nationals affected by ‘Brexit’? Professor Kenny went on to discuss the UK’s possible status outside the EU, for instance, the suitability(?) of the Norwegian ‘association’ model and Swiss ‘bilateral’ model.
Finally, Professor Kenny considered the possible beneficial effects for both the EU and the UK of ‘Brexit’; the opportunity for renewal, a shift of focus to more pressing problems and for making the EU legislative procedure more manageable.
Tim Colley, Chargé d’Affaires at the British Embassy in Riga, shared his opinion and observations on why Brexit took place and afterwards commented on the issues raised.
As this topic is important for the whole of Europe, many visitors and experts joined in the discussion afterwards asking ‘a million mad questions’.
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Raksts "Brexit: miljons dažādu jautājumu?" (publicēts žurnālā "Jurista vārds")