A short history of Brexit - Kevin H O'Rourke

A succinct, expert guide to how we got to Brexit

After all the debates, manoeuvrings, recriminations and exaltations,
Brexit is upon us. But, as Kevin O'Rourke writes, Brexit did not emerge
out of nowhere: it is the culmination of events
that have been under
way for decades and have historical roots stretching back well beyond
that. Brexit has a history.

O'Rourke, one of the leading economic
historians of his generation, explains not only how British attitudes
to Europe have evolved, but also how the EU's history explains why it
operates as it does today - and how that history has shaped the ways in
which it has responded to Brexit. Why are the economics, the politics
and the history so tightly woven together? Crucially, he also explains
why the question of the Irish border is not just one of customs and
trade, but for the EU goes to the heart of what it is about.
The way in
which British, Irish and European histories continue to interact with
each other will shape the future of Brexit - and of the continent.

Calm and lucid, A Short History of Brexit
rises above the usual fray of discussions to provide fresh perspectives
and understanding of the most momentous political and economic change
in Britain and the EU for decades.