Explaining Brexit, Post-Brexit Foreign Strategies of the UK and the UK-EU Relations

Abstract

The essay aims to explore why the United Kingdom has left the European Union and then the impact of the Brexit on the UK foreign strategies and the EU-UK relations. After the Brexit, the United Kingdom redefined its position in the world.The United Kingdom's diplomatic strategy and diplomatic focus have also been changed accordingly. "Global Britain" has become an important diplomatic strategy of the United Kingdom, and therefore, the relationship between the UK and the EU is also changing. The essay uses the case study method. Through the case study of the UK, the essay hopes to have broader lessons of what can drive a European Union member-state to leave the European Union and what is likely to be the subsequent consequence on the foreign policies of the state. The result revealed that three reasons drive the UK to leave the EU: the problems of social welfare and employment, the lack of European identity, and the UK party politics. The study found that even if Brexit impacted the United Kingdom and the European Union, the UK and the EU in general still hope to establish a new type of mutually beneficial relationship. The "Global Britain" strategy will be further strengthened in terms of diplomatic strategies, and more attention will be paid to the relationship between the Commonwealth and the UK and the US-UK relations. As a result, the UK and the EU will establish a new type of interdependent relationship. In conclusion, the essay deepens our understanding of the foreign strategy of the UK, the EU-UK relationship, the impact of Brexit. Moreover, the essay can be useful to the UK government to adjust the foreign policies. It can provide advice to international business people and students to invest and study in the UK. Admittedly, the essay is limited because it does not discuss concrete ways of cooperation between the UK and other countries. Further studies can look into the specific cooperation mode between the UK and the EU, the US, the Commonwealth countries and developing countries.