Brexit refers to the departure of the United Kingdom from the European Union. The EU is an economic and political union of 28 European countries established after World War II. A referendum was held in 2016 on whether the UK should remain in or leave the EU, with 51.9% voting to leave. Supporters of leaving argued it would restore UK sovereignty and control over immigration, while supporters of remaining argued it would cause economic uncertainty and job losses as companies relocated. After failed attempts to negotiate a withdrawal deal, Prime Minister Theresa May resigned and was replaced by Boris Johnson, who also failed to finalize a deal by the Brexit deadline of October 31, 2019.

1. Brexit

2. What is Brexit?

3. What is Brexit?
Brexit is the
departure of the
United Kingdom
from the European
Union

4. What is the
European
Union?

5. The European Union is an
international political and
economic union of 28 European
countries.
● First implemented after World War II
● 1949 - Council of Europe founded
● 1 January 1973 - Denmark, Ireland and
the UK join, raising the number of
EU/EEC member states to nine.
● 1986 - Spain joins the EU/EEC
● Formally created by the Maastricht
Treaty on the 1st November 1993

6. What does the European Union do?
● In theory...
● Peace and security
● Single Market
● High food and environmental standards
● Consumer benefits
● Human rights
● Global power

7. Why was there a referendum?
In 2015, the Conservative Party won the general election - one of the party’s main
pledges was to have an in/out referendum on the EU before 2017.
The EU has been a controversial topic for a long time in the UK - a referendum
about remaining in the EU was held in 1975 and only 62.7% voted in favour of
staying.

8. Why leave the EU?

9. Sovereignty
● Belief that UK decisions should be made in the UK
● EU membership (in theory) takes decision-making further away from the
people
● People also see the EU as undemocratic

10. Immigration
● So the UK can regain control over its borders
● To curb immigration
● To not prioritise EU migrants and make it easier for skilled people from other
countries to come to the UK

11. Economic Opportunity
Free market and free trade - no longer forced to
have the same tariffs
More money to spend on services in the UK if
we don´t spend billions on membership fees

12. To protest against the establishment
Resentment
The ´left behind´
Many people feel that they don´t get anything out of being
members of the EU, and by voting to leave they felt that their
voices were being heard over the elite.

13. Why remain in the EU?

14. Leaving means significant economic upheaval
The EU will make it difficult to leave
We don´t know what will happen - uncertainty damages the economy
Leaving could mean no access to the ´single market´. Over half of our exports go
to countries in the EU. Many companies with UK headquarters have moved their
headquarters elsewhere

15. Job insecurity
Many jobs are being lost as companies move to outside the UK.
Increased skills shortages

16. Less funding
EU funding for medical and scientific research would be lost

17. Less influence and potential loss of rights
Will have less of a say on issues that affect Europe
EU regulations are there to protect workers rights as well as our environment - not
following them can make all of our lives worse.

18. Brexiteers

19. Remainers

20. The result

21. The Prime Minister resigned

22. Theresa May tries to come to a deal
After the third deal is unsuccessful, she resigns and is replaced by Boris Johnson

23. Boris Johnson said that Britain would leave the EU
BY 31st October 2019...
This was unsuccessful and he has now called for a general election, which will
take place on 12th December