Academics from the Centre for European Studies (CEFEUS) at Canterbury Christ Church University have recently made several media appearances to discuss the fallout from last Thursday’s referendum on Britain’s membership of the European Union. Dr Benjamin Martill, CEFEUS Deputy Director, appeared on Lembit Opik’s BBC Radio Kent programme the day the result was announced, alongside personal finance advisor David Braithwaite and political blogger Mark Thompson. The panel discussed the impact of David Cameron’s resignation on the Conservative party and the potential leadership candidates, as well as the likely effect of the ‘leave’ decision on the markets and the regulatory environment. Dr Martill spoke on the generational divide between ‘leave’ and ‘remain’ supporters, but also emphasised the role of other factors in deciding individuals’ positions, including political ideology, social class, and regional identity.

The Director of CEFEUS, Dr Amelia Hadfield, meanwhile, relayed developments in the UK to Canadian audiences, reporting on the latest developments for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation throughout the day, with her analysis broadcast to a number of different Provinces. Dr Hadfield subsequently appeared on Lembit’s show on the following Sunday (26^th June) to address the political changes which had taken place over the weekend and to take stock of the short-term effects of the vote. Dr Hadfield discussed the distancing of prominent ‘leave’ proponents – including Boris Johnson and Nigel Farage – from claims made during the campaign, arguing many of the promises amounted to ‘electioneering’. Participants also discussed opposition from within the Labour party to Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership, with Dr Hadfield claiming he failed to campaign ardently enough, joined the conversation too late in the day, and offered only ‘mixed messages’ at best.

The programmes are available to listen to at the link below. Dr Martill’s contribution begins at 2:00:00 while Dr Hadfield’s contributions start from the beginning.

Benjamin Martill, BBC Radio Kent: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p03xg02s#play

Amelia Hadfield, CBC: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/programs/bcalmanac/june-24-2016-brexit-win-family-adventures-1.3651903

Amelia Hadfield, BBC Radio Kent: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p03yd9xk