Democracy Endangered: The Case of the United Kingdom
On January 31, 2020, the United Kingdom withdrew from the European Union. Nearly three-and-a-half-years later, many feel that “Brexit” has not worked out as its proponents had hoped. Amid arising political polarization, educators and unionists are on strike, the National Health Service remains in disarray, and a cost-of-living crisis plagues the country. Following the resignation of both the scandal-ridden Boris Johnson, who had made Brexit a central part of his program, and Liz Truss, whose brief term was beset with accusations of gross economic mismanagement, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has been attempting to quell the chaos left by his Conservative Party predecessors, with some hoping he will bring an era of integrity and accountability to British politics while others predict the party’s disintegration. Meanwhile, Tory lawmakers have approved legislation restricting public protests and expanding the search and seizure powers of police. Is the young leader doing enough to get democracy back on track? Or has general discontent made a victory by the Labour Party, led by Keir Starmer, more likely in the 2024 national election?
Join us Monday, June 5, 2023, at 11:00 am EDT / 4:00 pm BST, for another installment of Free Speech at the Crossroads: International Dialogues.
This event is co-sponsored by the Free Speech Project (Georgetown University) and the Future of the Humanities Project (Georgetown University and Blackfriars Hall and Campion Hall, Oxford).
John Battle, former Labour Party member of the British Parliament and Minister of State for Foreign Affairs.
Laura Beers, professor of history, American University, Washington, DC
Max Colchester, U.K. correspondent, The Wall Street Journal
Baroness Jenny Randerson, Liberal Democratic Party member, British House of Lords.
Michael Scott (moderator), senior dean, Blackfriars Hall, Oxford.
Sanford J. Ungar (moderator), director, Free Speech Project, Georgetown University.