‘Defend and extend’: British business strategy, EU employment policy and the emerging politics of Brexit

Lavery, S. (2017) ‘Defend and extend’: British business strategy, EU employment policy and the emerging politics of Brexit. British Journal of Politics and International Relations, 19(4), pp. 696-714. (doi: 10.1177/1369148117722713)

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Abstract

As the British government embarks upon the process of exiting the European Union (EU), it will have to navigate the preferences of powerful business interest groups. However, the British politics and political economy literatures have tended to neglect the question of business agency in general and its relation to EU integration in particular. This article analyses British business strategy in relation to EU employment policy between 2010 and 2016. Through a document analysis of business responses to the Balance of Competences Review on EU Employment Policy and Confederation of British Industry (CBI) policy documents, the article argues that British business has attempted to ‘defend and extend’ a liberalising agenda within the EU in the recent past. Brexit fundamentally undermines this strategic orientation. The article accordingly outlines some of the key strategic dilemmas which the ‘Leave’ vote generates for British capital within the emerging politics of Brexit.

Item Type:Articles
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Lavery, Dr Scott
Authors: Lavery, S.
College/School:College of Social Sciences > School of Social and Political Sciences > Economic and Social History
Journal Name:British Journal of Politics and International Relations
Publisher:SAGE Publications
ISSN:1369-1481
ISSN (Online):1467-856X
Published Online:02 August 2017

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