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I obviously have quite a lot going on today, what with @TessaRDavis testing positive - but Brexit has dominated my personal and professional life for quite a while & I'd like to reflect upon that for a moment.
1/19
1/19
I'm an Irish-Australian dual citizen married to a UK-Australian dual citizen. My kids are UK-Irish-Australian citizens (if they ever stand for political office in 'Straya they'll have a lot of citizenship renouncing to do!). 2/
On 23 June 2016 we were living in Sydney. I had been working @GTCentre @UNSWLaw since Feb 2011. But we were moving back to the UK on 28 June 2016.
Brexit was a surprise. Maybe even a shock. But we packed up & I headed to @KCL_Law to take up a post as Reader in Public Law. 3/
Brexit was a surprise. Maybe even a shock. But we packed up & I headed to @KCL_Law to take up a post as Reader in Public Law. 3/
It was actually quite exciting to be coming to the UK. There was a real sense that something big was happening in Public Law. 4/
Previously I wld expend a lot of effort trying to convince students that public law was relevant! Now everyone had an opinion! In the past when I'd tell lawyers I taught public law they wld kind of glaze over. Often they wld say: I hated public law!
Now we were the zeitgeist! 5/
Now we were the zeitgeist! 5/
It was like when Pulp and Jarvis Cocker had stormed the charts in the 90s!
Suddenly the geeks were cool. #lawgeeks ruled! Heady days let me tell you. 6/
Suddenly the geeks were cool. #lawgeeks ruled! Heady days let me tell you. 6/
Around the time of Miller I, I became uneasy that some commentators/academics were making definitive (& ideologically driven) claims about issues I thought were reasonably open to contest.
As an EU national living in the UK I will be personally disadvantaged by Brexit, but...7/
As an EU national living in the UK I will be personally disadvantaged by Brexit, but...7/
But I thought that it was important to acknowledge the strength of argument attached to the referendum. I wrote about that in the King's Law Journal: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09615768.2016.1253211
The opportunity to join @commonslibrary as Brexit Editor arose. @Gill_D1111 & @KCL_Law v kindly facilitated my working for Parliament. @edwardwood99 & @PYoungEvidence made it happen.
And so, from Feb 2019 to Aug 2020 I was Brexit Ed & then Brexit & Covid Ed. 9/
And so, from Feb 2019 to Aug 2020 I was Brexit Ed & then Brexit & Covid Ed. 9/
Those roles may well prove to be the pinnacle of my professional career.
Working in @UKParliament was fabulous. The sense of responsibility to the institution of Parliament is immense. The colleagues are incredibly sharp. 10/
Working in @UKParliament was fabulous. The sense of responsibility to the institution of Parliament is immense. The colleagues are incredibly sharp. 10/
The experience has shifted my thinking on Public Law in all kinds of ways. I have a much deeper appreciation of Procedure. I think I have a more nuanced understanding of Parliament's scrutiny role. I *think* it's made me a better lecturer. 11/
If and when a Deal is done there will be Civil Servants poring over it to understand it's full implications. There will also be Parliamentary staff @commonslibrary, @HLLibResearch, clerks of Committees etc dissecting it with a view to explaining it to Members. 12/
They will produce clear, unbiased, independent analysis for Members to assist in the scrutiny. 13/
During this time I applied for Settled Status. I was granted Semi-Settled Status because I have not been resident in the UK for 5 yrs (2001-2011 but then a gap & 2016 to now).
Semi-Settled status is a v unsettling status. 14/
Semi-Settled status is a v unsettling status. 14/
But I understand that if you leave a bloc w/ freedom of movement there will obviously be impacts. When I lived in Australia I accepted the status of Temp Residence, Permanent Residence and ultimately citizenship. 15/
For EU citizens in UK the discombobulating issue is that we didn't arrive in the UK as temp residents. We arrived with the right to remain. Our status changed. That's hard to process. I get it due to my other experiences but I think it's fair to acknowledge that this is hard.16/
I applied for a role with the Independent Monitoring Auth but wasn't successful. I really hope that the IMA can adequately represent EU citizen rights and concerns. I believe it can. 17/ https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/independent-monitoring-authority-for-the-citizens-rights-agreements
The UK voted for Brexit. It has dominated my personal and professional life for quite a while.
Covid has also dominated my life. Maybe more intensely but for a shorter period. 18/
Covid has also dominated my life. Maybe more intensely but for a shorter period. 18/
Being Covid Editor @commonslibrary was a privilege. Working on the Hybrid Parliament was incredible. Watching @TessaRDavis cope with the pressures Covid placed on the NHS was --- kinda humbling, tbh.
And today Brexit & Covid are colliding in my house. [End]
And today Brexit & Covid are colliding in my house. [End]
