Valdai Club

On October 31st, at 11:00 AM, the Valdai Discussion Club will host an expert discussion, titled “The Eternal Brexit: Prospects and Consequences of Britain's Exit from the European Union”.

In the United Kingdom, the domestic political problems associated with the upcoming exit from the EU are unstoppable. In July, Boris Johnson became Prime Minister. He immediately adopted a tough stance toward Brexit. Johnson called Brexit one of his main tasks, insisting on October 31^st at the date when the UK would leave the EU. However, the parliamentary opposition, as well as the split within the Conservative Party, have doomed the exit from the EU to failure, with or without a deal.

The European Union and Johnson said they were not ready to make mutual concessions. Despite this, negotiations on an agreement to exit the EU ended successfully. At the same time, the parliamentary opposition claims that the agreement does not take into account the interests of the working people of Britain, as well as the economic conditions regarding Northern Ireland. The British Parliament has accepted the agreement, but is delaying its final adoption. It is still unclear whether Britain will exit the EU at all.

Will Brexit be with or without a deal? What awaits Britain and the EU after Brexit? How will the inability of the main parties of the country to come to any decision on Brexit affect London’s domestic policy? Does Boris Johnson have a political future after Brexit? What is the attitude of Russia towards Brexit and what are the prospects for relations between London and Moscow? The participants in the expert discussion will answer these and other questions.

Speakers:

• Stuart Lawson, Executive Director of the Russo-British Chamber of Commerce, Head of the UK Business Centre in Moscow, Ernst & Young;

• Alexander Kramarenko, Development Director, Russian Council on Foreign Affairs.

Moderator:

• Oleg Barabanov, programme director of the Valdai Discussion Club.