Brexit and ‘Global Britain’: role adaptation and contestation in trade policy

Abstract Brexit has led to major changes in UK trade policy after decades of collective trade agreements and regulatory alignment with the European Union. Following the 2016 UK referendum on EU membership, the idea of ‘Global Britain’ was touted as the central goal in securing policy autonomy and regulatory independence with respect to trade, rooted in a strong sense of liberalization unencumbered by the perceived constraints of European membership. This article suggests that the UK’s role conception as a global trading (and finance) state has been revived by Brexit. Yet the performance of this role has been mixed. Role adaptation is far from complete, and evidence from the postreferendum period suggests that the post-Brexit economy has failed to fulfil the optimistic expectations of the those who favoured Brexit. In trade, the UK has been buffeted by the post-Brexit relationship with the EU and the changing demands of the global political economy.