1. Brexit in the Time of Coronavirus

The departure of the UK from the EU has been a kaleidoscope of surprises—the initial shock of the 2016 referendum, two unexpected elections, the revolving door at 10 Downing Street and the succession of missed promised deadlines from 29 March 2019 until the final severance of British EU membership on 31 January 2020. Informed commentators were united in their expectation that the negotiations between the UK and the EU on the shape of the new bilateral relationship would inevitably dominate public, media and political agendas for much of 2020. Yet, barely 1 month after the UK’s departure, this seeming certainty was fundamentally compromised by the Covid-19 pandemic. Indeed, it may prove to be the case that for the EU, somethings are currently more important and enduring—both politically and economically—than Brexit.