Defenders of the prime minister claim he has shown leadership in responding to the Russian invasion of Ukraine independently of the European Union, and that the British response has been all the stronger for our being outside the EU.
Volodomyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, certainly seems to regard Boris Johnson as his closest ally, speaking to him nearly every day by phone, and addressing the House of Commons by video. On the other hand, the British government’s claim to be “leading the world” in its welcome for refugees appears to many to be unconvincing.
More broadly, Jacob Rees-Mogg’s appointment as minister for Brexit opportunities has provoked debate about what the upsides of Brexit might be. The consensus among economists is that the costs of leaving the EU will exceed the possible benefits for a long time if not indefinitely. But are there intangible benefits of having the freedom to act on the world stage? Do the British people value the principle of being able to control immigration more than the economic costs of making trade with the EU more difficult?
Join The Independent’s chief political commentator John Rentoul and a panel of experts, including Anand Menon (Director of UK in a Changing Europe), Naomi Smith (Chief executive of Best For Britain) and Jon Stone (Policy correspondent), to discuss these questions. This event will be shaped by not only the ever-changing news cycle but by you, the audience, so feel free to submit your questions ahead of time. You will also be able to ask questions via a Q&A box during the event.
Our event will be hosted on Zoom on 6 April at 6.30pm BST. It is free to attend, all you need to do is sign up for a ticket. Click here to find out how.
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