Understanding the UK and the EU : A Concise Introduction

Author: Oliver, Tim (Loughborough University London)

Politics & government

Published on 15 December 2026 by Bristol University Press in the United Kingdom.

Paperback / softback | 256 pages, 16 Tables, black and white; 29 Illustrations, black and white
244 x 170

Revised and expanded, this new edition of Tim Oliver’s Understanding Brexit provides a comprehensive yet accessible account of the UK’s relationship with the EU. It sets out a clear and accessible account of the long history of UK-EU relations, analyses the referendum and its aftermath, and explores what the relationship means for the UK’s constitution, economy, society and place in the world, as well as what the UK and Brexit have meant for the EU, the rest of Europe and the wider world.

Fully up-to-date, the book: • examines the history of UK-EU relations both before and after Brexit; • Examines Brexit’s effect on the UK’s politics, constitution, economy, society and union;• Analyses how UK-EU relations have shaped the EU and its relations with the rest of Europe and the wider world;• includes updated reading lists and discussion of methods and theories. The book is an essential guide for students and researchers seeking to understand not just what has happened in UK-EU relations, but why it happened, how it is evolving, and where relations might lead.