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What does Brexit mean, and what happens next? – Sir Philip Rucroft and David Shukman
27/04/2024, 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm
It will be a big day in Dumfries on 27th April, when former top civil servant Sir Philip Rycroft joins former senior BBC journalist David Shukman in conversation about the UK’s withdrawal from the EU, what has happened since and where Scotland and the UK stand now.
The event is being held at Moat Brae in Dumfries, the home of the National Centre for Children’s Literature and Storytelling.
Sir Philip Rycroft was the top civil servant in the Department for Leaving the European Union for the two years until March 2019. It was one of the most turbulent political periods the UK’s recent history. Theresa May’s government was in deep trouble with its own back benchers. Relations with the EU were under great strain and the UK’s devolved administrations shut out of negotiations. Parliament was in turmoil and Boris Johnson and his supporters were plotting to bring down the prime minister. They succeeded and Johnson became prime minister following his big general election win in December 2019.
Sir Philip, who began his civil service career in Scotland and later held senior posts with the Scottish Government, has recently resettled in Dumfries and Galloway. Among his duties in the final stages of his civil service career was as head of the UK Governance Group, which led the UK’s government’s work on UK constitutional affairs and devolution.
Sir Philip will be in conversation with David Shukman. His BBC career began as a reporter in Northern Ireland. He then held senior editorial posts covering defence, Europe, global affairs and environment and science. He became the BBC’s first Science Editor in 2011.
David Roulston, chair of the Southwest Scotland EMiS branch says;
“The UK is on the edge of a general election. Europe will vote in May for its parliament. America will decide its president in December and war rages in Gaza and Ukraine. It is perhaps a good time to listen to people of great experience who made and reported recent great events. It will be a fascinating discussion.
“Moat House is famous for its association with J M Barrie, the local man who gave the world Peter Pan. Brexit has been a disaster for the UK and delivered no tangible benefits. I am reminded of the conversation between John and Michael in Peter Pan. “Michael, the buried treasure, where is it.”
Register here.
The event will also be broadcast on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JuAepmboBs