Brexit and the Overseas Territories: Repercussions for the Periphery

© 2016 The Round Table Ltd. There are 14 United Kingdom Overseas Territories (UKOTs), of which nine are associated with the European Union (EU) via the Overseas Association Decision adopted by the EU in 2013. Gibraltar, meanwhile, is part of the EU under Article 355(3) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU. Only the citizens of Gibraltar were able to vote in the referendum on the UK’s membership of the EU, but the consequences for all are potentially very significant. The UKOTs benefit currently from economic and environmental cooperation, as well as development assistance and policy dialogue. The article considers briefly the growth of the relationship between the UKOTs and the EU, before setting out the key aspects of the relationship which the territories are keen to maintain. The second half of the article focuses on the (minor) role the UKOTs played in the referendum debate, and what might happen to the present levels of cooperation as the UK disengages from the EU

Pitcairn

The islands of Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie and Oeno (commonly known as Pitcairn) make-up a single territory; the last remaining United Kingdom Overseas Territory (UKOT) in the Pacific Ocean. Pitcairn, the only inhabited island of the group, had a total resident population of forty-one – a near historically low figure – in March 2017. The review considers the main developments between 1 July 2016 and 30 June 2017, including the continued sustainability of Pitcairn, the impact of the on-going Brexit negotiations, and the community’s progress in adopting and embedding child safety measures

Pitcairn political review: Issues and events, 1 July 2017 to 30 June 2018

The islands of Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie, and Oeno (commonly known as Pitcairn) make up a single territory, the last remaining United Kingdom Overseas Territory (UKOTs) in the Pacific Ocean. But much of the period under review (1 July 2017–30 June 2018) was concerned with Pitcairn’s relationship with the European Union (EU), which has been highly advantageous to the territory. However, a long shadow has been cast over these relations due to the upcoming departure of the United Kingdom from the European Union (Brexit), which was officially scheduled for 29 March 2019. The review article also considers the territory's efforts to boost its small population, establish a Dark Sky Sanctuary, and the challenges posed by man-made debris

The United Kingdom and its overseas territories: No longer a ‘benevolent patron’?

Over recent decades, the relationship between the United Kingdom (UK) and its Overseas Territories (OTs) has been a generally strong one, with political and economic safeguards in place, bolstered by increasing levels of support from the European Union (EU). Of course there have been strains and tensions in relations, but significant advantages have accrued to the territories. This article takes as its starting-point several key observations made previously by experts in the field and uses them to analyse the condition of relations between the UK and its territories within the context of recent events. In particular, the claim by Godfrey Baldacchino that non-sovereign territories benefit from the support of a “benevolent mainland patron” is considered. Based on a review of recent statements, newspaper articles and policy documents, this article argues that the UK’s benevolence to its OTs has been placed under serious pressure by three recent and unrelated events: the UK’s decision to leave the EU; its sub-optimal response to the damage caused in several territories by Hurricane Irma; and the resolve of the UK Parliament to impose stricter controls on the OTs’ offshore financial sectors

Reflections on a revolution: In conversation with Selwyn Strachan

Reflections on a Revolution: In Conversation with Selwyn Strachan was organised by the University of the West of England’s Social Science in the City strand, and took place in Bristol, UK on 22nd May 2014. What follows is an edited transcript of the conversation. The interview was conducted and edited by Dr Peter Clegg, Senior Lecturer of Politics at the University of the West of England

A Simple and Flexible Dynamic Approach to Foreign Direct Investment Growth: The Canada-United States Relationship in the Context of Free Trade.

This paper asks a simple question: Did Wilfred Laurier’s dream of free trade with the United States, when it came to fruition in 1989, also impact on foreign direct investment (FDI) into Canada by US multinationals? This paper argues that the customary static econometric approach found in the FDI literature, along with the assumption that policy changes influence only the intercept term, are inadequate to address the question. Instead we introduce an innovative dynamic framework to support the testing of hypotheses on behavioural changes in the variables using a structural break framework. A key conclusion is that prior to signing the free trade agreement US FDI responded only to current growth in the Canadian economy, in a unitary fashion, and current exchange rate shifts. This can be described as a static relationship. The implementation of the free trade agreements between Canada and the USA increased the responsiveness of US FDI to growth in the Canadian economy by a factor greater than two. Furthermore, dynamics are found in the form of a lagged effect for changes in the growth in the Canadian economy and interest rate differentials. These conclusions challenge the dominant view, including that in official policy circles, that the free trade agreement had no impact on US firms’ FDI decisions in Canada. Note: Previous versions of this paper were entitled: “A Simple and Flexible Dynamic Approach to Foreign Direct Investment Growth: Did Canada Benefit From the Free Trade Agreements with the United States?”Canada-United States, foreign direct investment, empirical relationship

Fascicles and the interfascicular matrix show adaptation for fatigue resistance in energy storing tendons

Tendon is composed of rope-like fascicles, bound together by interfascicular matrix (IFM). Our previous work shows that the IFM is critical for tendon function, facilitating sliding between fascicles to allow tendons to stretch. This function is particularly important in energy storing tendons, which experience extremely high strains during exercise, and therefore require the capacity for considerable inter-fascicular sliding and recoil. This capacity is not required in positional tendons. Whilst we have previously described the quasi-static properties of the IFM, the fatigue resistance of the IFM in functionally distinct tendons remains unknown. We therefore tested the hypothesis that fascicles and IFM in the energy storing equine superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) are more fatigue resistant than those in the positional common digital extensor tendon (CDET). Fascicles and IFM from both tendon types were subjected to cyclic fatigue testing until failure, and mechanical properties were calculated. The results demonstrated that both fascicles and IFM from the energy storing SDFT were able to resist a greater number of cycles before failure than those from the positional CDET. Further, SDFT fascicles and IFM exhibited less hysteresis over the course of testing than their counterparts in the CDET. This is the first study to assess the fatigue resistance of the IFM, demonstrating that IFM has a functional role within tendon and contributes significantly to tendon mechanical properties. These data provide important advances into fully characterising tendon structure-function relationships

Effect of fatigue loading on structure and functional behaviour of fascicles from energy-storing tendons

Tendons can broadly be categorized according to their function: those that act purely to position the limb and those that have an additional function as energy stores. Energy-storing tendons undergo many cycles of large deformations during locomotion, and so must be able to extend and recoil efficiently, rapidly and repeatedly. Our previous work has shown rotation in response to applied strain in fascicles from energy-storing tendons, indicating the presence of helical substructures which may provide greater elasticity and recovery. In the current study, we assessed how preconditioning and fatigue loading affect the ability of fascicles from the energy-storing equine superficial digital flexor tendon to extend and recoil. We hypothesized that preconditioned samples would exhibit changes in microstructural strain response, but would retain their ability to recover. We further hypothesized that fatigue loading would result in sample damage, causing further alterations in extension mechanisms and a significant reduction in sample recovery. The results broadly support these hypotheses: preconditioned samples showed some alterations in microstructural strain response, but were able to recover following the removal of load. However, fatigue loaded samples showed visual evidence of damage and exhibited further alterations in extension mechanisms, characterized by decreased rotation in response to applied strain. This was accompanied by increased hysteresis and decreased recovery. These results suggest that fatigue loading results in a compromised helix substructure, reducing the ability of energy-storing tendons to recoil. A decreased ability to recoil may lead to an impaired response to further loading, potentially increasing the likelihood of injury

Political and constitutional issues for the contemporary Falkland Islands

Understandably much of the academic literature on the Falkland Islands relates to its relationship with Argentina and the allied territorial dispute, but that can ignore broader and equally important aspects of the Falklands’ political and constitutional lives, which are the feature of this article. The overarching aim is to consider the multi-layered approach to political and constitutional matters, and how they have evolved since the Falklands War in 1982. In particular, the paper considers the Falklands’ constitutional ties with the United Kingdom (UK) as a British Overseas Territory, the overall political relationship between the Falklands and the UK at present, and the internal democratic and political arrangements of the Falklands. The paper argues that although the Falkland Islands' political and constitutional position is strong, there are aspects that need to be reconsidered and reformed