Aftermath: the consequences of the result of the 2016 EU referendum for heritage conservation in the United Kingdom

Abstract

In June 2016 a referendum was held in the UK on membership of the European Union. Two of the territories of the UK, England and Wales voted to leave the EU whilst two, Scotland and Northern Ireland voted to remain. The overall result was a narrow UK vote to leave the EU. Perhaps the one thing that all sides in a now deeply divided state can agree on is that the decision to leave the EU is a momentous one. Internally the position of Scotland and Northern Ireland within the UK is a key issue. In England the status and role of London and other major cities (which also mostly voted to remain in the EU) in relation to other regions, is also a matter of debate (BBC News, 2016). Less attention has been given to the many and varied relationships that local authorities have developed with the EU since the UK joined the then EEC in the 1970s. The withdrawal will impact diverse areas of their work – for example, experts predict it will lead to a hollowing out of environmental protection (Travers, 2016). How it will affect the heritage sector however, has received scant attention in the referendum campaign and since the result. This Viewpoint provides some reflections on this issue.