An Ever Closer Union? The UK Referendum on EU Membership

An Ever Closer Union? – The UK Referendum on EU Membership | The date has been set. The polls are almost neck-and-neck. On June 23rd, the United Kingdom will vote on whether or not to remain in the European Union. The British Prime Minister, David Cameron, recently secured an opt-out from the commitment to ‘Ever Closer Union’ built into the EU Treaties. Could this spell the beginning of the end for the EU?

This panel discussion will explore the rapidly-changing state of the debate, and what happens if Britain votes to leave the EU. What would a Britain look like after ‘Brexit’? How would this affect relationships between Europe and the US? Between the UK and the US? How will businesses be affected in Britain? Would the UK gain national sovereignty? Why is this referendum taking place at a time of so many crises in the EU?

Panel discussion with Sir Peter Westmacott and Christian Leathley.
Food will be provided.

Sir Peter Westmacott | Sir Peter Westmacott became British Ambassador to the United States in January 2012, ending his service in January 2016. Prior to his position as Ambassador to the United States, Westmacott served as Ambassador to France from 2007-2012, and Ambassador to Turkey from 2002-2006. Westmacott’s 40-year career in the British Diplomatic Service has also included four years in Iran (before the Revolution) and an interim deployment to the European Commission in Brussels. Previously, he was the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s Director for the Americas from 1997-2000, before taking a seat on the board as Deputy Under Secretary. He is currently a visiting fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School.

Christian Leathley | Christian Leathley is a Partner at the New York office of Herbert Smith Freehills LLP and works closely with their London, Madrid and Paris offices. He specializes in international commercial and investment arbitration and acts for corporations and sovereign states across all major industry sector. He regularly appears as an advocate before international arbitral tribunals, such as the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA), International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) as well as American Arbitration Association (ICDR) and UNCITRAL. Christian has particular experience in the practice of public international law and has worked at the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), Washington, DC. He also sits as arbitrator in English and Spanish language arbitrations.