In this episode of the AIIA VIC’s Dyason House podcast, Dr Ben Wellings discusses how the support for an Anglosphere — which is based on a particular memory of empire — helps explain what caused Brexit in the first place.

He explains Euro-scepticism as a political project is not “protectionist” but rather “hyper-globalist”, as it seeks to increased links with other countries in the “Anglosphere,” which includes both core and non-core countries. While the Anglosphere largely remains an unspoken love amongst its proponents, there is both an ideational and institutional reality to the existence of an Anglosphere, where policy networks gravitate between these countries: such as the Five Eyes security alliance between the US, UK, Australia, Canada and New Zealand.

Dr Ben Wellings also discusses Australia’s readiness to negotiate a Free Trade Agreement with UK and how this could lead to either a “net gain” or “net loss” for Australia.

Dr Ben Wellings is an author and lecturer in Politics and International Relations at Monash University. He is an expert on the politics of nationalism, Euroscepticism and Brexit in contemporary Europe.