An institutional mismatch: why ‘taking back control’ proved so appealing

‘Taking back control’ was a key element of the Leave campaign’s case for Brexit, but why did the principle find such resonance among the British public? Drawing on a new study, Susanne K Schmidt (University of Bremen) says it is important to recognise that some core features of the UK polity contrast with the EU’s political system. These institutional differences formed the foundations for Britain’s decision to leave.