From voice and exit to expulsion: Conservative rebellions in the midst of Brexit turbulence

Discussions about the practical terms of Brexit have been an unprecedented test for the unity of the Conservative parliamentary party. This article will explore the way the episode has entirely changed the rules of party discipline. Whereas the Maastricht crisis had allowed rebel MPs to “voice” their opposition to a pro-Treaty government and led to the rise of a Eurosceptic faction, the Brexit turbulence not only inverted the balance of power between a pro-Hard Brexit leadership and rebels who oppose this option. But it also gave rise to a new organisational paradigm by institutionalising “exit” and introducing “expulsion” in a new form.