I must confess that I promised myself not to write a review of 2016. This year has so much material that no matter what is included or excluded, there is always going to be a ‘yeah but’. It raises the simple question of ‘where do we start when looking back at 2016?’

At first glance it has all the signs of a dog’s dinner. In a normal year, any one of the events that occurred would be newsworthy. For example, the year that David Cameron resigned the leadership of the Conservative Party and left the House of Commons. In any other year this alone would be the defining moment. The departures of Margaret Thatcher, John Major, Tony Blair, and Gordon Brown were each markers in their respective year. But for David Cameron, his departure feels almost like an incidental moment in a much larger, far more dynamic picture.

Obviously the main event affecting British Politics in 2016 has to be the referendum outcome on the UK’s membership of the European Union. It caused, in Nigel Farage’s own words, ‘an earthquake’ in British Politics. As well as the resignation of the Prime Minister, it also led to a prolonged leadership election in the Labour Party. This leadership election followed a confidence motion amongst the PLP which Jeremy Corbyn lost decisively. Over 80% of his Parliamentary Party felt he was not suitable to lead them following the feeling that he had only given half-hearted support to the Remain side in the referendum. The leadership election became a battle between Owen Smith and Jeremy Corbyn for the kind of Party Labour wanted to be. In the end, it chose to remain wedded to the Corbynite agenda, and with it all the consequences that are likely to follow. 

In contrast to this, the Conservative Party leadership election that followed Cameron’s resignation was conducted in a much more brutal, decisive, and short manner. Of the candidates to stand, Boris Johnson was stabbed in the back by his former Leave ally, Michael Gove. The ‘hard Brexiteer’ Andrea Leadsom was judged to be entirely unsuitable for the leadership by both the PCP and the internal mechanics of the Party. This is possibly down to her lack of experience and overall absent public profile. In the end, Theresa May emerged as the new Party leader and Prime Minister. The swiftness of it contrasted sharply to Labour’s long and painful campaign. 

The impact of the referendum on the two main Westminster parties was dramatic. But of course change was afoot in other places too. The Liberal Democrats under Tim Farron are striving to tap into ‘the 48%’ who, they argue, as being abandoned in the post-referendum world. This is a logical strategy for them to adopt given they are coming from such a low point. Indeed, if they are successful in penetrating into this group, then it could yield electoral dividends in sympathetic constituencies. 

For Ukip, Nigel Farage again stood down as leader and was replaced by Diane James. Farage’s departure left him free to speak more openly about his views, which he subsequently did in collaboration with Donald Trump. James’s concise leadership, however ultimately led to Paul Nuttall securing the leadership shortly afterwards, and with it a promise to attack Labour’s northern heartlands. Nuttall brings a radical set of ideas to the stage such as the return of the death penalty and abolition of the National Health Service. 

Needless to say the fallout of the Brexit vote has shaken the UK to its core. The relationship between Holyrood, Stormont, the Welsh Assembly, and Westminster will now be reframed around how the Union will look post-Brexit. For example the calls for a second Scottish independence referendum will likely be louder, whilst the questions over the border between Northern Ireland and Ireland will be potentially problematic if the EU insists on a hard border between EU and non-EU states. The full consequences of this have yet to be realised. 

So, what will be the legacy of 2016. Well, this year is a ‘year of change’. Like 1922, 1945, and 1990, 2016 is a year that will redefine both domestic and international politics. Domestically, these changes take the form of discovering and explaining what Brexit will look like. Internationally, it saw the election of Donald Trump to the Presidency of the US and the possibility of a resurgent Russia. 

Needless to say there are many other issues at play from 2016. In the UK we are faced with uncertainty not just over Article 50, but also the fallout from the French and German elections. These will impact on the negotiations, their tone, and the outcome. It would be wise to know who we are talking to before triggering Article 50, however May is committed to a deadline of the end of March. 

It is hard to know where to begin when discussing the events of 2016. There are so many moving parts. And for that reason it is also hard to know what conclusions can be reached when the parts are still in motion. 

Andrew S Crines is Lecturer in British Politics at the University of Liverpool. He tweets @AndrewCrines.