'Nearly eight years on, it’s hard to see how Brexit has been completed'
Yesterday marked four years since Britain officially left the European Union. In those four years, the British public have had plenty of time to reflect on the decision to leave the EU, as the consequences of Brexit become ever clearer.
We’ve been left poorer than our European counterparts, sluggish growth and a lack of productivity come to define the British economy, the public were told that Britain would have more control over its borders and that there would be £350 million a week to invest in our NHS. Brexit Britain is far from the land of milk and honey that was promised.
Reflecting on the last four years, Sky’s Sophy Ridge set out all of the disastrous problems Brexit had caused as well as the unfulfilled promises of Brexiteers.
Highlighting how some claim Brexit is now done. Ridge added: “It’s not really done is it.
“Just look at what’s happening today in Northern Ireland, finally after two years it looks like power sharing is about to be restored and there could be a functioning government again, but the reason for the collapse hasn’t been resolved.
“Where do you put the post-Brexit border between the EU and the UK?
“On the island of Ireland? Down the Irish Sea? And this is a problem that hasn’t been, and maybe can never be resolved.”
She continued: “And it’s not the only thing on the outstanding Brexit to-do list, either.
“For many, the reason for voting to leave the EU was to gain control of our borders and frankly to bring down net migration.
“But today the Office for National Statistics has projected that the UK population will grow to 74 million in the next decade or so, including an extra 6.1 million people through net migration. So, Brexit was about controlling our borders, well that hasn’t been done either.
“Whether it’s those long-promised international trade deals, a low-tax economy, freedom from the grip of European Courts or even as something as simple as working out where our trade borders are, nearly eight years on, it’s hard to see how Brexit has been completed. If it was a computer game, I’m not sure we’d even be at the boss level yet.”
Basit Mahmood is editor of Left Foot Forward
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