Friday marks five years since Britain left the European Union on Jan. 31, 2020. People and businesses are still wrestling with the economic, social and cultural aftershocks.

Summary

Five years after Brexit, its economic and political effects are still unfolding.

Trade with the EU has become more expensive and complex, with mid-sized businesses struggling the most.

UK economic growth is projected to be 4% lower long-term, and new trade deals haven’t offset EU losses.

While public opinion has turned against Brexit, rejoining the EU remains unlikely.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer aims to improve relations but won’t re-enter the single market, as both sides cautiously rebuild ties.

    • palordrolap
      10•6 hours ago

      The vote happened in 2016 and the election promise that lead to it was made at some point in early 2015 or late 2014 (that election was May 2015), so yeah, Brexit has been a concept for roughly a decade at this point, and that’s why it feels so long in time.

      Then there’s that Euroscepticism has literally always been a thing here in some form or another on the one hand, and on the other, the prolonged agony after that very same thing bit us in the rear end once we decided to act on it.