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.
5, 10, 20 - yeah. The effects are emerging for the rest of everyone’s lifetime. There are probably future generations who won’t notice.
It’s just an astounding piece of self-destruction. Much like electing trump. In many, many, very practical and concrete ways.
It was fucking stupid then, we said it was fucking stupid then, it;s still fucking stupid. Rejoin now
Going back to the EU with our tail between our legs isn’t going to go down well with anyone so won’t be happening anytime soon.
We’d not be able to reject the Schengen area or Euro so I’d imagine that most remain voters wouldn’t even agree to it.
Schengen would be fucking great. It also gets rid of the small boats “crisis” as well. The Euro is a small price to pay
While I wish it was an option but, barring some kind of catalyzing event, it isn’t. Not in anyone-here’s lifetime.
That was only 5 years ago!? Feels like several decades have passed.
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.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer aims to improve relations but won’t re-enter the single market, as both sides cautiously rebuild ties.
I get that right now feelings are still raw in Europe and the UK would get a shit deal that would probably undo the (imminently sensible) desire to forget Brexit happened, but Labour needs to be careful they don’t follow the US Dems down the same path they took in never codifying abortion. It’s more politically expedient to have a persistent bludgeon to use on the other party than it is to fix the mistake, but eventually there are political consequences either way.
With respect, that’s not a real thing. The “US Dems didn’t codify abortion to use it as a fear tactic to drum up votes” is not a real thing in the sense that it’s not a policy, a position, or the statement of any party leaders. I’m sure there are edge cases where a candidate or commentator may have used it that way.
It’s an insult that was picked up by many as a truism, but it is not true. There are several reasons why but it takes more than a couple of paragraphs to go into it.
I don’t really see the analogy between rejoining and restoring abortion-rights anyway. I think they’re too different.
new trade deals haven’t offset EU losses.
I’m shocked that a single state wasn’t able to negotiate better deals than that same state plus 27 others.
I was visiting a friend over there for New Years and the prices, especially food stuff, are fucking robbery
Yeah, well I just bought an ounce of weed for £100. That means Brexit was a success, right?
That sounds high.
Cheaper than I would get it in Illinois where I used to buy weed.
Did you finally make the big move? I know you weren’t sure about being able to afford it.
Yep, been here for almost two weeks. But I do need to find a job and soon.
Congrats! We’re not dual citizens, so it’ll be tougher for us; but we are looking at ways to possibly move there or France.
Good luck! I hear Portugal is a possibility from some, but you do have to learn the language.
