10 years on from the EU Referendum, three general elections, one global pandemic and six prime ministers later and the United Kingdom is still waiting for the benefits of Brexit that so many were promised. At what point will it be admitted that leaving the European Union lacked significant evidence and thought? And why is it so taboo to do so? This is my take on the matter …
The Downing Street circus – sounds familiar, doesn’t it?
Whether it’s the Conservatives or Labour in power, the country has not fared any better since our withdrawal from the European Union. Nothing asserts this notion more than Downing Street’s revolving door seeing six Prime Ministers – five of them from the Conservatives – in the last 10 years. Every single one of them promising to get Britain back on track.
Rightfully, in the 2024 general election, voters chose to oust the Conservatives who seemed to be riddled with endless political turmoil and woes. Yet nearly two years later, the Labour party has decided it’s their turn to employ the exact same leadership theatrics that helped plummet the Tories’ credibility as a governing party – the attempt to remove Sir Keir Starmer.
Labour’s willingness to change the leadership and direction of the party is based on the arguable lack of agenda of the current government (possibly thanks to appeasing right-leaning voters) as well as a focus on realigning the party with “Labour values”.
But is the lack of agenda and difficulties in delivering change not due to Brexit?
The favourite to take the top spot, Andy Burnham, whilst refreshing, still causes uncertainty in my opinion due to his very clear and recent stance on Brexit. He stated on BBC’s Question Time: “I respect the decision that was made at the referendum, and it is going to undermine everything I have said about strengthening democracy if we don’t respect that vote.”
His statement arguably continues the same narrative that we can’t talk about Brexit, despite the fact it is a rather clear political blunder, given the economic turmoil that it has caused for the UK. It almost foreshadows further appeasement of the right-wing, because the governing party is so afraid of political backlash for criticising the Brexit movement.
I don’t understand why there is such stigma on debating an issue which has proved so detrimental to our country that we should just sweep it under the carpet and carry on down this ill-advised path …
They say a week in politics is a very long time. Well, how about 10 years?
It is a mistake for the prospective leadership to shy away from such a significant issue; an issue which, in my opinion, is the common denominator for the failures of successive UK governments. Following the false promises of Brexit will only damage and divide this country further.
The beneficiary
The stigma surrounding re-introducing the Brexit debate only has one beneficiary – the political right.
Britain’s Brexit champion, Nigel Farage, will almost certainly continue to enjoy electoral success. The engineering of Brexit combined with his debut in the House of Commons and regular appearances in the public eye have created ripe conditions for claiming Britain’s premiership in Downing Street. Which seems to be the way things are heading.
If British prime ministers avoid challenging Brexit and being brave enough to hit the nail on the head once and for all, the United Kingdom will remain adrift. We will continue to see a lack of growth in our economy, high unemployment and less money in people’s pockets.
It’s the perfect opportunity for Farage and Reform UK to convince the electorate that they are a “serious party of government”. As long as Brexit fails, Reform UK succeeds.
The solution?
Rejoin the European Union.
Britain is at its best when it is working together. Whether that be within our communities or on an international scale. Starmer’s mild attempts at re-alignment with the European Union (in the form of the Erasmus scheme) have already given us a whiff of the potential benefits of rejoining the bloc. But that it is not enough.
More needs to be done to prove that a Britain back in the European Union is a Britain that can provide serious and sensible change. A Britain where there are plenty of job opportunities both at home and in the EU, a Britain where all people can afford to have a fair life; to be able to achieve their aspirations, one where industries and trade can thrive, and finally a Britain with a strong, prosperous economy.
The quicker that is done, the quicker the UK can continue to focus on issues that are at the heart of local communities, acting both in the British and European interest.
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