On Tuesday, was it really the third anniversary of leaving the EU?
No, in practice that didn’t happen until 11 months later – and then only partially
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Brexit Facts4EU.Org attempts to put things in proportion, by looking at the facts
Tuesday (31 Jan 2023) was ostensibly the third anniversary of the United Kingdom exiting the European Union. But was it?
The answer of course is no. It was Brino – ‘Brexit in name only’. At 11pm UK time on 31 January 2020 the UK technically exited the EU but then immediately entered the ‘Transition Period’, meaning it hadn’t left in practice at all.
Here was the Prime Minister at the time
The Rt Hon Boris Johnson, 31 Jan 2020
Excerpts from the PM’s address to the nation
“Tonight we are leaving the European Union. For many people this is an astonishing moment of hope, a moment they thought would never come.”
“This is the moment when the dawn breaks and the curtain goes up on a new act in our great national drama. And yes it is partly about using these new powers – this recaptured sovereignty – to deliver the changes people voted for.
“Whether that is by controlling immigration or creating freeports or liberating our fishing industry or doing free trade deals. Or simply making our laws and rules for the benefit of the people of this country.”
“We have obeyed the people. We have taken back the tools of self-government.”
- The Rt Hon Boris Johnson MP, 31 Jan 2020, statement by No.10.
Going into Transition
There then followed 11 long months while the UK remained in the EU Single Market, in the EU Customs Union, subject to EU laws, and continuing to pay the UK’s massive annual contribution to the EU’s budget.
The next step was the end of the Transition Period, which took place at 11pm on 31 December 2020, 11 months after the then Prime Minister Boris Johnson declared he had “Got Brexit done”.
Here was the Prime Minister again, 11 months on from “exit”
The Rt Hon Boris Johnson, 30 Dec 2020
Excerpts from the PM’s statement to Parliament
“…having taken back control of our money, our borders, our laws and our waters by leaving the European Union on Jan 31st, we now seize the moment to forge a fantastic new relationship with our European neighbours, based on free trade and friendly co-operation.”
“In less than 48 hours, we will leave the EU single market and the customs union, as we promised and yet British exporters will not face a sudden thicket of trade barriers, but rather, for the first time in the history of EU agreements, zero tariffs and zero quotas. And just as we have avoided trade barriers, so we have also ensured the UK’s full control of our laws and our regulations…”
“The House understands the significance of the fact that the basis of this agreement is not EU law but international law, so there is no direct effect, the EU law will no longer have any special status in the UK and there is no jurisdiction for the European Court of Justice.”
“We will be able to design our own standards and regulations. The House understands the significance of the fact that the basis of this agreement is not EU law but international law, and Mr Speaker the laws that this House of Commons passes will be interpreted… solely by British judges sitting in British courts.”
“We will be free Mr Speaker of EU state aid rules…and the true significance of the agreement embodied in this Bill is that there is no role for the European Court of Justice, no ratchet clause on labour or environmental standards and no dynamic alignment with the EU State Aid regime - or indeed any other aspect of EU law.”
“And on Friday – for the first time 50 years – on Friday the UK will once again be recognised as an independent coastal state, regaining control of our waters, righting the wrong that was done by the Common Fisheries Policy throughout our EU Membership.”
“I think frankly Mr Speaker we got Brexit done, let’s keep Brexit done, and let’s press ahead with this Government’s mission to unite and level up across our whole country and grasp the opportunities before us. Because I have always said that Brexit is not an end but a beginning.”
- The Rt Hon Boris Johnson MP, 30 Dec 2020, statement to the House of Commons.
So, did Brexit really start on 01 January 2021?
Once again the answer is no. The United Kingdom did not leave the EU on 31 December 2020. To a large degree, England, Scotland and Wales did, but Northern Ireland got left behind.
NI is still part of the EU Single Market, is still in effect part of the EU Customs Union, and it is still subject to EU laws – but now with no say over them.
So, no. The United Kingdom still doesn’t have Brexit, over six-and-a-half years after the British people voted to leave the EU.
Who is to blame for all of this?
None of this is the fault of Brexit. The fault lies in many quarters. Here is our list:-
- Anti-democratic Remoaner-Rejoiner MPs and Peers, blocking Brexit for years
- Sir Keir Starmer was one of these, advocating another vote to overturn the Referendum result
- Many of these Remoaner-Rejoiner MPs and Peers had private meetings with the EU in Brussels
- The EU Commission, EU Council, and EU Parliament for being hostile and as difficult as possible
- A weak Remainer Prime Minister, in Theresa May, who was a total disaster
- Vast ranks of senior and middle-ranking civil servants, almost all of whom are Remoaner-Rejoiners
- Foreign billionaires who funded Remoaner-Rejoiner campaigns to the tune of millions
- Large tracts of the anti-Brexit, pro-EU media including the BBC, promoting anti-Brexit stories
- The anti-Brexit pro-EU Establishment, including the CBI, TUC, NFU, etc
- And many more…
If all of the above had embraced the largest vote in British democratic history and supported all the Brexit negotiations – or at least stood back - the EU would not have felt so emboldened as to demand the most unreasonable settlement in the story of international relations.
We consider the behaviour of so many elected politicians and others to be shameful, producing one of the most disgraceful periods in British history.
Observations
As readers will have guessed, on Tuesday we saw no reason to celebrate the supposed third anniversary of the UK leaving the EU, given that the United Kingdom did not actually leave.
Unfortunately the UK still hasn’t left.
Even more unfortunately we do not believe the Rishi Sunak government will deliver Brexit either. We predict another sell-out when the latest deal with the EU over Northern Ireland is announced, despite the efforts of the ERG MPs.
The second very serious point is about Brexit benefits. After six-and-a-half years, most of these are still being worked on – but at a snail’s pace. This is now wholly unacceptable.
Facts4EU.Org is now leading the charge with CIBUK – with whom we are an Affliate – to ramp up the pressure considerably. We have been patient for far too long. It’s time to take the gloves off.
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[ Sources: Hansard | No.10 ] Politicians and journalists can contact us for details, as ever.
Brexit Facts4EU.Org, 01 Feb 2023
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