3 years

Yesterday was the third anniversary of Brexit, the economic Brexit that followed political Brexit.

The referendum satisfied political Brexit, econmic Brexit was our own form of Brext.

Our choice.

Our pain.

Each Brexit "freedome" has brought in more costs, more delays, made UK businesses less competitive. Yesterday, former PM Alexander Boris de Piffel Johnson said we should point to the vaccine roll out to show a real benefit of Brexit. Only that was done during the implementation period meaning we still obeyed EU laws and rules if we were still a member.

So, another lie.

Most of the trade deals signed by Liz Truss were rollovers from the ones we had as EU members, but will have to be properly renegotiated in the next decade. Those new ones have either brought no economic benefit, or have put our own manufacturing or farming at a clear disadvantage.

Today, the Express reports an increase in basic food costs of 16.7%, not all down to Brexit, but Brexit has made it worse. So bad that the full checks that really taking back control should have meant would have dealt an even heavier blow to the UK economy, so have been shelved to the end of next year, the 4th time such a delay has been announced.

The IMF announced its forecast yesterday, that the UK's economy will shrink 0.8%, the only shinkage in any of the world's G8 economies, worse even than Russia's. Figures that the Chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, disputes.

Only one constituency in the UK is still pro-Brexit, in two others its 50/50, the rest think its gone badly and/or would like to rejoin the EU.

Brexit failed on the promises it was voted for in the referendum: there is no more money for the EU, food is not cheaper, our borders are not in control and democracy has not been returned to Parliament, instead the latter is more and more in the hands of Ministers who act via Statuatory Instruments, with little or no scrutiny.

And the country is poorer, more divided than it has ever been. And until the reason for this are discussed and the course changed, neither will Brexit, the UK or our prosperity change either.

And Brexit still is not done. over three years on from the last election, neither Johnson, Truss or the current PM have a finished version. There is talk of a new agreement on the NIP soon, but that would have to be passed in Westminster, get past the ERG, the DUP, which it might, but without their support can Sunak survive as Leader, relying on the Opposition to get policies through?

Of course, one of the most positive pro-Brexit stories was the formation of the UK based British Volt electric car battery company and factory, which collapsed last week as a result of the interdependance of supply chains and inflexibility of Brexit Britain. On top of the collapse of the UK car industry, now at its lowest volume since before the war, the need for UK components on finished vehicles for compliance with EU and Global rules of origin cannot be overstated.