Tom Goodenough Tom Goodenough

Is Britain making the most of Brexit?

(Credit: Getty images)

Brexit was hailed by its supporters as an opportunity for Britain to go out and into the world. But six years on from the EU referendum, are we making the most of Britain’s departure from the EU?

Not so, according to Conor Burns, Minister of State in the Department for International Trade. Burns says that, as an early supporter of Brexit, dating back to when he read the Maastricht Treaty as a student, he relished the opportunities that leaving the EU would offer in doing things ‘differently’. Sadly, he says, there has been a ‘failure’ to capitalise on these. 

Even Brexit’s firmest supporters admit there has been turbulence. Since Britain’s departure from the EU there has been a marked decline in UK exports to Europe: in the first six months of 2021, these fell by 15.6 per cent, or £12.4

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