brexit

1. What does Brexit mean?

It refers to the UK leaving the EU; a combination of “Britain” and “exit”.

2. What is the European Union? What’s its aim?

A political and economic union with a single market, allowing free movement of people, goods, services, and capital as if member states were one country.

• It has its own currency (euro) used by 19 countries

• Own parliament and shared laws on trade, environment, transport, etc.

• Aim: boost trade, create jobs, lower prices

3. Who wanted the UK to stay in the EU? (5)

David Cameron led the Remain campaign supported by 16 Cabinet members, including Theresa May (home secretary).Conservative Party was split and officially neutral

Labour, SNP, Greens, Liberal Democrats.

4. Who wanted the UK to leave the EU?4

UKIP, Boris Johnson, Labour politicians, and Northern Ireland party the DUP

What did Cameron promise?

Promised a “special status” for the UK within the EU, including reforms on immigration. France and Germany warned against “cherry-picking” EU membership

• In 2013, Cameron pledged a referendum under pressure from Eurosceptics and rising support for UKIP

• UKIP got 4 million votes (13%) in 2015

5. What were the reasons to stay in the EU?(3)

• access to the single market (trade with EU countries)

• Immigration (mostly young workers) supported economic growth and public services

• Remaining in the EU gave the UK global influence and security

6. What were the reasons to leave the EU?(3)

Britain had long been uneasy about EU membership.

• The EU imposed too many rules and fees

• The UK was losing sovereignty and democratic control

• Desire to control borders and limit migration

  The 2016 refugee crisis fueled concern about free movement

7. When was the referendum held? what was the outcome based on zones?

• Held on 23 June 2016

• Leave won with 52%, Remain got 48%

• Turnout: 72% (about 40 million voters)

• England and Wales voted Leave, Scotland and Northern Ireland voted Remain

8. When did Britain actually leave the EU?

• Planned exit: 29 March 2019, but delayed due to failed deals

• Official departure: 31 January 2020 (after 47 years of EU membership)

• Followed by 11-month transition period where the UK still followed EU rules but had no political role

How did the country react?

The event was met with celebration and sorrow, reflecting a deeply divided nation.

9. What happened after the referendum? Who became PM?

invoking Article 50 of the EU's Lisbon Treaty (any Member State may decide to withdraw from the Union)

The lack of a clear plan after the vote led to years of uncertainty and Parliamentary gridlock.

• David Cameron resigned, replaced by Theresa May

• May said “Brexit means Brexit” and negotiated a withdrawal/divorce deal

• Parliament rejected the deal three times, forcing May to request a delay

• May resigned and was replaced by Boris Johnson

• Johnson promised to “get Brexit done” and won the 2019 general election

• The final trade deal came on Christmas Eve 2020, just before the end of the transition period.

What was the economic impact of Brexit? What external factors complicated the Brexit impact?

the UK left the EU's single market and customs union, it meant:

• Goods could still be traded without extra taxes

• But new rules and checks were added at the borders ("trade barriers").

So, even though companies didn't have to pay more in taxes, they had to:

• Fill out a lot more paperwork (called red tape),

• Spend more money to follow the new rules,

• Deal with delays when moving goods in or out of the UK.

Economic challenges: Trade barriers, reduced exports/imports(especially mid-size exporters)

COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine caused major disruptions, making it hard to isolate Brexit's effects.

Has immigration decreased after Brexit?

No; immigration increased due to more global visa approvals.

10. What does ‘hard Brexit’ mean?

• UK fully leaves the EU: no Single Market, full control of borders and laws

• Supported more by Leave voters

• May cause short-term disruption, but offers full independence

  Alla fine ha vinto una forma di Hard Brexit.

  Cosa è successo:

  • Il Regno Unito è uscito dal mercato unico e dall’unione doganale dell’UE, il 1º gennaio 2021, al termine del periodo di transizione.

  • Ha firmato un accordo commerciale di base con l’UE (senza dazi o quote, ma con nuove barriere burocratiche e doganali).

11. What does ‘soft Brexit’ mean?

• UK stays closely aligned with the EU, likely remaining in the Single Market

• Minimizes disruption to trade and business

• Favored by Remain supporters, but UK would have less say in EU decisions

How do people feel about Brexit now?

Most now believe it was a mistake, but few want to reopen the issue.

What is Britain’s current global position post-Brexit?

After Brexit, Britain is no longer closely tied to the EU, and it's also finding it hard to form strong new trade deals with the U.S., especially with leaders like Donald Trump, who focus on protecting their own country's economy ("protectionism"). As a result, Britain is stuck in the middle, with less influence in global trade and less power in international politics than it had before.