Key talking points, myths vs facts
What was Brexit?
Brexit is a portmanteau of "British exit," referring to the United Kingdom's decision to leave the European Union (EU).
The Referendum (2016):
On June 23, 2016, the UK held a public referendum asking:
“Should the United Kingdom remain a member of the European Union or leave the European Union?”
Leave: 51.9%
Remain: 48.1%
Turnout: ~72% of eligible voters
2. What Motivated Brexit?
Supporters of Leave cited:
Sovereignty: “Take back control” of UK laws and borders
Immigration: Concerns about free movement of people
Economics: Belief that the UK could negotiate better trade deals on its own
EU Criticism: A sense that the EU was bureaucratic and unaccountable
3. Timeline of Events:
March 2017: UK triggered Article 50, beginning the formal exit process
January 2020: UK officially left the EU
December 31, 2020: The transition period ended, and the UK fully exited the EU single market and customs union
4. What Changed After Brexit?
🇬🇧 UK citizens lost freedom of movement in the EU (and vice versa)
🛃 Customs checks and paperwork for trade and travel
🎓 UK left Erasmus+ student exchange program
📉 Economic effects: mixed impacts, with trade frictions and business relocations
🗳 Politically: Brexit caused major divisions in UK society and politics
🔍 TALKING POINTS: MYTH vs FACT + Current Reality
❌ MYTH #1: “We send £350 million a week to the EU.”
✅ FACT: That figure ignored the rebate and what we got back.
💬 NOW: The economic damage of Brexit costs the UK far more than that every single week.
📉 The Office for Budget Responsibility says Brexit will reduce UK GDP by 4% long-term — that’s tens of billions lost yearly.
❌ MYTH #2: “We'll get better trade deals on our own.”
✅ FACT: Most new trade deals are worse than what we had via the EU, or just rolled-over EU deals.
💬 NOW: The UK–Australia deal undercut British farmers. We lost frictionless trade with our biggest market — the EU.
🇬🇧 UK exports to the EU dropped significantly after Brexit, especially for small businesses and fishing.
❌ MYTH #3: “Leaving the EU gives us back control.”
✅ FACT: We lost our influence in Europe while still being affected by EU decisions.
💬 NOW: The UK has less control, not more — we still follow EU standards (like in Northern Ireland), but have no say.
🗳 We went from being a rule-maker to a rule-taker in many industries.
❌ MYTH #4: “Brexit won’t affect ordinary people.”
✅ FACT: It’s affected travel, work, prices, and rights for millions.
💬 NOW: People face higher food prices, travel visas, and lost opportunities abroad.
✈️ Freedom of movement is gone — Brits can no longer live, work, or retire freely in 27 EU countries.
🧾 Food prices are up in part due to customs costs and labour shortages.
❌ MYTH #5: “The NHS will benefit from Brexit.”
✅ FACT: The promised extra funding never materialised.
💬 NOW: The NHS is worse off due to loss of EU staff, supply chain delays, and budget pressures.
🩺 The UK is facing a shortage of 150,000 NHS workers, worsened by Brexit immigration rules.
❌ MYTH #6: “We’ve regained our sovereignty.”
✅ FACT: Sovereignty means nothing without power or prosperity.
💬 NOW: The UK is increasingly isolated — and Scotland and Northern Ireland are questioning the union itself.
🇪🇺 EU countries cooperate without losing identity. We’ve isolated ourselves instead of influencing the future.
📌 CURRENT CONSEQUENCES – IN SIMPLE TERMS
📉 UK GDP is 4% smaller than it would have been with EU membership.
🚚 Red tape and customs costs are hurting small businesses.
🍓 Farmers and exporters are losing access to the EU market.
🛃 Holidaymakers now face passport queues, mobile roaming fees, and visa restrictions.
🏫 Students lost Erasmus+, missing out on life-changing EU experiences.
🎓 Universities lost funding and collaboration opportunities.
🧑⚕️ Staff shortages in care homes, farming, and the NHS due to tighter immigration rules.
📦 Online shopping costs more due to EU VAT and customs duties.