From the NHS to holidays: Have your say on the five Brexit questions still dividing Britain – UK Times

A decade on from the referendum, Britain is still deeply divided over Brexit.

Supporters argue leaving the European Union restored Britain’s sovereignty, gave governments greater control over laws and borders, and created new opportunities outside the bloc.

Critics say it has made the country poorer, complicated trade and travel, and piled extra pressure on public services without delivering many of the promises made during the campaign.

As part of our Europe: The Way Back campaign, The Independent has published a series of debates exploring five of the biggest questions still shaping Britain’s relationship with Europe.

Below, we’ve rounded up the key arguments from both sides – along with some of the most thought-provoking comments from readers.

Has Brexit been a success?

The case for

GB News’s deputy political editor Tom Harwood argues Brexit should primarily be judged on sovereignty rather than economics, saying Britain has regained control over its laws and avoided being drawn into the EU’s commitment to “ever-closer union”.

He also points to employment remaining strong after the referendum, NHS funding increasing, and Britain’s ability to avoid regulations such as the EU’s AI Act, which he argues could hamper innovation.

The case against

PoliticsJoe’s political editor Ava Santina argues Brexit failed to solve the problems many voters hoped it would address, instead leaving Britain with slower growth, weaker investment and additional barriers to trade.

She says politicians should stop relitigating the referendum and instead focus on rebuilding closer economic ties with Europe.

Your views

“No [Brexit was not a success!] But could it have been a success? Maybe. The idea was great, the execution very questionable.” – Rasputin007

“Not yet, but it will be when we finally get a government that fully capitalises on Brexit.” – Kingswood

Join the debate

Did leaving the EU ruin holidays abroad for Brits?

The case for

The Independent’s global travel editor Annabel Grossman argues Brexit inevitably made travel more complicated, ending free movement and introducing passport validity rules, the 90-day limit in the Schengen Area and, soon, biometric entry systems and travel authorisations.

The case against

Economics professor Len Shackleton argues Brexit has encouraged Britons to broaden their horizons, with increasing numbers travelling to destinations including Japan, Morocco, Croatia and Thailand instead of relying on traditional European holidays.

Your views

“Brexit has been a disaster generally but particularly when it comes to travel.” – InnocentBystander

“The EU bureaucracy wasn’t designed specifically for the UK… but encouraging long-haul flying is hardly a benefit.” – Geejay

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What impact has leaving the EU had on the NHS?

The case for

The Nuffield Trust’s Mark Dayan argues Brexit undoubtedly created challenges for the NHS, particularly around staffing and medicine supplies, but says it also gave Britain greater flexibility over medicines regulation, recruitment and medical innovation.

The case against

Resident doctor Dr Holly Smith says Brexit weakened one of the NHS’s greatest strengths by making it harder to recruit and retain European healthcare staff while the promised financial boost never materialised.

Your views

“Failing to capitalise on Brexit has damaged the NHS. Both the Tories and Labour are responsible.” – Kingswood

“Brexit removed a large pool of EU professionals from the NHS… Add austerity and social care problems and you have today’s staffing crisis.” – Herbacious

Join the debate

Has Brexit been good for Britain’s economy?

The case for

Economist Julian Jessop argues Brexit has allowed Britain to regain control over trade, regulation and taxation while saving billions in EU contributions. He believes long-term economic success depends on how governments use those freedoms.

The case against

Regular Independent columnist Sean O’Grady argues the evidence increasingly points towards Brexit making Britain poorer, citing estimates that GDP is around six per cent lower than it otherwise would have been.

He argues barriers to trade and weaker investment have imposed long-term costs that new trade deals cannot fully offset.

Your views

“Brexit was an accident waiting to happen! There was no strategic planning put in place to help the transition from the EU to trading on the world market.” – Sharpfocus

“Its impact has been negligible compared to Covid, Ukraine and Iran. We’re still a top-five economy.” – LennyThunderhawk

Join the debate

Did Brexit let Britain ‘take back control’ of its borders?

The case for

Former diplomat Ameer Kotecha argues Brexit delivered exactly what voters asked for by ending free movement and allowing Britain to design its own immigration system.

He says record migration reflects political decisions made after Brexit rather than Brexit itself.

The case against

Journalist Marie Le Conte argues Brexit technically increased Britain’s control over immigration but failed to satisfy those who wanted lower migration, while also making the small boats crisis harder to manage after leaving EU asylum arrangements.

Your views

“Many who voted Leave did want immigration to fall, but many did not. The whole issue was surrounded by confusion and perhaps not a little dishonesty.” – foreign field

“’Taking back control’ was only ever a slogan.” – Leftyandproud

Join the debate

Now have your say

Ten years after Britain voted to leave the European Union, the debate remains as passionate as ever. For every argument that Brexit restored Britain’s sovereignty and opened up new opportunities, there is another that it has made the country poorer, less connected and more isolated.

Whether you believe Brexit has been a success, a failure or something in between, we’d like to hear from you. Join the discussion in the comments below and make sure to vote in the polls above.

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