Brexit: A Decision That Never Should Have Happened

Let's talk about Brexit. Because, honestly, it’s the political equivalent of trying to untangle Christmas lights while your house is on fire. It’s messy, it’s chaotic, and it didn’t have to be this way. The decision for the United Kingdom to leave the European Union – that grand, historic entity cobbled together from the ashes of conflict to ensure peace and prosperity – is one of the most consequential and, frankly, reckless decisions in modern British history. And, spoiler alert: it should never have happened.

Let’s consider two key reasons why Brexit was an unforced error, a political own goal, and why, even now, there’s a moral and practical case for saying, “Hey, maybe we got this one wrong.”

The Case for a Second Referendum

Remember 2016? Feels like a lifetime ago, right? But let’s rewind to that referendum campaign. Do you recall the big red bus? You know the one I’m talking about – the one that claimed Brexit would save the UK £350 million a week and that this magical pot of money would go straight to the NHS. Except... it didn’t. Because it was a lie. Not a misunderstanding, not a “whoops, we got our numbers wrong” – an outright, full-fat, manufactured untruth.

And that was just the tip of the iceberg. They promised control over immigration – but neglected to mention that the UK already had significant control over its borders. They swore up and down that trade deals would be a breeze – as if negotiating with the world’s most powerful economies could be done over a cuppa and a biscuit.

Now imagine if you bought a car based on the salesperson telling you it gets 100 miles to the litre, only to discover later it guzzles petrol like a tank. Would you say, “Well, I’ve made my choice, I’ll stick with it”? Of course not! You’d want your money back. That’s exactly why a second referendum wasn’t just logical – it was essential.

But no. Politicians doubled down. Instead of giving the public a chance to reassess once the lies were exposed, they said, “We’ll just push through and hope no one notices the wheels coming off.” And here we are, staring at a pile-up on the motorway.

The Impossible Dream of Brexit’s Full Implementation

Let’s move on to the second reason Brexit was doomed from the start: the cold, hard reality of logistics.

Take food. Yes, food – that thing we all need to survive. The UK imports roughly 40% of its food, and a massive chunk of that comes from the EU. Think fruits, vegetables, cheese – the staples of British life. Now, imagine trying to cut yourself off from your main supplier while still expecting shelves to be fully stocked and prices to stay reasonable. Spoiler: it doesn’t work.

We’ve already seen it. Ports backed up. Fresh produce rotting in lorries because of delays at customs. Small businesses – the heart and soul of the economy – unable to navigate the labyrinth of paperwork required to trade with the EU. All while politicians stand at podiums talking about “sovereignty,” as if you can eat sovereignty for breakfast.

And let’s not forget Northern Ireland, a place where Brexit has reopened wounds we thought were stitched shut. The Good Friday Agreement was built on seamless borders, and Brexit tossed that into the air like a pack of cards, leaving everyone scrambling to pick up the pieces.

Brexit’s architects wanted us to believe we could rebuild the Empire while ignoring the fact that our supply chains – our very livelihoods – are inextricably linked to our European neighbors. It’s not ideology; it’s basic economics.

When Will Politicians Admit the Truth?

Here’s the thing: politicians know this. They’ve seen the reports. They’ve heard the warnings from businesses, farmers, trade experts, and economists. And yet, they persist in this collective delusion because admitting Brexit was a mistake would mean admitting they made a mistake. And if there’s one thing politicians hate more than losing elections, it’s losing face.

But who’s paying the price for their hubris? Not the MPs with their cushy salaries and subsidised meals in Westminster. It’s the single mother at the grocery store watching her bill creep higher every week. It’s the small business owner drowning in red tape. It’s the farmer who can’t find seasonal workers because the immigration system is a mess.

When will they say, “Enough is enough”? When will they acknowledge that this experiment in nostalgia-fuelled nationalism has failed?

Conclusion

Brexit wasn’t just a bad idea; it was a bad idea sold on bad faith. The lies that fuelled it, the practical impossibility of its promises, and the staggering unwillingness of leaders to admit their error have left the UK poorer – economically, socially, and politically.

Here’s the truth, and it’s an inconvenient one: Brexit shouldn’t have happened. It didn’t have to happen. And it’s not too late to have the courage to face that fact. Because the stakes aren’t abstract. They’re on our shelves, in our communities, and in our futures.

And if we’re serious about democracy, about accountability, about leaving the country better than we found it, then it’s time to demand better from our leaders. Because this – this chaos, this confusion, this harm – is not what anyone voted for.