{"id":6886,"date":"2022-07-18T17:33:32","date_gmt":"2022-07-18T16:33:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/uktpo\/?p=6886"},"modified":"2022-07-20T13:44:16","modified_gmt":"2022-07-20T12:44:16","slug":"is-brexit-done","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/uktpo\/2022\/07\/18\/is-brexit-done\/","title":{"rendered":"Is Brexit done?"},"content":{"rendered":"Share this article: <\/em> \"Facebook\"<\/a>\"twitter\"<\/a>\"reddit\"<\/a>\"pinterest\"<\/a>\"linkedin\"<\/a>\"mail\"<\/a>

\"\"18 July 2022<\/em><\/p>\n

Michael Gasiorek is Director of the UK Trade Policy Observatory and Co-Director of the Centre for Inclusive Trade Policy<\/a>. He is Professor of Economics at the University of Sussex Business School.<\/em><\/p>\n

Boris Johnson was elected on the slogan and promise of \u2018Get Brexit Done\u2019. It is perhaps somewhat ironic, then, to see disagreement between the contenders to succeed him as to whether Brexit has actually yet been done.<\/p>\n

Ironic, but not surprising. It is not surprising because, aside from encapsulating the formal leaving of the EU, Brexit has always meant different things to different people. Just as there were myriad different forms of possible departure from the EU, there are myriad ex-post interpretations of whether or not Brexit has been (truly) achieved. Brexit is in the eye of the beholder, so to speak.<\/p>\n

An absolutely central feature of Brexit \u2013 and of the deal struck with the EU \u2013 was to grant UK independence over the formulation of trade policy. It is striking therefore, in watching the televised debates between the candidates (which include a former Secretary of State for Trade, and a current Trade Minister) vying to replace the Prime Minister[1]<\/a>, that none of them have chosen to meaningfully<\/em><\/strong> engage with and discuss trade policy. I exaggerate a bit \u2013 we have heard several times from Liz Truss that she has signed numerous trade deals.<\/p>\n

Why does ignoring trade policy matter? Listening to the debates, one might think that all of the current significant economic issues being discussed are purely domestic matters. From the cost-of-living crisis to low economic growth (note that levelling up and regional disparities have barely had a mention), the policy choices dominating the debates are whether or not to raise or lower taxes, or remove regulations. These challenging issues are not, however, purely domestic matters.<\/p>\n