7 years after voting to leave the European Union, more and more Britons seem to regret the decision. The most recent poll results show that 55% think Brexit was a mistake. In the east of England, in Grimsby, a former bastion of fishing, 70% of the inhabitants had voted for Brexit. But today, those who expected wonders are disillusioned. Nigel Farage himself, one of the “craftsmen” of this thunderous exit from the Union, recognized it: “Brexit failed”.
Disenchantment, fish and chips
Morose atmosphere in the port of Grimsby, a former flagship of fishing in England. The trawlers have not returned as promised by former Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Rising prices and post-Brexit hassles have killed the business.
“Before, we received fish from Iceland, we took it out of the containers, we sorted it, weighed it, boxed it, then exported it to Boulogne. It’s over. To avoid all the complications linked to delays , to paperwork, to customs clearance, Icelanders have started to choose the direct route. The fish leaves Iceland and arrives directly in France, without passing through the United Kingdom”, explains Martyn Boyers, manager of the Grimsby fish market. .
70% of the inhabitants of this city had believed in the promises of better times and voted for Brexit. Today, it’s time for disenchantment… The promised boost to the local economy has remained a pipe dream.
“At the time, there was a lot of talk about reviving the fishery, bringing back the fishing fleet and increasing the number of trawlers. I always said at the time that it was nonsense, and six years later, it’s still nonsense,” adds Martyn Boyers.
A feeling shared by more and more Britons. From brexiters, they become brigretters, full of regrets… The results of the polls prove it… In one year, the proportion of disappointed people has continued to climb. On July 20, the brigretters were 55% against 33% who always approve of Brexit.
“I wish Brexit had never happened, because I would like to go back to the days when I was just copying and pasting emails from the week before to my European suppliers, who were just saying ‘OK’, and 2 days later the fish would come in. Those days were simple,” said Grimsby fishmonger Nathan Goldley.
Faced with growing pressure from those disappointed by Brexit, will the country one day submit a new application for membership of the Union?
This article is originally published on rtbf.be
