It’s been a little over four years since the United Kingdom officially left the European Union after being a member for more than forty years.
The decision to leave the EU goes back even further than that. The referendum was held on 23 June 2016, concluding with 52 per cent voting to Leave and 48 per cent voting to Remain.
Proponents of Brexit justified the decision by claiming that there were too many costs and immigration issues associated with the EU. Leave voters also wished to eliminate the EU’s say in free trade agreements (FTAs), as well as the necessary regulations, annual contributions, and the implementation of a migration policy.
However, it seems that the proposed benefits of Brexit have not gone entirely according to plan.
The Student has approached those currently studying at the University of Edinburgh to give their opinion on Brexit and its impact. There seemed to be a consensus on the negative outcomes.
One student even said Brexit to be “catastrophic,” further stating it “is ripping out the heart of youth community, organising and power in this country.”
The majority of students surveyed by The Student said they would have voted Remain in the 2016 referendum if they had been able to vote at the time.
After the UK left the EU, their participation in the free trade system ended. Sanitary certificates began to be required for food exports crossing the Channel to mainland Europe. Food companies have had to face an additional cost of £170m to export their products to the EU.
Similarly, last January saw the introduction of the Target Operating Model (TOM), which aims to apply such regulations to EU-shipped merchandise. This has led to a rising fear that EU markets will export less to the UK.
Furthermore, the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIERS) has pointed out that Brexit seems to negatively affect the UK real GDP, with an estimated per capita income loss of £850. Similarly, the projections made by Cambridge Econometrics do not favour the UK’s independence either, showing Brexit will probably impact the UK’s economy more heavily in the future.
So far, it is safe to say that Brexit has been costing a lot. The UK has experienced undeniable slower economic growth since leaving the Union, which has only worsened due to the Russia-Ukraine war. John Springford, associate of the Centre for European Reform, even told The Independent that Brexit caused “a permanent depression to trade between the UK and the EU.”
Furthermore, immigration rates are still very high. Net migration – the difference between immigration and emigration – has almost doubled within a few years: in 2016, it was 335,000; and by 2022, it had gotten up to 606,000. This increase is mainly due to Ukrainian refugees and Hong Kongers fleeing China’s authority.
This can also be accounted for by the new migration system implemented by the British Government. As working migrants are permitted to reside longer in the UK, “the overall number of workers coming to the UK” has risen since its implementation in 2020.
Under these measures, then, Brexit has not “reduced overall migration to the UK”.
Brexit has also majorly impacted further education. Prospective EU student applications to Scottish universities had dropped by 40 per cent only a year after Brexit. Increases in tuition fees have made it more difficult for EU students to come to Edinburgh, and the UK also no longer participates in the Erasmus+ funding scheme.
Overall, the students we interviewed felt staying in the EU would have been beneficial despite its flaws. One student said it was “outrageous we voted for a deal that wasn’t made yet and we had no clue what it would entail in the end.”
Students felt that other countries were unlikely to follow suit and leave the EU. One said: “The EU has never been more needed and essential for our common future and security.”
Scottish students surveyed were widely in favour of independence, sharing the sentiment that “control over our own resources and government would be invaluable.” The possibility of Scotland returning to the EU was a crucial factor, with one of the students expressing that Scottish independence would be needed “now more than ever.”
It seems that, for young people, Brexit has not lived up to its promises following the referendum in 2016. The only thing students can do is hope for a brighter future.
“Banksy does Brexit (detail) #banksy #brexit” by dullhunk is licensed under CC BY 2.0.