Brexit: Der größte Fehler der Briten, Ulrike Herrmann?

Der Brexit habe in Großbritannien Schleifspuren hinterlassen, sagt Wirtschaftsjournalistin und Bestsellerautorin Ulrike Herrmann. Sie erklärt, warum die Rechnung der Briten beim EU-Austritt nicht aufgegangen ist und es der Bevölkerung schlechter geht, als eingangs erwartet.
Ulrike Herrmann zeigt, wie der Brexit den Briten geschadet hat.

UK Could Quickly Re-enter EU with ‘Switzerland Plus’ Deal, Senior MEP Says

THE GUARDIAN: Bernd Lange, who was involved in Brexit talks, says deal could be negotiated within months of any decision to deepen ties

Andy Burnham has said he is looking at all options for the UK’s relationship with the EU. Photograph: Tobias Schwarz/AFP/Getty Images
The UK could re-enter the EU in a “Switzerland plus” package that could be negotiated within months of any decision to deepen ties with the bloc, the head of a European parliament committee has said.

Bernd Lange, who was heavily involved in Brexit negotiations, said: “I would love to see the UK back.” He said the EU missed the UK in decision-making because of its strong history of promoting open markets and democracy.

A Swiss style arrangement is often considered a halfway house to full membership of the bloc but involves free movement and regulatory alignment.

Switzerland is not a member of the EU but it struck a deal last year cementing its “frictionless access” to the single market across more than 100 agreements with a new framework deal.

This gives it access to the EU’s electricity market, space programmes, Erasmus and the Digital Europe research programme, and participation in the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.

In exchange, Switzerland agreed to the free movement of people and to pay €375m (£326m) a year into the EU’s economic and cohesion funds. » | Lisa O’Carroll Senior correspondent | Friday, October 16, 2026

Peter Stevanic: “There Is Not a Single Sign of Any Overall Economic Damage Done by Brexit,” Says Nigel Farage

October 15, 2026

That charlatan—Farage—has done untold damage to the UK economy; furthermore, he has robbed UK citizens of their rights as European citizens, which they once had. That intolerable man is full of hot air. Further, he lacks all and any substance, just like all snake oil salesmen do. — © Mark Alexander

Do We Need to Talk About Brexit?

Oct 14, 2026 | Andy Burnham announced this week that UK and EU leaders will meet in November to discuss a reset in relations. Brexit has been bad for the country, Burnham said, and a closer relationship with Europe will foster economic growth and strengthen national security. Is he right? What is he hoping to accomplish in November? And is now the time to reopen the fraught debate over Britain’s decision to leave the EU? …

Andy Burnham Says It Is Clear Russia Interfered in Brexit Referendum

THE GUARDIAN: PM says he asked question upon entering No 10 but does not reveal who gave him ‘clear answer’ that Russia meddled

Screenshot taken from this Guardian article. | Andy Burnham: ‘We haven’t informed people sufficiently about the extent to which people are seeking to disrupt the political process from overseas.’ Photograph: Christopher Furlong/AFP/Getty Images
Andy Burnham has said it is clear Russia interfered in the Brexit referendum, after seeking answers on the Kremlin’s involvement in the 2016 vote when he entered Downing Street.

Burnham said he had asked whether Moscow had attempted to influence the referendum and received a confirmation that it had.

Speaking on the podcast The Rest is Politics, Burnham said: “I asked the question coming to Downing Street: well, was there interference in the 2016 referendum from Russia? I’ve had the clear answer that yes, there was.”

His comments mark a significant departure from the position taken by past Conservative governments, which insisted there was no evidence of successful interference by Russia in the hugely consequential referendum vote.

Burnham did not disclose who had given him the assessment, what evidence it was based on or whether any interference had affected the result of the vote.

A report by parliament’s intelligence and security committee in 2020 criticised the government and intelligence agencies for failing to properly investigate potential Russian interference in the referendum. » | Aletha Adu Political correspondent | Sunday, October 11, 2026

At last! A prime minister willing and courageous enough to tell us the truth! It was as clear as crystal to the wide-awake that Russia was behind that ridiculous Brexit referendum. What must be done now is simple: Brexit must be reversed. ASAP — © Mark Alexander

Rob Groves: Andy Burnham Just Changed the Brexit Conversation

Oct 3, 2026 | Andy Burnham has done what no prime minister has done in ten years: he's admitted Brexit has done more harm than good, and put full EU membership back on the table. Nigel Farage claims it's the biggest boost of his career. So why do more than half of Reform UK's own voters think Britain has drifted too far from Europe?

In this video, I look at how Burnham has wrong-footed Farage, and then take a hard, honest look at what it would really take to get Britain back into the EU. That covers how warm the welcome from Brussels, Paris and Madrid really is, the barriers in the way, the price of readmission, and a realistic best-case timeline.


Well said. What I want is a full return. Farage must be quaking in his little boots and puffing away like crazy! 😊 — © Mark Alexander

„Willkommen zurück“: Frankreich und Spanien offen für britisches EU-Comeback

Oct 1, 2026 | Der britische Premier Burnham hat Überlegungen zu einer Rückkehr des Landes in die Europäische Union angestoßen. Der französische Präsident Macron nannte die Idee am Mittwoch „eine sehr gute Nachricht, sowohl für ihr Land als auch für die Europäer“.

Mit einem Mix aus „Hoffnung und Ehrlichkeit“ will Burnham die Rechtspopulisten schlagen. Auf dem Labour-Parteitag kündigt er heikle Renten- und Pflegereformen sowie eine EU-Initiative an.

"He Will Come to Regret It" | Andrew Neil and Chris Curtis Clash over Burnham's EU Stance

Oct 1, 2026 | The PM says it's possible Labour's next manifesto could promise a new in-out referendum on the EU.

Is Britain ready to re-open the issue which ten years ago split the country down the middle?

Journalist Andrew Neil and Labour MP Chris Curtis debate the PM's stance.

Interview by Victoria Derbyshire, with Political Editor Nick Watt.


Andrew Neil is an old fossil now. He is long past his sell-by date. Moreover, it cracks me up that he doesn't want us to return to the EU, denying the British people all those rights as EU citizens. But Andrew Neil himself is well-heeled enough to be able to live the good life in France. Sounds like double standards to me. It also reminds me of the phrase, 'I'm alright, Jack' — © Mark Alexander

Burnham Reopens Brexit Debate: EU Says UK Must Chart Its Own Path on Future Relations • FRANCE 24

Oct 1, 2026 | The EU said Wednesday it was up to London to chart a way forward for Britain's relations with the bloc, after Prime Minister Andy Burnham put the idea of rejoining on the table. Burnham reopened the divisive Brexit debate Wednesday by saying his centre-left Labour government could go "all the way" and propose membership of the bloc, once it has weighed the "pros and cons" of different possible relationships with Europe. For the European perspective, FRANCE 24's Dave Keating reports from Brussels.

No 10 Gathering Evidence on Public Support for UK Rejoining EU

THE GUARDIAN: Senior Downing Street officials reach out to thinktanks and pollsters as they look to test backing for reversing Brexit

Senior Downing Street officials have been reaching out to thinktanks and pollsters as they look to test public support for the UK rejoining the EU.

Aides to Andy Burnham have been talking to EU experts in a range of organisations about how the public would view a promise to rejoin, as momentum builds behind including such a pledge in the next Labour manifesto.

Some in No 10 are keen to promise that Labour would at least negotiate over re-entry to the bloc, something Burnham has previously said he wants to see happen “in his lifetime”. Others are nervous, however, that making such a promise could revive the flagging political fortunes of Nigel Farage, the Reform UK leader.

Burnham used his first Labour conference speech as leader to announce a review of the options for Britain’s relationship with Europe, and added on Wednesday that these options should include rejoining entirely.

The prime minister told delegates on Tuesday: “Brexit has done more harm than good. So I will take the opportunity around the [UK-EU] summit to lay out to you, to lay out to the country, what I believe are the different options for Britain’s long-term relationship with our European partners.” » | Kiran Stacey and Lisa O’Carroll | Wednesday, September 30, 2026

Camilla Tominey, Ed Conway & Jenny Chapman Debate Andy Burnham's Take on Britain's "Wrong Turns"

Sep 2, 2026 | In his first appearance at the government despatch box in 16 years, Andy Burnham tells MPs he knows what's gone 'wrong' with the country - blaming the economic policies of both Tory and Labour governments since the 1980s, compounded by Brexit. Is he right? And does he have solutions to fix it? The Daily Telegraph's Camilla Tominey, Sky News's Ed Conway and Labour Peer Jenny Chapman join the Newsnight panel to discuss. Interview by Victoria Derbyshire.

Related link here »

Burnham Blames Brexit and Thatcher: Is He Right about Britain’s Problems? | Jeremy Vine

September 2, 2026 | In his first Commons address as Prime Minister, Burnham blamed both for years of low growth, saying Britain needs more substantial change on the economy and cost of living.

Supporters say he has a point. They argue Brexit damaged trade, investment and confidence, while decades of privatisation and underinvestment left Britain with weak growth, poor infrastructure and squeezed public services.

Critics say Burnham is looking backwards. They argue Margaret Thatcher left office more than 35 years ago, Brexit happened a decade ago, and the new Prime Minister now needs to focus on solutions rather than blame.

There is also the question of delivery. With bills, food prices, mortgages and energy costs still putting pressure on households, can Burnham really make people feel better off?

So is Burnham right to blame Brexit and Thatcher, or should he stop pointing to the past and prove he can fix the future?


Distance lends perspective. As a one-time huge fan of Thatcher, I have the following to say…

Margaret Thatcher was the architect of many of our economic problems today. She did some things that were very good; it’s true. But it must also be said that she harmed the British economy as well, especially by selling off so many of this country’s valuable assets. As Harold Macmillan said: Thatcher sold off the family silver. This is his actual quote:

“The sale of assets is common with individuals and states when they run into financial difficulties. …

First of all the Georgian silver goes, and then all that nice furniture that used to be in the saloon. Then the Canalettos go.” — Harold Macmillan, November 8, 1985

At the time, it seemed that she was working miracles with the UK economy, but those apparent miracles turned out to be short-term fixes — short-term dreams, but long-term nightmares.

Further, Thatcher (and her buddy, Reagan, in the States) were the root cause of the huge wealth gap that we have today.

So much for Thatcherism; so much for Reaganomics! — © Mark Alexander

The Brexit Campaign | BBC Newscast

Sep 1, 2026 | Today, we hear what it was like to be inside the leave and remain camps from those who managed the campaigns behind the scenes.

Sir Craig Oliver, who was in charge of communications for the Remain campaign, and chief executive of Vote Leave Matthew Elliott meet for the first time in the Newscast studio.

Nick Clegg: No Other Country Has Punched Itself in the Face Like Britain

Nick Clegg speaks the truth and eminent good sense.

Alastair Campbell on Why Andy Burnham Could Succeed Where Others Failed | Talk to Al Jazeera

July 26, 2026 | Alastair Campbell, former spokesman to UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, says Brexit left Britain weaker and less confident, triggering years of political instability and seven prime ministers in a decade.

He believes Andy Burnham has the empathy and leadership to turn the country around, but only if he can rebuild the economy, restore trust and lead the UK beyond the Brexit era. He warns that the Labour Party must win on its own agenda; not by trying to out-Reform Reform or out-Green the Greens.

Gibraltar Scraps Border Checks with Spain | DW News

Jul 16, 2026 | After years of post-Brexit wrangling, border checks between Spain and the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar have been abolished. The move changes everyday life for some 15,000 daily commuters in Spain's far south but also sheds light on post-Brexit Europe. Jason Dittmer, Professor of Political Geography, tells DW this marks a 'new era' in relations between Gibraltar and the EU.

Sir John Major in Conversation with The Independent on the 10th Anniversary of Brexit

Jun 26, 2026 | Sir John Major has given an exclusive interview to The Independent editor-in-chief Geordie Greig, speaking about the impact of Brexit, Nigel Farage’s impact on Britain leaving the European Union, and posing a challenge to Andy Burnham if he were to become Labour leader.

The former prime minister was speaking to The Independent as part of its Europe: The Way Back campaign - launched to explore ways to rebuild Britain's future relationship with Europe.


On the question of Brexit, I agree with Sir John Major. On Kemi Badenoch, on the other hand, I most certainly do not. I am shocked by Sir John Major’s take on her. Kemi Badenoch is four-square against this country’s return to Europe. She also has a number of other whacko ideas. I would wager that the Conservative Party will never be a party that appeals to the British electorate under her leadership. Badenoch is no Margaret Thatcher! She has no mass appeal.

Moreover, how can John Major rue our leaving the European Union AND be for a leader of the Conservative Party who is such a strong Brexiteer? — © Mark Alexander

‘A Total, Utter Nightmare’: Small Businesses on Brexit, 10 Years On

THE GUARDIAN: Cheesemakers, farmers, exporters and wine merchants say red tape, lack of vision and rising costs mean they have stopped trading, sold up or retired early

Out of pocket, out of business, retired early. These are the tales of the “sunlit uplands” experienced by small-to-medium-sized businesses across Britain after Brexit.

Between 16,000 to 20,000 businesses stopped exporting to the EU altogether, but others who soldiered on complain Boris Johnson’s government catered for the “blue chips”, not the small, everyday companies when they designed the hard Brexit for Britain.

Cheshire cheesemaker Simon Spurrell says Brexit didn’t just leave him with a £250,000 hole in his small but fast-growing firm, but ultimately lost him his business.

Back in 2021, he described Brexit as the “biggest disaster” any government has negotiated. Looking back, nothing has changed his view.

“Brexit is the biggest self-harm that any government has inflicted on itself in recent history,” he says.

n the first few weeks of 2021, Ben Fletcher, the head of Logistics UK and then at Make UK, described Brexit as “Dante’s fifth circle of hell”.

Five years later? “We got even further down, to Dante’s seventh or eighth circle of hell, at its worst,” he says.

Spurrell was a case in point. He discovered he could no longer export his award-winning cheese to the EU because every sale, even those only worth £30, would need to be accompanied by a £180 health certificate confirming they conformed with EU standards. He sold out to a bigger company that could cope with the paperwork.

“Every small business that issues animal foodstuff – meat, cheese, dairy, eggs, even pet food – suffered massively because they didn’t have the luxury of a large organisation that could blend in the paperwork and have someone dedicated to doing that,” says Spurrell. » | Lisa O’Carroll | Senior correspondent | Wednesday, June 24, 2026

Nobody with even a basic understanding of economics would ever have voted for Brexit. Brexit is, was, and will forever be the wet dream of losers, backward-thinking people, fossils, and the mentally-challenged!

We, the people, and small and medium-sized businesses have suffered greatly as a result Brexit. People like that mouthy, self-enriching, money-grubber and charlatan, Nigel Farage, hexed this country’s economy with that ridiculous notion of regaining our sovereignty. First of all, we never lost our sovereignty in the first place; rather, we pooled it with our brethren in Europe. Second, before the talk of Brexit, I very much doubt whether the average person in the street would have been able to define sovereignty anyway! Most normal people worry about having money in their pockets to be able to enjoy life, put food on the table, and keep themselves afloat. They care little about such abstract notions as sovereignty.

For me personally, Brexit added greatly to my grief. On May 1st that year, my life’s partner had died before my very eyes; so I was already grief-stricken as it was. On the 23rd of June, that year—2016—along came the shattering result of Brexit. I burst into tears; Brexit intensified my already extremely painful heartache and grief. With the death of my American partner, I had lost my window to the West; now, because of Brexit, I had lost my window to the East as well!

I know that I am probably not in any way typical of the average Briton, but I can honestly say, hand on heart, thaI I feel European with every fibre of my being. And with Brexit, that clown and jester had stripped me and millions of other Britons of a possible future in Europe. My window of possibilities was shattered into smithereens.

I shall never forgive Farage for the fiasco of Brexit, because he caused me far too much grief, pain, and sorrow. And it was all for mothing anyway. We the people gained no advantage from Brexit, and our economy has flatlined ever since. The only thing I can think of that certainly hasn’t flatlined is Farage’s bank balance! — © Mark Alexander

The U.K. Is Still Counting the Cost of Brexit, 10 Years After the Vote

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Citing lower trade and investment, analysts broadly agree that Britain’s economy is smaller than it would have been if the country had stayed in the E.U.

This photo is from this NYT article. | Ten years ago, British voters approved by a slim margin a proposal for the country to leave the European Union. The economic results, economists say, have not been glowing. | Andrew Testa for The New York Times
Just before Britain’s fateful referendum on its membership to the European Union 10 years ago, the government of the day gave a stark warning. A vote to leave the bloc would lead to “an immediate and profound shock” to the economy. By a slim margin, the public voted to leave anyway.

The economic warnings were wrong, but only in their timing.

Brexit has damaged the British economy and the costs have steadily accumulated over the past decade, greatly outweighing any benefits, economists say. More visibly, Brexit has unleashed a torrent of political instability: The country will soon get its seventh prime minister since the June 23, 2016 vote, after Keir Starmer announced his resignation on Monday.

The turmoil has led to a sense of regret: In a recent poll, nearly half of Britons said that Brexit was going worse than expected, up sharply from five years ago. Another survey found that just over half would support rejoining the European Union.

It is hard to be precise about the cost of Brexit, given the other hits to the British economy since the referendum, including the Covid-19 pandemic, President Trump’s tariffs and the wars in Ukraine and Iran. Here’s what to know about the economic impact so far, according to several recent reports. » | Eshe Nelson | Reporting from London | Tuesday, June 23, 2026

Ten WASTED years! Ten years of BELLYACHING! Ten years of FALSE HOPES! For that CAULDRON of HOPELESSNESS, we can thank David Cameron's extremely poor political judgment, BoJo's desire for the keys to Number 10, come what may and regardless of the cost either to Britons or Europeans, and last but certainly not least, the SNAKEOIL SALESMAN par excellence — Nigel Farage.

There are many other blackguards on the Brexit horizon as well, but those are the three MAIN characters. There were several others who caused untold damage to the UK economy, and yet others who couldn't stop salivating because of the money they made from Brexit and other people's misery. People such as Jacob Rees-Mogg who spent his time selling suckers fairy stories about how well off they would be if we left the European Union! That didn't work out too well, did it?

So now, we have a mountain to climb to get back into the European Union AS FULL MEMBERS, minus the so-called opt-outs and the usual British moaning and groaning, and hopefully embracing the euro.

Outside of the EU, I feel like a fish out of water. I am sure I am not alone.

So, let us commence our arduous but exciting journey back to the heart of Europe, where we belong! — © Mark Alexander

Anthem of Europe: Ode to Joy »

Three in Five Gen Z Britons Would Like New Vote to Rejoin EU, Poll Finds

THE GUARDIAN: Exclusive: Data reveals 60% of 18 to 28-year-olds would vote to rejoin bloc if given the opportunity

Screenshot taken from this Mi>Guardian article. | Demonstrators in favour of rejoining the EU in London this month. Hostility toward the UK’s exit from the EU is strongest among the youngest adults. Photograph: Wiktor Szymanowicz/Future Publishing/Getty Images
A generation of young Britons who were locked out of the 2016 EU referendum because of their age now believe that Brexit has failed, with a majority demanding a fresh vote to rejoin the EU, exclusive polling shows.

Gen Z Britons show deep dissatisfaction with the UK’s departure from the EU, according to new polling of 18- to 28-year-olds conducted by the thinktank More in Common and shared with the Guardian.

The data reveals that 60% of this cohort would vote to rejoin the bloc if given the opportunity, compared with 9% who would vote to stay out.

When filtering the results to focus solely on those likely to cast a ballot in a hypothetical second referendum, the margin becomes a landslide, with the pro-EU Remain/Rejoin camp capturing 81% of the vote against just 19% for remaining outside.

The More in Common study, which surveyed 440 young people across Britain, shows that 50% of gen Z Britons categorise Brexit as a failure. In contrast, only 16% view the project as a success, while 34% remain undecided. » | Jamie Grierson | Tuesday, June 23, 2026

Three in five Gen Z Britons PLUS this forward-thinking baby boomer! 😊

What Britain needs right now to bring about our return to the European Union is a REAL LEADER with BALLS! A leader with SPUNK. — © Mark Alexander