John FitzGerald: Brexit Remorse Is Not Enough to Turn Back the Clock

The United Kingdom's decision to leave the European Union, a decade on, has clearly not yielded the promised benefits. What was once a contentious political debate has now settled into a palpable sense of regret among the British public. This 'buyers' remorse' suggests that a second referendum, were it to happen, would likely see a decisive vote to reverse the original, arguably unwise, choice. The stark reality of Brexit's hollowness has replaced the abstract promises that once fueled the campaign.

“

A decade on from the UK Brexit vote, the UK has learned that referendums are tricky beasts, especially when they deal with very complicated issues.

Reflecting on Ireland's experience with EU treaties, where referendums required multiple attempts and thorough public debate to pass, highlights the flawed nature of the Brexit process. Unlike the careful preparation undertaken in Ireland, where economic implications were studied well in advance, the UK's path to Brexit lacked any meaningful groundwork. This oversight meant the electorate was ill-equipped to understand the profound consequences of their vote, a stark contrast to the proactive approach taken by Irish authorities.

“

In both cases Ireland had the time and understanding of its EU partners that allowed this complicated process to play out.

Furthermore, the notion of simply reversing Brexit is far more complicated than a mere rerun of the referendum. The UK government, even one more amenable to rejoining, faces significant hurdles. More crucially, the EU itself is unlikely to facilitate an easy return. Re-entry would necessitate negotiating an entirely new accession agreement, a process that could be complicated by the current focus of major member states like Germany on eastward expansion and internal EU stability. The bandwidth for considering the UK's return, let alone negotiating new terms, appears limited at present. From an Irish perspective, a UK re-engagement with the EU would undoubtedly be beneficial, but the practicalities suggest it remains a distant prospect.

“

In the case of the Brexit referendum, it is now clear that most of the UK electorate are suffering from buyers’ remorse and would, if there were a second referendum, vote to reverse the earlier unwise choice.