Brexit: A Decade Later, the Leftwing Case Revisited
Ten years after the Brexit vote, Guardian columnist Larry Elliott stands by his support for leaving the European Union. On the morning after the referendum, the Guardian newsroom was in shock, with most columnists having backed remain. Elliott, the exception, faced disapproval from colleagues but was given a platform by the editor to present his leftwing case for Brexit. He now restates that case, arguing it remains relevant.
Europe Isn't Working: Economic Lag and Stagnation
Elliott contends that the economic case for EU membership has weakened over time. When Britain first applied to join the European Economic Community, major European economies were growing faster and closing the gap with the US. That is no longer true. Since the 2008 financial crisis, the US economy has grown by 87%, compared to the EU's 13.5%—more than six times faster. While the Office for Budget Responsibility estimated the UK economy would be 4% smaller 15 years after the referendum due to leaving the single market, Elliott is skeptical. Former Chancellor Jeremy Hunt, a remain supporter, told the BBC that such growth would require UK performance matching the US, which he finds implausible.
Brexit Highlighted UK's Flawed Economic Model
Brexit exposed weaknesses in Britain's financial services-dominated economy and offered a chance to try alternatives. Elliott argues that serious economic reform requires freedom of manoeuvre that EU membership restricts. Examples include the government imposing tariffs to protect steel and cutting duties on 100 imported food products to ease the cost of living crisis. He notes that if Andy Burnham aims to reverse '40 years of neoliberalism,' it would require curbs on free movement of capital, goods, and people—forbidden by single-market rules.
A Howl of Anger from Marginalised Communities
Brexit was a protest from parts of Britain feeling marginalised by deindustrialisation and globalisation. Elliott says this was a problem for both major parties, especially Labour, which since the late 1980s accepted the right's economic arguments and focused on cultural battles. The TUC was seduced by Jacques Delors' vision of a social Europe, but those gains proved illusory as the EU embraced austerity and neoliberalism. Being pro-EU became about identity—marking oneself as progressive and tolerant—rather than economic outcomes.
Labour's Vacuum After the Financial Crisis
Tony Blair's governments embraced globalisation, but when the 2008 financial crisis hit, Labour had no alternative analysis. Austerity filled the void, causing hardship for working-class communities already hit by loss of manufacturing jobs and public services. Sociologist Frank Furedi, in his book In Defence of Populism, describes Brexit as 'an astonishingly powerful response to the double betrayal of the people,' rejecting technocratic elites and challenging globalist ideology.
Class Still Matters: Burnham's Vision
Elliott believes Brexit showed class still matters in politics. Andy Burnham, after winning the Makerfield by-election, spoke of constituents voting for change and more power for the north. Elliott concludes that Brexit itself alters nothing but creates an opportunity for change—and has unleashed demands for action that will not be stilled. For him, that is a good thing.
