On the tenth anniversary of the EU referendum, Union flags were raised at two of Britain's most iconic locations. At Seven Sisters white cliffs in Sussex, a patriot hoisted the flag facing the English Channel. Outside Parliament in Westminster, Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice did the same. This symbolic act honored the people's victory over a political class that sought to keep Britain subservient to Brussels.
Express campaign trailblazer
The Daily Express began campaigning for Brexit in 2010, when it was a lone voice. On June 23, 2016, 17.4 million people voted to leave the European Union. A decade on, the fight for Britain's future remains critical, with the Express launching a 'Give Us A Proper Brexit' campaign. The country is in chaos after two years of Labour rule, and prime minister Sir Keir Starmer has been ousted in a coup. The Left is determined to rejoin the EU.
Boris Johnson reflects on Brexit victory
Former prime minister Boris Johnson said: "It was ten years ago that the people of this country voted to leave the European Union and I look back on that moment with undiminished joy – and continuing amazement. There were 17.4m people who had the courage to take back national control from the institutions of Brussels – more than have ever voted for any proposition or party in the history of our democracy." He added that the people defied the Establishment and voted for their ancient privilege to decide who runs their country.
History of Britain's EU journey
The struggle to leave the EU began in 1973 when the UK joined the EEC. In 1975, a referendum approved membership. Margaret Thatcher warned of a federal superpower in 1988. The Maastricht Treaty in 1993 established the EU, and Britain opted out of the social chapter. Nigel Farage was elected to the European Parliament in 1999 and led the campaign to leave. On January 23, 2020, the withdrawal agreement received Royal Assent, and January 31, 2020 became Brexit Day. The transition period ended a year later.
Johnson warns against reversal
Johnson warned that some are plotting to take Britain back into the EU: "Ever since that glorious morning in June 2016 there have been enthusiasts at work on a barely concealed plot to take us back in, and to put the yoke of Brussels back on our necks." The Express campaign fights against Labour's slow creep back towards the EU.
Nigel Farage praises Express
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said: "It’s been a heck of a journey. I sacrificed everything to do this. I always felt this was the right thing to do but I never met anybody in British politics with quite the same level of determination as I had. The Express crusade has been phenomenal. It was the same national newspaper that cried foul on the appeasement of Hitler back in the 1930s."
