The Brexit Files examines the claims, promises and consequences of Brexit using primary sources and reliable evidence. We separate what was said from what can be established, acknowledge uncertainty where it exists, and provide sources so you can examine the evidence for yourself.
This short introduction explains what The Brexit Files will investigate, how we approach the evidence, and the questions we’ll explore about Britain’s relationship with Europe.
Brexit ended automatic free movement for young Britons, changing the rules for working, studying and travelling in Europe. We examine what was lost, what replaced Erasmus+, and what is now being rebuilt.
Brexit promised no hard Irish border and no new barriers within the UK. We examine how the Northern Ireland Protocol and Windsor Framework tried to reconcile those goals — and where the border problem ultimately went.
Brexit gave Britain more freedom to regulate business. But customs declarations, rules of origin and dual standards created new paperwork for firms trading with Europe.
Brexit gave Britain more control over health policy, immigration and medicines. But did those changes actually make the NHS stronger?
Brexit gave Britain an independent trade policy. But have new deals with Australia, New Zealand, CPTPP and India outweighed new barriers with the EU?
Brexit ended the general supremacy of EU law and gave Britain greater regulatory freedom. But did Parliament ever really lose sovereignty — and how much freedom does the UK have now?
Brexit ended EU free movement and gave Britain more control over immigration policy. So why did net migration later hit a record high — and why has it now fallen?
The £350 million NHS claim became the defining image of the Brexit campaign. Here is what Britain actually paid, what the NHS later received, and why those are not the same question.
What did Brexit promise, what actually happened, and what choices does Britain have now? An evidence-led look at trade, immigration, sovereignty, the NHS and the UK’s future in Europe.
Britain left the Common Fisheries Policy and gained more quota. But EU vessels still fish in UK waters, with reciprocal access now agreed until 2038.
