A bad Brexit is a good reason to resume the debate to rejoin the EU - Yorkshire Post Letters

I doubt the two letters from Peter Auty (September 11 and 13) last week will have convinced anyone still weighing up Brexit’s legacy that it has been a triumph for Britain.

Mr Auty’s passion is clear and his language is likely reassuring to anyone still certain Britain’s future is better outside the EU. But labelling opponents “doom mongers” and the EU “unelected despots” - without explanation or justification - risks sounding more desperate than persuasive.

Indeed, for many people - including many who voted to leave the EU - the lived realities of Brexit are far from what was promised. Mr Auty maintains “Brexit has not failed”. But neither letter points to any meaningful Brexit successes.

The promises made if we left the EU haven’t been delivered. Instead of lower costs and less bureaucracy, businesses now face higher costs and increased bureaucracy when trading with Europe.

Farmers and exporters are struggling, the NHS and care sector face chronic staff shortages, and families feel rising prices daily. Few expected these outcomes.

Migration was also a key issue. Brexit was meant to reduce immigration, especially from the EU. Yet while temporary EU migration fell, overall net migration remains high due to increased arrivals from outside the EU for work and study - contrary to what many were led to believe during the referendum campaign.

Mr Auty says we’re “independent” now. We were already in the EU: Germany, France and every other member of the EU27 remain fully sovereign while benefiting from shared decision-making, easier trade and a stronger collective voice. Contrary to what Mr Auty says, they’re not “shackled and held back by the EU”. It explains why 10 countries seek to join and none have chosen to leave.

Brexit was chosen in good faith by many, despite being based on misleading claims made by a few. But good faith doesn’t guarantee good results. To thrive, Britain needs courage to reconsider what’s best for its people, the young generation, and its global role.

An open-minded conversation about rejoining the EU is not “a backwards trajectory” (Mr Auty’s words). It is about moving forward with a confident and sincere belief that there’s still a better future out there for Britain and its people.