I do wish the Guardian would stop keeping track of things we said that turned out to be not quite right. This article is quite rude…
11 Brexit promises the government quietly dropped
Leaving aside the £350m for the NHS, Brexit has promised quick and easy trade deals with the EU and the rest of the world, an end to ECJ jurisdiction and free movement, and British control of North Sea fishing. None of this has come to pass. Here are 11 key abandoned claims
Wed 28 Mar 2018 14.46 BST
Last modified on Thu 29 Mar 2018 09.02 BST
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1
Promise
Brexit will be easy, and have no downsides
Brexit will be easy, and have no downsides
There will be no downside to Brexit, only a considerable upside
David Davis
10 October 2016
The day after we vote to leave, we hold all the cards and we can choose the path we want
Michael Gove
9 April 2016
Getting out of the EU can be quick and easy – the UK holds most of the cards
John Redwood
July 17 2016
The free trade agreement that we will have to do with the European Union should be one of the easiest in human history
Liam Fox
20 July 2017
Reality
David Davis now says: ‘Nobody has ever pretended this will be easy. I have always said this negotiation will be tough, complex and at times confrontational’
2
Promise
Trade talks would take place in parallel with divorce talks
Trade talks would take place in parallel with divorce talks
How on earth do you resolve the issue of the border with Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland unless you know what our general borders policy is, what the customs agreement is, what our trade agreement is? It’s wholly illogical … That’ll be the row of the summer
David Davis
14 May 2017
Most of the EU states are very sympathetic to our view
David Davis
15 May 2017
We have to establish the ground rules. The first crisis or argument is is going to be over the question of sequencing
David Davis
21 May 2017
Reality
Davis caved in on the first day of talks on 19 June 2017
3
Promise
The UK did not need a transition deal and would not be subject to EU rules or budgets during one
The UK did not need a transition deal and would not be subject to EU rules or budgets during one
We’re not really interested in a transition deal, but we’ll consider one to be kind to the EU
David Davis
15 November 2016
The idea that we’ll do a transitional arrangement where you’re still in, paying money, still with free movement of people – that we’ll do the long-term deal in slow motion … That is plainly not what we’re after
David Davis
15 March 2016
We made it clear that control of our own borders was one of the elements we wanted in the referendum, and unregulated free movement [during transition] would seem to me not to keep faith with that decision
Liam Fox
30 July 2016
Reality
The UK will have to abide by all EU rules and regulations including those agreed by members states during the 21-month transition
4
Promise
The transition serves merely to implement the final trade deal, which would be agreed by Brexit day
The transition serves merely to implement the final trade deal, which would be agreed by Brexit day
I believe that we can get a free trade and customs agreement concluded before March 2019
David Davis
18 January 2017
The point of the implementation period is to put in place the practical changes necessary to move to the future partnership, and for that you need to know what the future partnership is going to be
Theresa May
23 October 2017
Reality
The transition period will be used to negotiate (as much as possible) of the future relationship, not to implement a relationship that is already agreed
Many EU capitals believe even the 21-month transition period will not be anywhere near long enough to conclude a comprehensive free trade agreement and will have to be extended.
5
Promise
The transition would be short but open-ended
The transition would be short but open-ended
The period’s duration should be determined simply by how long it will take to prepare and implement the new processes and new systems that will underpin the future partnership
Government transition paper
21 February 2018
These considerations point to an implementation period of around two years
Theresa May
22 September 2017
Reality
The period is fixed at 21 months, with no easy way to extend it
This merely postpones the regulatory cliff edge business is desperate to avoid until December 2020. Even this measure of stability is uncertain, since the transition period could be rescinded if there is not wider agreement this autumn.
6
Promise
The UK would owe no money to the EU after it left in March 2019
The UK would owe no money to the EU after it left in March 2019
The last time we went through line by line and challenged quite a lot of the legal basis of these things, and we’ll continue to do that … [Of rumours of a £40bn bill:] They sort of made that up
David Davis
25 September 2017
Because we will no longer be members of the single market, we will not be required to pay huge sums into the EU budget
Theresa May
17 January 2017
The sums I have seen that they propose to demand from this country seem to me to be extortionate and I think that ‘go whistle’ is an entirely appropriate expression
Boris Johnson
11 July 2017
Reality
UK told EU in November 2017 that it was ready to honour its share of all financial commitments made while it was a member of the bloc, estimated at €40bn to €45bn, through the transition period
It has since become clear payments will continue until about 2064, and indefinitely if the UK wants to continue to be part of EU agencies and programmes.
7
Promise
A raft of new trade deals would be ready on 29 March 2019
A raft of new trade deals would be ready on 29 March 2019
Within two years, before the negotiation with the EU is likely to be complete, and therefore before anything material has changed, we can negotiate a free trade area massively larger than the EU … The new trade agreements will come into force at the point of exit, but they will be fully negotiated
David Davis
14 July 2016
Reality
Britain has won the right to negotiate deals with third countries during the transition period (not before) but they cannot be implemented until after December 2020
New deals will anyway take a long time to negotiate, especially since few countries are likely to want to sign them until they know the state of the UK’s final relationship with the EU. And while the EU will ask third countries with which it has trade deals to keep Britain in them, there is no certainty they will.
8
Promise
A high-tech customs solution would make frictionless borders simple
A high-tech customs solution would make frictionless borders simple
The UK is currently implementing a new customs declaration service, which will replace the existing HMRC customs system. This is a high-priority project within government and HMRC is on track to deliver by January 2019
Department for Exiting the EU
15 August 2017
I am confident that using the most up-to-date technology, we can get a non-visible border operational along the border between Northern Ireland and Ireland
David Davis
5 September 2017
Reality
Theresa May now concedes customs arrangements are difficult and will take time to set up
May told the Commons liaison committee on 27 March 2018: “I think it is fair to say that, as we get into the detail and as we look at these arrangements, then what becomes clear is that sometimes the timetables that have originally been set are not the timetables that are necessary when you actually start to look at the detail and when you delve into what it really is that you want to be able to achieve.”
9
Promise
Free movement would come to an end on 29 March 2019; any EU citizens arriving after that date would be subject to a different immigration regime
Free movement would come to an end on 29 March 2019; any EU citizens arriving after that date would be subject to a different immigration regime
It is a simple matter of fact that the four key principles of the European Union include free movement – we won’t be a member of the European Union when we leave
Brandon Lewis
27 July 2017
Free movement will end in March 2019
Government spokesperson
July 31 2017
I’m clear that there is a difference between those people who come prior to us leaving and those who will come when they know the UK is no longer a member
Theresa May
1 February 2017
Reality
Free movement continues, the only difference being a registration system for newcomers
Even May’s commitment that arrivals after Brexit day would be treated differently was abandoned in the negotiations. EU citizens arriving in Britain before the end of the transition period will be treated as before.
10
Promise
There would be no role for the European court of justice in Britain after Brexit day
There would be no role for the European court of justice in Britain after Brexit day
The simple truth is we are leaving. We are going to be outside the reach of the European court
David Davis
14 May 2017
The authority of EU law in this country has ended forever … We are not leaving only to return to the jurisdiction of the ECJ. That’s not going to happen
Theresa May
5 October 2016
Reality
The ECJ will have full jurisdiction during the transition period and the ECJ interpretation of relevant civil rights laws are likely to hold thereafter
In addition, the transition agreement makes clear that Britain will be “consulted” but is expected to ensure the “proper implementation and application” of all new draft EU rules and regulations during transition.
11
Promise
Britain will take back control of its fisheries after Brexit
Britain will take back control of its fisheries after Brexit
Leaving the EU means we will take back full control of our territorial waters and for the first time in 50 years will be able to grant fishing access for other countries on our terms
Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
3 August 2017
The UK will regain control over our domestic fisheries management rules and access to our waters
Theresa May
3 March 2017
Reality
The EU will have continued access to UK fishing waters throughout the transition period and has demanded reciprocal access afterwards too as a condition of any future trade deal
