Ten years and 7 PMs later, did Brexit make a difference?
The U.K. has seen seven Prime Ministers in the decade since the Brexit referendum, reflecting significant political instability. Despite promises to control borders and trade, data shows that net migration has increased significantly since the exit.
Why it matters
This analysis questions the efficacy of Brexit in achieving its primary political and social objectives, providing a retrospective look at a major geopolitical shift.
When Andy Burnham took charge as the U.K.’s Prime Minister on July 20, he became the seventh occupant of 10 Downing Street since the country decided to exit the European Union (EU) by a narrow margin in the Brexit referendum held in June 2016.
The fact that the U.K. has never seen these many Prime Ministers in any 10-year period in at least the last five decades speaks to the political volatility the country is witnessing. Although one cannot attribute the unprecedented revolving door of Prime Ministers to Brexit alone, the instability provides the backdrop to test whether the U.K.’s exit from the EU — which legally came into force in January 2020 — made any difference in meeting the objectives it purportedly wanted to achieve.
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