Les opportunités du Brexit ?

The meaning of Brexit means remains opaque and contested. In the immediate future, the UK-EU relationship depends on solving the Northern Ireland Protocol dispute, an essential pillar of the 2020 Withdrawal Agreement. Without mutual agreement, a major confrontation looms. The economic consequences of Brexit have so far been negative. Its fervent advocates and increasingly the electorate are disappointed ? but for opposing reasons. Liz Truss, the former British prime minister, was aiming for a ?new era? of economic growth, stimulated by a right-wing programme of tax cuts and deregulation, in which ?taking advantage of the opportunities of Brexit? will play a big, if unspecified role. How this will work out in practice is problematic. Speedy divergence from EU rules could lead to new tensions over ?unfair competition?. Meanwhile the opposition Labour party has rejected re-joining the EU, its single market or customs union: for sound electoral reasons, Sir Keir Starmer is firmly opposed to reopening the Brexit argument. However, its policy of ?making Brexit work?, while deliberately vague, holds out the promise of a more cooperative EU relationship. JEL Classification: F36, F38, F65, G18.