Brexits decade of regret fuels growing calls to rejoin the EU

Ten years after the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union, a wave of regret is sweeping through communities that once championed Brexit. In Wigan, a former stronghold where nearly every voter backed departure in 2016, residents now describe the decision as a self-inflicted wound. “We shot ourselves in the foot,” one resident told *Svenska Dagbladet* on Friday, as the economic and social consequences of Brexit continue to deepen across the country.

The sentiment is echoed in economic assessments published this week. Germany’s *Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung* reported on Friday that a decade of trade barriers has left the British economy struggling under persistent handicaps, with little prospect of reversing course. “Ten years after the referendum, the consequences remain severe,” the paper wrote, noting that even regions that voted overwhelmingly for Brexit are now feeling the pinch. Meanwhile, *The National* in the UAE asked on Thursday whether Britain had achieved what it voted for, pointing to ongoing economic stagnation and strained supply chains as enduring legacies of the 2016 decision.

Campaigners are seizing on the anniversary to push for a reversal. On Friday, organisers of the National Rejoin March 2026 gathered in London, arguing that the case for rejoining the EU has grown stronger with each passing year. “Ten years on, the case for rejoining grows stronger,” the progressive outlet *Left Foot Forward* wrote, reflecting a shift in public discourse that was unimaginable in the immediate aftermath of the referendum.

The emotional and economic reckoning comes as the UK remains locked out of the single market and customs union, facing higher costs for imports and exports alike. In Wigan, a town that voted 63.6% in favour of Brexit, residents now describe daily life as more expensive and less connected. “It’s not just the economy,” one local told *Svenska Dagbladet*. “It’s the way people feel—like we’re on the outside looking in.”

While some political leaders continue to rule out rejoining the EU, the growing chorus of criticism suggests that the debate is far from settled. A podcast by *Euronews* this week explored how the ghosts of Brexit still linger, with experts warning that the UK’s isolation from Europe is likely to persist without a dramatic shift in policy. For now, the country remains divided—not just over the past, but over what comes next.