- Number 10 rejects suggestion the UK has not benefited economically from Brexit
Rishi Sunak today dismissed Nigel Farage’s claim that “Brexit has failed” after the former UKIP leader criticized the “useless” Tories for “mismanagement” of the UK’s exit from the EU.
The Prime Minister rejected a suggestion from Farage, now chairman of Reform UK, that Britain had not benefited economically from cutting ties with Brussels.
Downing Street pointed to new freedoms for farmers and an overhaul of Britain’s agricultural sector as just some of the ways Brexit has boosted the UK.
It came after Mr Farage told BBC News Night program that the Government was “driving companies away from our country” and strangling companies in regulation.
He claimed ministers had “failed to deliver on Brexit” and did not rule out a return to frontline party politics, after he resigned as leader of Reform UK, formerly known as the Brexit Party, in 2021.
Nigel Farage claimed “Brexit has failed” and attacked “useless” Conservative ministers for “mismanagement” of the UK’s exit from the EU.
But the Prime Minister rejected the suggestion from Farage, now chairman of Reform UK, that Britain had not benefited economically from cutting ties with Brussels.
Asked whether economically it would have been better for Britain to remain within the EU, Farage said: ‘I don’t believe that for a moment.
“But what I do believe is that we haven’t actually benefited economically from Brexit, when we could have.”
“I fear that what Brexit has shown is that our politicians are as useless as the commissioners in Brussels were.
‘We have managed this totally badly. And if we look at simple things like acquisitions, like corporate tax, we are taking business away from our country.
‘Arguably now that we have regained control, we are regulating our own businesses even more than we were as EU members. “Brexit has failed.”
Asked if he would consider returning to the frontline of party politics, Farage added: “I wouldn’t rule it out.” It’s not the first thing on my wish list.
“But, frankly, we haven’t delivered on borders, we haven’t delivered on Brexit, we’ve been massively let down by the Conservatives.”
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman today insisted that Sunak, who hosted an agricultural summit in Number 10 this morning, does not agree with Farage’s views on Brexit.
“The Prime Minister has spoken about the benefits of Brexit on several occasions,” he said.
‘Just thinking about agriculture, we’re talking about some of the benefits of moving away from the bureaucratic Common Agricultural Policy that diverted money to the biggest landowners – 50 per cent going to the biggest 10 per cent.
“We now have a fairer system tailored to British farmers after Brexit.”
The spokesperson also highlighted new freedoms to use gene editing technology to allow farmers to “mimic the natural reproduction process to help them grow more nutritious and productive crops.”
“These are just two examples in a sector of the benefits enjoyed by the UK public and businesses,” he added.