5. Forty years later - and it's still not clear why we should be part of the EU

Voters knew what they were doing in June 2016.  The vast majority of voters (both 'leave' and 'remain') were very well aware that leaving the EU would have consequences. The great preponderance of 'experts', who opined on the issue, were clearly of the view that Brexit - were it to happen - would at best lead to a period of uncertainty and at worst could cause a serious and sustained economic downturn. But, despite all the warnings, 17.4mn people voted to leave.

They didn’t simply wake up on the morning of 23 June 2016 and suddenly decide that they no longer wanted to be part of the EU. By that point, dissatisfaction with the EU had been simmering for more than 40 years. Generally speaking the people of the United Kingdom are a fairly tolerant bunch. As a country we tend not to rush into things and, by and large, we are prepared to give people a chance.  

By any measure, the EU has had its chance. The EU has had four decades to convince the British people of its merits. It has failed to do so. Nor is it simply a question of ‘bendy bananas’ and dissatisfaction with the never-ending stream of seemingly pointless and petty rules that flow from Brussels. The people of this country are not stupid. We all, or at least nearly all of us, accept the need for rules and regulations. After all, we British know how to form a queue and, much as we might find double yellow lines and traffic wardens intensely irritating, we do understand why we need to have them. Had it been the case that peoples' lives were clearly better off as a consequence of our membership of the EU, 17.4mn people would not have voted leave. 

In a nutshell, the EU has failed the sniff test. It has failed to explain to people why we are all better off being part of the great EU 'project'. That is why people voted to leave.