Britain is stuck with a failed Brexit that neither citizens or leaders want. Here are three ways to fix that | Stella Creasy

"Being right that Brexit was a bad idea is no substitute for knowing what to do next. Our chance of salvaging something from the mess it created is being undermined by those selling false hope either that Brexit can work, or that it can be easily undone. For the 16,000 businesses that have now given up trading with Europe because of paperwork, prospects remain bleak unless the government stops offering a sticking plaster and starts major surgery on our future with Europe."

"Until the summer, ministers promised to make Brexit work and endlessly repeated red lines. Yet in recent weeks, a major study has found that leaving the EU cost the UK 6-8% of GDP per capita; now the chancellor calls the damage of Brexit severe and long lasting; the prime minister condemns the wild promises of the Leave campaign. Belatedly, a window of opportunity to change course may be opening."

"Anyone pro-European should resist talk of rejoining not because Brexit was a good idea, but because to rejoin is, right now, an impossibility. Having dealt with our drama following the 2016 vote, asking the EU to indulge another referendum is like asking your neighbour to trust your next house party won't result in more insurance claims. Even if the EU agreed to a rejoin process, it would take several years to decide the terms."

Brexit has produced lasting economic damage, estimated at a 6–8% loss in GDP per capita, with the chancellor calling the harm severe and long-lasting. Thousands of businesses—around 16,000—have stopped trading with Europe because of paperwork, leaving them in bleak prospects. The government continues to offer small fixes rather than undertaking major changes to the UK’s relationship with Europe. Political momentum is shifting toward pro-European positions amid changing official statements and acknowledgements of broken promises. Rejoining the EU is presently infeasible; a re-entry process would take several years and would freeze other potential trade improvements. Tough tradeoffs and decisive policy choices are required.

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