The breakdown of the US and UK trade deal should be a hammer blow to Brexit mythology

When it comes to the concept of Brexit, one of the saddest and most emotional aspects of it was the level of exceptionalism that was applied to the decision made by many of those 17.4 million people who voted to Leave the European Union in 2016. 

Exceptionalism comes in the form of those individuals whose unwavering belief in the ‘Leave’ project dictated from the moment that we left the EU, Britain would be a hot commodity; we could finally trade outside the bloc and arrive on the doorsteps of most nations, and because we believe in Britain, and because Britain has been elevated to a certain status in people’s minds, these other nations would open their arms to us. 

I gather in the 1700s and 1800s, we would have approached them with guns and swords.

In 2022, we come bearing trade deals.

The reason why this is so emotional - for many - is because ultimately it’s a form of grief over the loss of our nation when they realise, ‘actually, Britain isn’t a global player on a world stage any more.’ 

As we witnessed with the almost complete breakdown in talks between the US and the UK over the coveted post-Brexit trade deal which economists (at least in the US) have been warning about for years.