Brexit, one year on: Is life in the UK better without Europe?

On June 23, 2016, 51.89 percent of British voters chose to leave the European Union. The vote was followed by years of tough negotiations to define the UK's future relationship with the bloc, while at home divisions ran deep over Brexit.

On January 31, 2020, the UK officially left the EU and began an 11-month transition period to allow all parties to get accustomed to new rules. But today, talks are far from over. Brussels and London find themselves at loggerheads over several issues, including fishing rights and the Northern Ireland protocol.

Our reporters Jonathan Walsh and Clovis Casali travelled around the UK to understand the impact of Brexit on the lives of ordinary people. London, Belfast and Boston – the town that voted the most strongly in favour of leaving the EU – are some of the places where they stopped. They met citizens hopeful that Brexit will stop immigration and others worried that their future outside of Europe will mean fewer opportunities.

Among those interviewed is Nigel Farage, a former Member of the European Parliament who led the campaign to leave the EU. He confesses that "Brexit doesn't guarantee success" and says Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government should do a lot better in dealing with the situation. 

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