Nissan Sunderland: A Symbol of Manufacturing Decline
The fate of Nissan's factory in Sunderland was a totemic issue before the 2016 referendum. For leave supporters, it represented British manufacturing prowess; for remainers, it symbolized potential loss. The British car industry opposed leaving the EU, with then-CEO Carlos Ghosn arguing that remaining made sense for jobs, trade, and costs. However, Sunderland voted 61% to 39% for Brexit.
After the vote, Prime Minister Theresa May could not publicly admit Brexit threatened jobs at Nissan, giving Ghosn leverage. The Japanese carmaker received £61m in state aid in a deal kept secret for over two years, followed by another £101m in late 2022. Despite this support, the factory's output dropped from 507,000 cars in 2016 to 273,000 last year. The decline is partly masked by other challenges, but a potential deal with Chinese manufacturer Chery offers a lifeline, albeit preserving rather than adding jobs.
Brexit's cost to the wider UK automotive industry is clear. Chinese carmaker Xpeng's vice-chair Brian Gu said the EU is a priority for investment, as it is a large single market, implying the UK is less attractive.
The Thames Flotilla and Fishing Industry Disappointment
During the campaign, a fleet of Brexit-supporting fishing crews led by Nigel Farage clashed with a pro-remain flotilla led by Bob Geldof. Fishers blamed the EU for their industry's decline, with over 90% voting leave. Despite fishing accounting for only 0.3% of the economy, it was a key Brexit prize.
Post-Brexit, Boris Johnson's 2020 deal allowed EU boats to fish six miles off the UK coast until 2025, leaving many fishers feeling betrayed. In 2024, Keir Starmer extended EU access to 2038 as part of his 'reset' deal. Mike Cohen of the National Federation of Fishermen's Organisations said fishers were 'enormously aggrieved,' expecting something in return for access. The UK distant waters fleet now consists of just one vessel, the Kirkella, after quotas were slashed in negotiations with Norway.
UK seafood imports reached £4.1bn last year, double exports (£2bn). British consumers prefer shellfish exports to Europe, now complicated by Brexit. Stricter immigration rules also hindered recruitment of skilled overseas workers. Derek Meredith, a Devon fisherman, said 'nothing changed with Brexit' and rising costs make it harder to survive.
Blue Passports: A Pyrrhic Victory
The blue passport, rolled out in 2020, was a tangible Brexit benefit. However, about 70% of the 54m UK passports are still the old navy colour, with burgundy ones expected to be extinct by 2030. While British passport holders once fast-tracked through EU borders, they now share a lane with other non-EU travellers and face stamping each time.
The EU's entry-exit system (EES) has caused delays, and a future €20 fee (Etias) will add to costs. Transport operators have spent millions on EES machines. Airlines like easyJet created new companies and relicensed aircraft. Demand for Irish passports surged 2,500% since the referendum, highlighting a shift in identity.
Care Home Workers: Recruitment Crisis
The toxic Brexit debate left EU care workers anxious. Nadra Ahmed of the National Care Association noted disquiet before the vote. Recruiting EU workers became impossible, according to Raj Sehgal, who runs six care homes in Norfolk. Kieran McCormick, a recruitment agency owner, said European healthcare worker volumes 'fell off the face of the earth.'
During the pandemic, recruitment eased temporarily, but many EU workers did not return. Unfilled care vacancies in England rose from 78,000 in 2016-17 to 132,000 five years later. In response, the government allowed overseas recruitment from February 2022, leading to a surge in health and care visa applications, peaking at 161,600 in 2023. By 2024, 24% of the social care workforce was from non-EU countries, up from 9% in 2017. However, rule changes in 2024 banned care workers from bringing families and effectively ended overseas recruitment. Sehgal now struggles to find local workers, and McCormick notes the minimum wage makes care work unattractive compared to retail.
The City Skyscraper: Adaptation and Boom
Before the referendum, developer Axa put the 22 Bishopsgate skyscraper on hold, fearing Brexit damage to London's financial hub status. Executives warned of job relocations to Frankfurt, Paris, and Dublin. Estimates suggested up to 75,000 City jobs could be lost. However, Miles Celic of TheCityUK recalled being rebuffed by Brexit minister David Davis, who said the industry was 'big enough and smart enough to look after itself.'
Ultimately, only 7,000 jobs moved to continental Europe, according to EY's 2022 tracker. The City employs about 1.1 million people today, and regulators have scrapped banker bonus caps and loosened listing rules. The 22 Bishopsgate project resumed after four months and was completed in 2020.
