Was Brexit Done Properly? Addressing The Myth and Explaining What Really Happened

Talk2EU
Oct 2
5 min read

Was Brexit done properly? This explainer breaks down what the UK actually left, why the myth persists, and what different versions of Brexit could have meant.

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If you scroll through YouTube or TikTok comments anytime, you’ll see the same claims pop up, again and again, that “Brexit wasn’t done properly,” or that “Politicians wanted it to fail.”

If the Brexit we see today, which is messy, contains trade barriers, product shortages, red tape to trade, and not to mention the political rows, then maybe it wasn’t really finished.

Maybe the “real mythical Brexit” is still out there, waiting to be delivered?

Is that true?

No. Brexit was implemented.

The UK left the European Union in 2020, including the single market and customs union. The challenges people see for businesses, and that households face now, aren’t because Brexit was incomplete; they’re because Brexit involved unavoidable trade-offs.

This blog post looks at:

Was Brexit done properly?
What the UK actually left.
Why do people still believe Brexit wasn’t completed?
What other versions of Brexit are out there, or could have looked like?
Why does this myth keep resurfacing?

What Brexit Delivered (and Why It Was Complete)

The UK formally left the European Union on 31 January 2020, and the transition period ended on 31 December 2020 (1). Since then, Britain has been outside the EU’s political and economic structures, as a third country.

Was Brexit Done Properly? What the UK Actually Left.

Here’s what that actually means:

The Single Market: The UK left the EU’s single market. Goods and services moving between the UK and the European Union now face difficulties that did not exist before (2).
Customs Union: The UK left the customs union. This means that exporters and importers must complete customs paperwork, and delivery lorries face checks at borders (3).
Free Movement: The automatic right for EU and UK citizens to live and work in each other’s countries has come to an end. Work permits, visas and from this month, new systems mean that fingerprints are now required (4).
EU Institutions: The UK no longer participates in EU law-making bodies, the European Parliament, or the European Court of Justice.
EU Programmes: The UK left Erasmus, though it later rejoined Horizon Europe in a limited way (5), and discussions are happening around Erasmus for student exchanges.

The agreements that delivered this are the Withdrawal Agreement and the Trade and Cooperation Agreement. These were conveyed and signed by the UK government.

So, Brexit happened. It was done.

In Northern Ireland, they remained aligned with the Single Market for goods to avoid a border with the Republic of Ireland (10). That means that checks and paperwork are required for some goods moving between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, which continues to fuel political tensions.

Why Do People Say Brexit Wasn’t Done Properly?

If Brexit were implemented, why does the claim that it wasn’t still echo so loudly on social media?

We can see that there are a few reasons.

1. Politically Driven

Politicians who championed Brexit have since admitted that it has failed. Therefore, saying that it “wasn’t done properly” shifts the blame onto either Brussels, civil servants, or opponents at home in the UK, rather than the policy itself (6).

2. Moving Goalposts

For some, Brexit now means not just leaving the EU, but leaving every organisation that might limit sovereignty. That includes the European Convention on Human Rights, which isn’t even part of the EU. If that were the case, then Brexit may never be finished, and we will be stuck in an endless loop, because the definition can always shift further, and others can always be blamed.

3. For Comfort

The idea that “it wasn’t done properly” defends the belief that Brexit could have worked, by suggesting that it could have been carried out differently. This is a common pattern in politics: communists once said, “true socialism has never been tried” (11).

Brexiteers sometimes say the same about Brexit.

What Another Brexit Could Have Looked Like

Brexit could have taken different forms. The version chosen by the UK was only one way.

We could have had:

1. A “Softer Brexit” (like the Norway model): The UK could have stayed in the single market through the European Economic Area (EEA). Trade and free movement would have continued; however, the UK would have followed EU rules without a vote and a seat at the decision-making table.

2. A “Harder Brexit” (WTO terms): The UK could have left with no trade deal at all. This would have meant even more barriers, tariffs, increased prices and more disruption (7).

3. The “Thin Deal Brexit” (what happened): The UK left the single market and customs union, but signed a free trade agreement with the EU, avoiding tariffs on most goods, but requiring significant paperwork and checks (8). With the thin deal, the UK also has to follow EU rules without a vote and a seat at the decision-making table.

None of the versions is without its own set of complications.

Infographic showing Softer Brexit, Harder Brexit and Thin Deal Brexit. — This article asks directly: Was Brexit done properly, or is the idea that it wasn't just a myth?

The UK Government chose the third option, the Thin Deal Brexit.

This was a deliberate decision to have a fixed ending point.

Why This Myth Persists Online

So, why do the comment sections on TikTok and YouTube keep saying that “Brexit wasn’t done properly”?

Slogans spread fast, and “Not done properly” is short and catchy.
Social media algorithms reward outrage; therefore, content that blames betrayal or sabotage gets better engagement.
It keeps hope alive. If Brexit was “not done yet,” then supporters don’t have to admit it might never deliver what was promised.
Fake bots push the agenda of betrayal and sabotage and stoke political instability (9).

What the Real Question Is Now

The real question now is “Do we want to live with the version of Brexit we have?”

If the people of the United Kingdom want seamless trade and free movement of workers and mobility, that would mean a closer relationship with the EU.
If Britain wants maximum divergence, like trading on WTO terms, that would mean more barriers, increased tariffs, and disruption, not less.

Either way, the UK is currently outside the EU. The debate now is about what kind of partnership, whether distant, closer, or something in between, makes sense.

Conclusion

To conclude, Brexit wasn’t half-done. It was implemented in full.

The myth that it wasn’t done continues because it is easier than admitting the real damage due to Brexit.

Facts are clear:

The UK is outside the EU.
The barriers, paperwork, and shortages we see today are a direct result of that decision; they are not signs that Brexit was incomplete.

The real choice facing Britain now is not how to “finish Brexit,” but how to shape its future relationship with Europe.