What Brexiteers Mostly Misunderstood - and Why It Matters
- Talk2EU
- Jun 3
- 4 min read
Updated: Jul 30
Ever feel like the Brexit debate has gone a bit quiet? It hasn’t, it’s just moved to X, Bluesky, TikTok and Facebook group chats. A lot of the arguments flying around are still based on deep misunderstandings of how the EU works. Let’s look at the most common myths we hear, with respect for everyone’s right to a democratic choice.
This isn’t to say the EU is perfect or above criticism, no political system is. But informed debate must begin with facts.
Let’s get started.
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1. “The EU isn’t democratic.”
This is one of the most common claims, but the EU is a representative democracy, just like the UK. Its laws are proposed by the European Commission (which is appointed by member state governments, including the UK when it was a member), but must be passed by the European Parliament (which is directly elected) and the Council of the EU (composed of ministers from each government). That’s three layers of democratic oversight.
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2. “EU laws were imposed by unelected bureaucrats.”
This is a misunderstanding. The European Commission proposes laws, but only elected bodies can pass them. The UK, while a member, not only had a say in those laws but often shaped or vetoed them. In other words, laws weren’t imposed, they were negotiated, and the UK was at the table.
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3. “The UK couldn’t make its own laws in the EU.”
The UK passed thousands of domestic laws while inside the EU. EU law only applied in specific, treaty-agreed areas like trade, competition rules, product safety, and environmental standards. Even then, the UK helped shape those laws through its seat in the Council and Parliament.
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4. “Post-Brexit trade deals are new and better.”
Many trade agreements touted as “new” are rollovers of EU deals. Some new ones, like the UK–Australia deal, have been criticised by UK farmers for undercutting domestic standards and harming competitiveness.
The UK also joined CPTPP (Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership), a major global trade pact, without a public referendum, despite its long-term implications for regulation and sovereignty.
Sources:
https://www.politico.eu/article/uk-puts-new-brexit-checks-on-hold-while-it-negotiates-agri-food-deal
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5. “The EU’s accounts have never been signed off.”
This myth is long debunked. The European Court of Auditors has signed off the EU’s accounts every year since 2007, confirming they are properly recorded and legal.
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6. “The ECHR is part of the EU.”
It isn’t. The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) is part of the Council of Europe, a completely separate organisation that predates the EU. Its members include Turkey, Ukraine, and (formerly) Russia. It’s not an “EU club.”
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7. “Freedom of movement meant open borders.”
Freedom of movement allowed EU citizens to live and work in other member states, but not unconditionally. EU law allowed countries to restrict residency after three months if someone couldn’t support themselves. The UK also had the option to impose transitional controls on new member states, but chose not to in 2004.
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8. “The UK sent £350 million a week to the EU.”
This figure excluded the UK’s rebate, which was never paid in the first place. The real net contribution was closer to £180–190 million per week, much of which came back to the UK in the form of grants, subsidies, and university funding.
According to Bloomberg Economics, Brexit has cost the UK economy £100 billion a year in lost output, far outweighing any savings from leaving.
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9. “Rejoining the EU means losing sovereignty.”
EU membership involves pooled sovereignty, where countries voluntarily share certain powers to gain greater global influence, like stronger trade deals, collective bargaining power on energy, or unified environmental policy.
Importantly, the UK never lost ultimate sovereignty, it could and did choose to leave under Article 50.
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10. “Other countries want to leave the EU too.”
No country has followed the UK’s exit. Trust in the EU is now at its highest level since 2007, with many citizens viewing it as a buffer against instability. That said, Eurosceptic and far-right parties are gaining ground in several countries, including France, the Netherlands, and Poland — but even they are not calling for immediate withdrawal.
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So.
Whether you backed Leave or Remain, one thing is clear nearly a decade on: many of the original claims haven’t aged well. The reality of life outside the EU is more complex than any slogan.
And while the UK has left, the conversation hasn’t; it’s just shifted to new platforms, everyday frustrations, and long-term policy dilemmas.
This isn’t about saying “told you so” or reversing the result. It’s about recognising that misinformation and misunderstanding shaped one of the most consequential decisions in modern British history, and that deserves scrutiny, not silence.
The UK is now trying to rebuild its relationship with Europe under a different framework. That doesn’t necessarily mean going back in, but it does mean learning from the past to be smarter about the future.
If we’re serious about “taking back control,” that should start with taking back control of the facts.
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