UK gets knocked out by Brexit

London is getting closer to the Rome-Buenos Aires route.

From December 1999 to December 2003, Argentina had four presidents. One of them, Adolfo Rodríguez Saá, lasted seven days in the Casa Rosada.

Italy, 70 governments since the end of World War II.

Liz Truss is leaving for the same reason David Cameron, Theresa May and Boris Johnson left. None of the four recognized that Brexit has been the greatest failure of the United Kingdom so far this century.

There are nuances, of course. Cameron also left because he made the mistake of calling the referendum on a partisan basis, but above all, for personal interests: he wanted the support of the radicals in his party to seek a majority in the 2015 elections in exchange for organizing the Brexit referendum. .

Theresa May did not manage to get out of the labyrinth of divorce negotiations with the European Union, and Boris because he violated the rules of confinement that he himself promoted.

The central axis that crossed the four British leaders was the same: Brexit.

Populism increases in the post-truth environment. Lying is no longer sanctioned; now liars are applauded.

Nigel Farage left the Conservative Party but left populism and lies established. From his party UKIP he pressured the Conservative Party to walk to the edge of the abyss. No more money to Brussels! Let the money be invested in the health sector!

Boris Johnson betrayed himself before the British. Before 2016 he never showed a pro-Brexit profile. But in the divorce from the European Union he detected a possibility of reaching number 10 Downing Street.

Boris Johnson is a cultured Trumpist. I mean, a liar. A character who did not even respect the signing of the Brexit agreement with the European Union. He put the Good Friday agreement with the Republic of Ireland at risk. Of that size is the populism of Boris.

Yesterday, October 20, it was Liz Truss’s turn. Her fiscal program failed to land in reality. Reducing taxes and increasing spending appeals to magic in times like the one we live in: pandemic and war economy due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

It is difficult to accept mistakes. Apparently, for politicians it is impossible.

The best start for the next British minister would be an acknowledgment of the failure of Brexit. The country has lost more than 5 points of GDP just because of Brexit.

Acknowledging the error does not mean the sudden re-entry of the United Kingdom to the European Union. Acknowledging the Brexit mistake would reveal the cost of populism and lies.

Acknowledging the mistake would also help them accept that they do need migrant workers. The same in hospitals as in freight transport.

The UK was isolated by Brexit. Today, in the 21st century, going alone represents a high cost. The British economist David Ricardo demonstrated it 200 years ago.

@faustopretelin