Northern Irish Voters Call Brexit a Failure 10 Years On as Two-Thirds See UK Break-Up Risk
Updated
Updated · The Irish Times · Jun 23
Northern Irish Voters Call Brexit a Failure 10 Years On as Two-Thirds See UK Break-Up Risk
3 articles · Updated · The Irish Times · Jun 23
Summary
A Queen’s University Belfast study found most Northern Irish voters — including a majority of Leavers — now see Brexit as more failure than success a decade after the referendum.
Two-thirds said Brexit had made the break-up of the UK more likely, underscoring how the region’s unique land border with the EU turned Brexit into a constitutional as well as economic issue.
57% would rejoin the EU, only 1 point above the 56% who voted Remain in 2016, suggesting dissatisfaction has not produced a broad shift in declared voting intentions.
The Windsor Framework, designed to ease post-Brexit trade frictions, has instead left many unionists and Leavers feeling Northern Ireland never got a “proper Brexit” because of the Irish Sea trade border.
Interviews with voters reflected that split: some former Leavers said promises on farming and public services were broken, while others still backed Brexit but blamed politicians and the EU for its implementation.
If Brexit regret in Northern Ireland is so widespread, why is there almost no shift in opinion about rejoining the EU?
Why do most in Northern Ireland call Brexit a failure when their post-Brexit economy is outperforming the rest of the UK?
Is Northern Ireland's special trade deal a clever fix or a slow separation from the rest of the United Kingdom?
Northern Ireland 2026: A Decade After Brexit—Disillusionment, Division, and the Uncertain Path Forward
Overview
A decade after the Brexit vote, the UK faces ongoing political instability and economic challenges, with seven prime ministers in ten years and the British pound still below pre-Brexit levels. These difficulties, intensified by the COVID-19 pandemic and global conflicts, have led to national turmoil and economic underperformance. In Northern Ireland, this environment has fueled a growing sense of disillusionment. The region’s mood is shaped by the structural changes from leaving the EU, as well as the broader struggles experienced across the UK, highlighting the deep and lasting impact of Brexit on both politics and daily life.