After more than four years of political wrangling, December 31 marked the day when Brexit finally happened. At the moment London’s Big Ben struck 11pm – midnight at EU headquarters in Brussels – the UK and the EU formally went their separate ways. Whether seen as a moment to celebrate or commiserate, the British had few opportunities to gather due to coronavirus lockdown measures.
Britain’s departure from Europe’s customs union and single market ends nearly half a century of tumultuous ties with its neighbours.
For British Prime Minister Boris Johnson the event signals the fulfilment of his promise to “Get Brexit Done” and, as he said after signing the deal into law on December 30, “marks a new beginning in our country’s history and a new relationship with the EU as their biggest ally”.
Johnson wrote in Friday’s Daily Telegraph newspaper that Brexit gives the UK “opportunities unknown to recent memory” to “turbo-charge” sectors of the economy.
However Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon signalled a looming battle for a new vote on independence from the UK, tweeting: “Scotland will be back soon, Europe. Keep the light on.”
Click on the video player above to watch our continuing coverage of this historic event.
