Companies have been strangled by red tape and Britain’s security has been weakened, according to the Torfaen MP, as the nation commemorates a decade since the departure from the European Union.

The Minister for the Constitution and European Union Relations, Nick Thomas-Symonds, gave a speech marking ten years since the UK’s EU membership vote, stating the Government intends to make the European partnership function for Britain.

The United Kingdom formally exited the European Union on 31 January 2020 following the historic political split commonly referred to as Brexit, which came after a national ballot held on 23 June 2016 in which 51.9% of participants voted for departure.

Ten years after the exit, Mr Symonds contends that circumstances have deteriorated for the UK while maintaining that the nation’s choice to leave must be honoured.

Addressing Parliament, Mr Symonds observed that supporters of remaining in the EU were unable to accept their defeat and refused to acknowledge the situation they found themselves in. Meanwhile, those who advocated for departure turned this complex matter into a push for the most extreme Brexit arrangement available.

This division generated a void in British politics. When citizens expressed desires for change or greater control, what followed was a decade of unmatched instability, regulations that crippled enterprises, and reforms that compromised national security.

That historic choice also resulted in a series of leaders confronting tough decisions that forced working people to incur additional costs simply to maintain their current position.

Small enterprises overwhelmed by administrative duties. Retail displays awaiting postponed shipments. Transport drivers stranded in Kent.

He continued that since 2024, when he assumed this position in July, collaborating with the Prime Minister, the administration has opted to pursue a different course, implementing reforms that acknowledge the referendum outcome from a decade prior while genuinely addressing the problems.

The focus lies on economic stability: safeguarding employment, household expenses, and the continent’s supply networks against international disruptions.

The coming decade will be shaped by how effectively Britain shields its economic interests and tackles common problems that ignore the Channel border.