Remember that morning after the Brexit vote?
Nigel Farage on Good Morning Britain, squirming as Susanna Reid grilled him about the £350 million weekly NHS promise plastered on that infamous red bus.
His response? “It was a mistake.”
Just like that, the biggest promise of the Leave campaign evaporated before the champagne had gone flat.
Nine years on, let’s talk numbers—because they’re absolutely brutal:
The Economic Hit:
- Britain’s economy is 4-6% smaller than it would’ve been if we’d stayed in the EU. That’s about £2,300 less per person by 2035
- We’ve grown 5% less than comparable countries since 2016
- 73% of UK districts have taken economic damage, with nearly half suffering severe losses
The Tax Bombshell: Here’s the kicker—remember all those tax rises? About £40 billion of the £100 billion in tax hikes since 2019 were needed purely because of Brexit losses. That’s right, Brexit didn’t save us money; it cost us a fortune.
The Debt Disaster:
- Our deficit for 2024-25? A staggering £137.3 billion
- National debt sits at £2.8 trillion—that’s roughly £98,000 per household
- We’ve got the third-highest borrowing costs of any advanced economy
The £350 Million Fantasy
Let’s revisit that NHS promise, shall we? Not only was the £350 million figure complete bollocks (it ignored our rebate and EU funding we received back), but the NHS actually faced potential cuts of £10.5 billion due to Brexit’s economic fallout.
Farage later called the claim “mildly irresponsible”—a bit like calling the Titanic “slightly damp.” This wasn’t some minor fib; it was the centrepiece of a campaign that won by just 52-48%.
The Master of Reinvention
Here’s where it gets properly infuriating. Despite Brexit’s spectacular failure, Farage has brilliantly repositioned himself through Reform UK. He’s now:
- Railing against economic stagnation (which Brexit caused)
- Complaining about high taxes (needed because of Brexit)
- Moaning about immigration chaos (made worse by Brexit)
The bloke’s literally campaigning against problems he created. It’s like an arsonist running for fire chief.
The Immigration Own Goal
Remember “taking back control” of our borders? Well, Brexit actually made managing immigration harder. We lost access to EU databases and return agreements. We became an appeal court for failed EU asylum seekers.
Farage’s latest wheeze? He wants to suspend human rights laws and says he’d negotiate with the Taliban to deport people to Afghanistan. Yes, really. He’ll chat with the Taliban but won’t work with the French to solve Channel crossings.
Make it make sense.
What We Were Promised vs What We Got
The Sales Pitch:
- £350 million weekly for the NHS
- Controlled borders
- Economic boom
- Global Britain striking amazing trade deals
The Reality:
- NHS struggling more than ever
- Immigration more chaotic
- Economy permanently smaller
- Trade down 15%
- Living standards crushed
The Uncomfortable Truth
Let’s be honest here—Brexit is probably the greatest act of economic self-harm by a developed nation in modern history. And Farage? He’s the snake oil salesman who convinced half the country that jumping off a cliff would teach us to fly.
What’s truly galling is his ability to dodge accountability.
He admits the promises were false. He watches the economy tank. Then he appears as Reform UK leader claiming he’s got the solutions.
The man who championed Brexit now positions himself as an outsider fighting “the elite”—whilst being the UK’s highest-earning MP. You couldn’t make it up.
Where Does This Leave Us?
Britain is demonstrably poorer, weaker, and more isolated than it would’ve been in the EU. The data doesn’t lie, even if politicians do. We’re paying more in taxes, getting less in services, and watching our global influence shrink.
Meanwhile, Farage continues his political theatre, spinning new yarns and finding fresh scapegoats.
The tragedy isn’t just that we fell for it once—it’s that millions still believe the architect of our decline when he promises more magic beans.
Nine years on, the verdict is crystal clear: Brexit has failed spectacularly, and we’re all paying the price for believing a man who sold us sovereignty and delivered serfdom to his own political ambitions.
Contents