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Rejoining customs union would not fix damage caused by Brexit, research finds
UK NewsPoliticsBusiness•June 18, 2026 at 5:00 AMNational

Rejoining customs union would not fix damage caused by Brexit, research finds

By Heather Stewart Economics editor•The Guardian - UK News

Exclusive: Economists find Brexit caused 12% depression in UK exports, most of which is due to leaving single marketBrexit has depressed UK exports to the EU by 12%, and rejoining the customs union would undo only a fraction of the damage, research shared with the Guardian shows.With the UK’s future relationship with the bloc likely to feature prominently in a potential Labour leadership contest, the economists John Springford and Anton Spisak, of the Centre for European Reform, provide fresh evidence of the damage caused by exiting. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Economists find Brexit caused 12% depression in UK exports, most of which is due to leaving single market

Brexit has depressed UK exports to the EU by 12%, and rejoining the customs union would undo only a fraction of the damage, research shared with the Guardian shows.

With the UK’s future relationship with the bloc likely to feature prominently in a potential Labour leadership contest, the economists John Springford and Anton Spisak, of the Centre for European Reform, provide fresh evidence of the damage caused by exiting.

Continue reading...

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