Britain must take full advantage of trade outside the EU

Ted Newson | 12th February 2026 | Brussels, Comment, Politics
The United Kingdom left the European Union in 2021 (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)
The United Kingdom left the European Union in 2021 (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

Five years since leaving the European Union, Britain has not yet taken advantage of the levers of free trade, writes Ted Newson

The 1st of January 2021 marked the UK’s official departure from the EU after a long transition period. EU laws no longer applied, allowing Britain to pursue its interests outside the EU’s framework. Architects of Brexit celebrated: they argued that less collective bargaining power was a price worth paying to choose our own negotiating priorities. Without having to protect the interests of Spanish tomato-growers or French fishermen, it was hoped we could secure greater access to services markets that form the backbone of our export economy.  Five years have passed since the end of the transition period and the government has capitalised on some opportunities. One example, albeit a slightly chaotic one, was the rollout of Covid-19 vaccinations. Operating outside the European Medicines Agency allowed the UK to vaccinate its population much faster than the EU, which intentionally delayed its rollout for a month to start their vaccinations simultaneously. To mark the five-year annivers...

Subscribe to The Mace

Join the member community shaping British politics and stay ahead of what's really happening in the world of politics and public affairs, with expert analysis, breaking news, and insider insights from Westminster and Brussels. The Mace is the leading news source and resource for the government affairs industry, offering required reading and lobby intelligence for professionals.

To see what you are missing out on by not subscribing to The Mace, click here to download our full membership info-pack. This includes having no paywall on op-ed content or profiles/interviews, allowing professional profiles to be read with maximum impact and visibility by government, special advisers, MPs, peers, civil servants, and policy and political decision-makers.



What James Purnell’s return to No 10, along with the new cabinet, reveals about Burnham’s Labour network

Mark Leftly | July 21, 2026

James Purnell’s return to frontline politics is more than a nostalgic Blair-Brown era reunion. As Andy Burnham builds his Downing Street operation, public affairs professionals will need to

Reform’s international policy: Farage looking to balance ideals with new foreign policy advisor

Jonathan Singh | July 16, 2026

To date, Reform is yet to appoint a foreign affairs spokesperson. Jonathan Singh looks at Reform's new approach to international affairs with the appointment of Dr Alan Mendoza

Ann Widdecombe Devon hamlet murder mystery continues as tributes make her a political saint

William Cash | July 16, 2026

The death of Ann Widdecombe raises serious questions about the security of high-profile politicians. The shocking episode seems out of Midsomer Murders with the former Tory minister being turned into

The Families Left Out of the Nicotine Policy Debate

Beatriz Santos | July 15, 2026

Beatriz Santos argues that both scientific evidence and lived experience should remain the foundation of policymaking, especially for understanding how people succeed in quitting cigarettes.

Olly Robbins shows Whitehall is prepared to hold Westminster to account

Lucy Carrier-Pilkington | July 14, 2026

The former head of the Foreign Office is now taking legal action, putting the government's treatment of senior civil servants under fresh scrutiny.

Kemi is right to lift the white, Oxbridge fatwa and purge the Conservative party of non-Tories

William Cash | July 10, 2026

Overhauling the Tory candidates list is a shrewd political move which will allow her to put her own stamp on the party, and more importantly, shape its future,

Communication: The real engine of Burnhamism  

Lucy Carrier-Pilkington | July 9, 2026

Before he has even begun, Burnham has incisively communicated his plan for the country. As MPs are scrambling for positions in cabinet, his comms team are assembling. 

Farage’s bombshell resignation: Strategy or hubris? 

Lucy Carrier-Pilkington | July 7, 2026

Farage says ‘the people of Clacton should be the judges of my actions’, but is this his most reckless move yet?  

Burnham is right: The future lies with devolution

Gill Morris | July 1, 2026

After Andy Burnham's first major speech since the resignation, devolution has been the word on everyone's lips - Gill Morris explains why it's the way forward.

Caroline Simpson: Why devolution needs this technocrat

Lucy Carrier-Pilkington | July 1, 2026

Amid the frenzy over who Burnham will choose as his chancellor, his shrewd appointment of Caroline Simpson to lead No. 10 North has been overlooked.