The UK is set to mark almost five years since its departure from the European Union. The anniversary comes against the backdrop of a dramatically altered world upended by a global pandemic, widespread conflicts, and major economic upheaval with the UK facing these headwinds in comparative isolation.

Our readers have been reflecting on this period to determine if Brexit has lived up to their expectations. The initial referendum was engineered by former Prime Minister David Cameron as a strategy to silence the 'Eurosceptics' within his Conservative Party, an ill-fated risk.

The result led to the infamous 52-48% split, following a spirited campaign filled with contentious issues concerning finance, immigration, and national sovereignty. What followed was a protracted period of wrangling over Brexit's specifics, its terms, timing, and the question of a potential future EU rapprochement. In due course, the clock stopped ticking, and Britain's chapter as an EU member concluded.

There remains a stark divide in public opinion on whether Brexit was positive or negative for the UK. Economic specialists and institutions consistently point to substantial losses of tens or hundreds of........

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