On June 23 2016, a majority of Britons chose to leave the European Union after a referendum campaign driven by the promises of supporters of the “Leave” camp, spearheaded by Nigel Farage and Boris Johnson. Built around the slogan “Take Back Control”, the pro-Brexit campaign promised to restore the country’s sovereignty, regain control over migration flows, and boost economic prosperity. Ten years on, hopes have given way to a bitter sense of disillusion that the British refer to as “Bregret”, and it is a divided, weakened, disenchanted country who is about to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the referendum.
