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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
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Observer editorial

The Observer view on Brexit: Tories are paying the price for their dishonesty

Boris Johnson in the run-up to 2019’s general election
Boris Johnson during the run-up to 2019’s general election. Photograph: Ben Stansall/AFP/Getty Images

Brexit was sold to voters seven years ago on the basis it would be the answer to myriad problems. It would address Britain’s laggardly growth by putting rocket boosters under the economy. It would free up money to spend on an underfunded NHS. It would boost wages in low-paid jobs by reducing immigration levels. And it would reinvigorate our parliamentary democracy by returning sovereignty to Westminster.

None of this was ever going to materialise and recent years have only served to underline just how false these promises were. Last week, the government finally put to bed the idea it is feasible to scrap thousands of retained EU regulations in one swoop when Kemi Badenoch junked the profoundly undemocratic sunset clause in the retained EU law bill.

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