The UK left the EU at 11 pm local time, Friday the 31st of January, 2020. The UK will now be in a transition period with the bloc until December 31st, 2020, during which time London and Brussels negotiators will work on a future trade deal.
Just one hour earlier, Prime Minister Boris Johnson had addressed the British public in pre-recorded social media posts to herald the “dawn of a new era” in British history.
Prime Minister Johnson said: “Tonight, we are leaving the European Union. For many people, this is an astonishing moment of hope, a moment they thought would never come. There are many, of course, who feel a sense of anxiety and loss. And then there’s a third group, perhaps the biggest, who had started to worry that the whole political wrangle would never come to an end.
“I understand all those feelings. Our job as the government, my job, is to bring this country together, now, and take us forward. The most important thing to say tonight is that this is not the end, but a beginning. This is the moment that the dawn breaks and the curtain goes up on a new act in our great national drama.
“This is partly about using these new powers, this recaptured sovereignty to deliver the changes people voted for, whether that is controlling immigration, or creating free ports, or liberating our fishing industry, or doing free trade deals or simply making our laws and rules for the benefit of the people of this country.”
“This moment is far bigger” than just legally leaving the bloc, Mr Johnson said, but is “potentially a moment of real national renewal and change. This is the dawn of a new era.”
Tonight we have left the EU - an extraordinary turning point in the life of this country. Let us come together now to make the most of all the opportunities Brexit will bring - and let’s unleash the potential of the whole UK.
Moments after the UK left the EU, Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage said: “We’ve left the European Union. We’ve become a free, independent, sovereign country, and the remarkable thought that I’ve got is that this is a grassroots rebellion that overturned the establishment and it proves something: whatever the faults in our system, we’re still a democratic nation.”
Mr Farage told ITN news: “I want to see our self-confidence come back. I’m sick to death of hearing people say we’re not big enough, we’re not strong enough, we’re not good enough to negotiate our own trade deals, make our own laws. Let’s start to believe in Britain, let’s start to believe in our people.”
Britain’s iconic Union Flag was ceremoniously lowered, folded, and taken away in the European Council building in Brussels ahead of Brexit at 11 p.m. on January 31st.
Video of the history-making moment shows a sombre atmosphere as EU functionaries lower the flag of what had been one of the bloc’s top economic and military powers — powerful imagery symbolising the island nation setting out as a free-standing democracy once again and the diminishment of what is now a 27-member confederation.
Britain will not truly be free of the European Union’s governing structures for almost a year, however, as it now enters a so-called “transition” period in which it remains subject to EU law, EU judges, and EU migration rules — but loses its representation in the European Council, European Commission, and European Parliament.
The “transition” is intended as a period for more negotiations between the EU and its former member-state in which a future partnership can be agreed — or not, which would mean either an extension to the transition or a so-called “no deal” Brexit.
This might entail the EU claiming significant control over the British province of Northern Ireland under the terms of the withdrawal agreement Prime Minister Boris Johnson has negotiated with the bloc.
And then-Chancellor George Osborne warned that Brits would be hit in the pocket if we left, as Project Fear took on a life of its own trying to scare us to stay in.
The Remain campaign was also backed by every single living Prime Minister, as well as the-then President Barack Obama.
In one of the biggest upsets in history, the leave campaign handed the Remainer establishment a bloody nose in the result of a lifetime.
Lifelong euro-sceptic and then-Ukip leader Nigel Farage described it as “two fingers up” at Britain’s politicians.
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Britain votes to leave the EU - which saw Nigel Farage delighted
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David Cameron resigned as Prime Minister
END OF DAVE
The result sparked the end of Mr Cameron, who resigned on the steps of Downing Street the very next morning - leaving no one in charge to steady the ship.
Theresa May stepped in to replace her and was seen as a safe pair of hands at the time, despite backing Remain.
Immediately she said Britain had to respect the result of the referendum, and started the long road to delivering the result.
WE'RE OFF!
Before firing the starting gun, the new PM had to battle with a whole series of court cases from Remainers trying to stop Brexit from happening.
After a long battle, the Government were forced to abide by the ruling.
Following the vote, Mrs May sent our EU ambassador to Brussels with a letter saying we do want out, kick-starting two years of talks to seal an exit deal in.
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Gina Miller won her Supreme Court case, forcing a vote on BrexitCredit: EPA
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British Ambassador to the EU Tim Barrow hands the Brexit letter to European Council President Donald Tusk in BrusselsCredit: Rex Features
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Barnier struggling during Brexit discussionsCredit: AP:Associated Press
BRUSSELS IN DENIAL
The PM tried her best to get Brussels on side in the early stages of talks, but they refused to accept Brexit was really happening.
They scorned her for refusing to decide whether Britain wanted to stay close to the EU or throw off the shackles.
Repeatedly Brussels bosses would doubt whether Britain would really leave at all, and said it was welcome to stay if it wanted to.
They refused to even discuss a future trade agreement with the bloc until a string of other things had been sorted - including the huge Brexit divorce bill.
ELECTION FLOP
Brexit almost fell again when his replacement Theresa May called an election in 2017, as she tried to shore up a bigger majority in Parliament.
Despite facing a useless Jeremy Corbyn, the result was a disaster with cocky Mrs May surrendering her majority.
She was then forced to rely on the DUP, leaving her lacking the power and control needed to get Brexit done.
Brexit's future continued to hang in the balance.
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Theresa May looked visible emotional after losing her majority in the 2017 electionCredit: Rex Features
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A weakened Theresa May during an EU summit in BrusselsCredit: AP:Associated Press
CABINET REVOLT
The PM went on to plan Brexit at a crunch Chequers summit over the summer of 2018, which unravelled as Brexiteers turned against her position.
But despite the odds, the PM did manage to seal a deal with Brussels.
However, it was universally slated by Brexiteers and Remainers alike.
Leavers hated it for tying us into EU rules, and resented the Northern Irish backstop - and Remainers despised it for taking us out in the first place.
New Brexit Secretary Dominic Rabb walked out with a string of others, leaving the PM severely weakened.
She then faced a vote of no confidence from her own backbenchers, who handed in letters calling for her to go.
A cabal of MPs forced the government into allowing a Commons vote to sign off the eventual Brexit deal.
This then saw Mrs May’s deal shot down a total of three times.
Britain's future hung in the balance as the Tory party refused to get behind the PM, giving hope to MPs desperate to block democracy and overturn Brexit.
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Theresa May suffered a historic Commons defeat on her Brexit deal - which went on to get slapped down three timesCredit: Reuters
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24 May 2019 - The Prime Minister tearfully announcing she is to quit after failing three times to get her deal through ParliamentCredit: Getty Images - Getty
MAY BE GONE, BORIS RISES
On May 24, after three meaningful votes failing, and several rounds of cross party talks which didn't get anywhere, the PM finally faced defeat.
She announced she would quit as PM and hand over to her successor after a leadership contest.
Boris Johnson was crowned just a few months later, winning over the majority of the Tory party and finally uniting them behind him.
He got on quickly with a domestic agenda, but pushed on with his plan to renegotiate the hated bits of the Brexit deal.
And he ramped up No Deal preparations to get the EU to take our threat to leave without an agreement seriously.
Despite huge doubts that Boris would achieve anything at all, the PM amazed Westminster when he revealed a new Brexit agreement.
He raced to get it signed off before Brexit day but another gaggle of Remainer MPs blocked him from acting.
They pushed him into asking Brussels for a third Brexit extension, infuriating Leave voters once again.
ELECTION RISK... PAYS OFF
Fed up with the deadlock, Boris pushed for an election until the Labour party and Lib Dems finally gave in and backed one.
The PM risked handing over power to Jeremy Corbyn and took his message to the country to 'Get Brexit Done' and finally move on.
After a gruelling six-week campaign he came out victorious with a huge 80-seat majority.
And he wasted no time either, bringing the deal back to Parliament within days to push it through.
It sailed through the Commons but was amended by Remainer in the House of Lords.
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Boris greeting other EU leaders as he finally seals a better dealCredit: AP:Associated Press
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Boris finally managed to persuade MPs to back a snap election - which he went on to winCredit: Getty Images - Getty
The Government overturned them and forced it through, pushing it through to get Royal Assent at the end of January.
The European Parliament signed it off earlier this week, marking the end of three years of wrangling.
After 11pm, Britain will finally get out of the EU, against the odds, and move on.
