Brexit brothers unchanged on views a decade on

A decade ago, the Brexit vote split a nation and divided two brothers each with their own haulage business.

And with 10 years now passed, they both remain convinced they voted the right way, one to remain in the European Union, and the other to leave.

Brexiteer Nigel Baxter, managing director of RH Commercial Vehicles in Nottingham, said on the anniversary of the result, there had been "no adverse affects" on his trade and leaving Europe had freed the country from "a damaging bill and damaging restrictions".

But "frustrated" Remain voter Ian Baxter, chairman of Baxter Freight in the city, said: "If people had grievances before Brexit, they have them double now."

In a referendum on 23 June 2016, a slim majority of Britons voted to leave the EU - ending a relationship that had been in place since 1973.

Nigel Baxter told the BBC back in 2016 fears over the impact of leaving the EU were "overplayed" and said: "Trade will continue. We can save a huge amount of money."

And in 2026, he said he still felt vindicated having seen his business grow.

Nigel said: "I'm still content with my decision - since we left my business has flourished, we work with European manufacturers, there have been no adverse effects as far as I can see on trade.

"Our business is a reflection of the UK at large, we're selling vehicles to all sorts of people, the butcher, the baker, the candlestick maker, and we've enjoyed a strong period of growth both with our own business but also nationally with the brand.

"I'd like to have seen us deregulate more. I'd like to see us making a more attractive proposition for investment in this country."

He added moving back into the European Union would move the UK "back into something where we've got no control, no real influence, just a damaging bill and damaging restrictions - all the things I hate".

But 10 years ago, Nigel's brother Ian held fears trade would be slowed by red tape, telling the BBC: "I'm in the European freight business and I know the damage that will happen to our exports if we leave the European Union."

Ian said he too had seen his business grow since the UK cut ties - but still felt that Remain would have been the way to go.

As the country marked the 10-year milestone, he said: "I'm a bit frustrated because I think we've seen that the claims made by the Brexit campaign weren't correct and I think we've ended up in a place where our cost of living has gone up, our trade with Europe has gone down, immigration has spun out of control, there are more regulations, there's more bureaucracy than there was before, and if people had grievances before Brexit, they have them double now.

"If you work in logistics and someone makes logistics more complicated, then if you can adapt to that, you can prosper, and that's what we've been able to do.

"Our business has grown tremendously since Brexit. Our customers need more support but ultimately it is because of things being more difficult than they were before.

"What we need is the closest possible pragmatic relationship with our European friends and partners to make the best of a bad job."

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