Despite claims from Rejoiners, objective data shows the EU’s Single Market did not shield member countries from severe inflation or a cost of living crisis—many fared worse than the UK, proving Brexit is not to blame and rejoining the EU won’t solve the problem, explains Stephen Bailey.
It is a line constantly promoted by Rejoiners (those who support the EU and want to rejoin the bloc) that membership of the EU’s Single Market would have cushioned UK citizens against the effects of the post-2019 cost of living crisis.
A look at the relevant facts shows this is not the case.
The objective, verifiable, empirical evidence shows that ordinary EU citizens suffered an equally bad, worse, or even far worse inflationary cost of living crisis than UK citizens.
Misleading propaganda about inflation and the cost of living in the EU/Eurozone is consistently circulated by pro-EU and other Rejoiner sources.
Europhiles are often vocal about how inflation was and is lower in the EU than in the UK due to Brexit. This assertion is erroneous, for the following reasons:
1. Inflation Rates in the EU Were Often Worse
Verifiable data shows that many EU/Eurozone countries experienced as high, worse, or even much worse inflation than the UK during the last five years. For example, in 2022:
Inflation rates in selected EU countries:
Estonia 23.2%, Latvia 21.3%, Lithuania 20.9%, Czechia 17.3%, Bulgaria 14.9%, Hungary 14.9%, Poland 14.7%, Romania 14.2%, Slovakia 12.8%, Croatia 12.7%, Slovenia 12.7%, Netherlands 12.7%, Greece 11.7%, Spain 10.7%, Cyprus 10.6%, Belgium 10.4%.
All of the above had higher inflation than the UK (10.1%), much higher in 4 cases and considerably higher in 13.
Other countries:
Ireland 9.6%, Denmark 9.6%, Austria 9.4%, Portugal 9.4%, Luxembourg 9.3%, Germany 8.5%, Italy 8.4%, Sweden 8.3%, Finland 8%.
Five countries had rates near the UK’s, and four saw a large increase from previous years.
Overall, 24 of the 27 EU countries had inflation rates either significantly higher, somewhat higher, or close to the UK’s (but still greatly increased from earlier years).
2. The Cost of Living Crisis Is Global
The UK has faced a cost of living crisis since 2019. But it cannot be blamed solely on Brexit, or else why did the EU/Eurozone experience similar or worse conditions?
The EU is also going through a significant cost of living crisis. According to a Eurobarometer survey, 93% of Europeans say it’s their top concern. High inflation, the war in Ukraine, and interest rate hikes have worsened this crisis.
In 2022, 21.6% of the EU population (95.3 million people) were at risk of poverty or social exclusion. 71 million fell into poverty within just three months due to food and energy price surges. Many families had to choose between heating and eating. As of February 2025, this crisis continues, with 93% of Europeans deeply worried about coping.
Given this, rejoining the EU or the Single Market won’t fix the UK’s inflation problems.
3. Food and Energy Prices in the EU Have Been High
Even when general inflation is low, food and energy prices in the EU have been as high or higher than in the UK.
Eurostat admitted:
“Energy inflation is the highest since the Harmonized Index of Consumer Prices (HICP) began in 1997.”
That trend continues: Fuel price map
Many EU countries have experienced equally bad or worse food price inflation than the UK.
Example:
Spain in 2023 had a 2.3% general inflation rate, but 10.33% food price inflation, leading to a serious cost of living crisis.
Further evidence:
- Food inflation continues despite falling general inflation
- EU price caps on food
- Italy’s “pasta protest”
4. Brexit Was Not the Cause
Many EU countries also suffered since 2019, but they didn’t leave the EU. The Pandemic and war in Ukraine are shared causes affecting both EU and UK economies.
Even Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey—a Europhile—admitted Brexit was not the cause of UK inflation:
Even the BBC, known for pro-EU leanings, conceded Brexit did not cause high UK prices:
Excerpt:
“UK food prices are typically 7% lower than the EU average. Before 2015, UK groceries were often more expensive than in the EU.”
5. Ireland and Northern Ireland Show the Same Pattern
Cost of living in Ireland is 9% more expensive than in the UK. The average salary in Ireland covers only 1.4 months of expenses, compared to 1.5 in the UK.
Northern Ireland, still in the EU Single Market, has had five periods of negative growth, signalling recession.
Conclusion
The EU Single Market is no magic solution to the UK’s cost of living crisis. The EU has been just as badly affected, if not more so.
A look at objective, verifiable, empirical evidence confirms this is a global crisis, caused by a “perfect storm” of the Pandemic, global money printing, and the war in Ukraine—not Brexit.
Rejoining the EU in full or via the Single Market won’t solve the UK’s inflationary or cost of living issues.
For more from Stephen Bailey please visit: https://ukunionism.wordpress.com/blog-2/
© 2023–25 Stephen Bailey
