Brexit: ten years after the vote, small British bosses on the front line

Between mountains of paperwork, explosion of costs and dashed hopes: ten years after the Brexit vote (June 23, 2026), the bosses of British small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are still on the front line.

According to a study published last month by the Federation of British Small Businesses (FSB), 63% of British SMEs trading with the EU have encountered "significant trade obstacles" in the last 12 months.

A third plan to reduce or cease trade with the continent.

Four bosses spoke to AFP.

. “The wrong thing to do”

“I did everything I could to try to convince my staff that, for the company, Brexit was the wrong thing to do. But many probably voted in favor, for the wrong reasons,” says Rowan Crozier, the boss of Brandauer, which manufactures tiny metal components in Birmingham.

"It still affects us today. Although we are getting used to managing the difficulties in the supply chain, having the impression that they are a little easier to control, if we look at the facts and figures, delivery times have increased."

"Before, you could expect a shipment to transit between the UK and the EU in 24 to 48 hours without a problem. And now it's a minimum of a week. It's already been up to four weeks."

"We work with metals from 0.05 millimeters thick up to around two millimeters. Which makes us specialists. Few companies in the world have this know-how. This has helped us overcome some of the challenges of Brexit."

. “Carbon neutrality is suicidal”

"I like Europe. The problem came from Brussels," says Simon Boyd, boss of Reidsteel, in the south of England, which builds metal structures (hangars, bridges, pylons and football stadiums).

“One of the big problems in Europe is the absurdities around the carbon market and emissions,” continues this Brexit supporter, disappointed that London has not gone further to relax the regulations inherited from the EU.

"The race to carbon neutrality here in the UK is suicidal. And rather than reducing carbon in the atmosphere, we are increasing it by buying steel from countries outside the EU - and the EU is doing the same - even though emissions there are much higher high."

"Leaving the European Union didn't hurt us, but it didn't bring us the benefits we hoped to get."

. “A foot in each camp”

“Every company wants to be in the best possible market, with the best possible prospects. The European Union offered me that before Brexit and it still offers it after Brexit,” says Declan Gormley, boss of the mechanical ventilation manufacturer Brookvent.

The company is based near Belfast, Northern Ireland, Territ