On the two year anniversary of our leaving the EU, the Cabinet Office has released a 102-page document detailing Brexit Britain’s plans going forward, and championing achievements seen so far as a result of our decision to go independent. While even Guido would argue some of the below points are tenuous or stretching it, it’s no doubt a cracking start given a pandemic got in the way…

Taking Back Control 

1. Ended free movement, take back control of borders. Boat crossings excluded…
2. Restored control over our laws Apart from in Northern Ireland…
3. Restored Supreme Court as final arbiter of the law that applies in the UK. Judgments now also issued in English, not French.
4. Harder for EU Criminals to enter the UK. In line with other countries’ foreign criminals.
5. Ended acceptance of ID cards for most EU nationals travelling to the UK
6. Taken back control of our waters
7. Ended preferential treatment of EU migrants over non-EU migrants claiming benefits
8. New tariff regime tailored to the needs of the UK economy
9. Begun streamlining import and export controls by creating a Single Trade Window
10. UK Competition and Markets Authority now make decisions about globally significant mergers and acquisitions
11. Launched review of the status and substance of retained EU law
12. Blue passports
13. Review the EU ban on imperial markings and sales. Which are apparently “widely valued in the UK and are a core part of many people’s British identity”.
14. Enabling businesses to use a crown stamp symbol on pint glasses. Genuinely a separate bullet point in their document…

Money

1. End to EU budget contributions
2. £1 billion more for the NHS per week in cash terms than spent in 2016-17 by 2024-25
3. New subsidy regime
4. Reforming and simplifying public procurement rules so public sector can buy more local goods and services.
5. Eight new Freeports. East Midlands Airport; Felixstowe & Harwich; Humber; Liverpool City Region; Plymouth & South Devon; Solent; Thames and Teesside.
6. Control of VAT rates, including putting an end to the tampon tax. Don’t mention energy bills…
7. New, simpler alcohol duties announced in Rishi’s last budget
8. Cutting air passenger duty by 50% in 2023-24. Anyone remember COP?
9. Going beyond EU funding limitations for the levelling up fund, and the UK shared prosperity fund replacing the EU funds that were “fragmented and overlapped with domestic programmes”
10. New trade and investment hubs in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. As well as a new HQ for DfIT in Darlington.

Backing business

1. A new digital markets regime
2. A new “distinctive, pro-innovation approach” to AI regulation set out in a ten-year plan
3. Simplifying reporting burdens for SMEs
4. Launching a call for views to understand how the UK’s intellectual property system supports R&I
5. Digitising export health certificates
6. Reforming data laws and “setting a new direction for data regulation”
7. Reforming EU financial services regulations
8. Reforming Solvency II rules
9. Reforming wholesale capital markets regime
10. Conducting a review of the UK Prospectus Regime
11. Taking “sovereign steps” to support innovation, ensuring Payment Services legislation is fit for purpose
12. Replicating EU’s protected status for “iconic British products” 
13. Supporting aviation, being able to make decisions on airline slots alleviation to meet UK circumstances
14. Repealing EU port services regulations
15. Reviewing product safety regime
16. Trialing higher weight limits for lorries, enabling the general use of longer semi-trailers on British roads
17. Exploring alternative arrangements for UK chemical regulations.

Supporting people and families

1. Raising contactless card limit to £100
2. Removing EU’s ‘Vnuk’ motor insurance law to prevent premiums for GB mororists
3. Extending Tour Operators Margin Scheme VAT rules for package holidays, reducing the cost
4. Improving consumer rights of air passengers by reviewing aviation consumer policy
5. A new Turing Scheme for cross-border education training
6. Introducing digital driving licences, test certificates and MOT testing
7. Allowing aspiring teachers from around the world to earn qualified teacher status in the UK
8. Reinstating duty free shopping for all overseas destinations
9. Reformed clinical trial research to improve the speed and efficiency of study set-up clinical trials
10. Reducing bureaucracy and waste in the NHS through a new bespoke health procurement regime
11. Developing world-leading regulatory framework for medical devices
12. Strengthening the consumer Cannabidiol (CBD) market

Environment

1. Reforming the Common Agricultural Policy to reward farmers for their role as environmental stewards
2. A new world-leading framework to clean up our air and water under an independent watchdog
3. Setting a zero emissions vehicle mandate, banning the sale of new diesel and petrol cars and vans by 2030
4. New UK emissions trading scheme to incentives cost-effective abatement in industry

Animal welfare

1. Banning export of live animals for fattening and slaughter
2. Ending puppy smuggling and low-welfare pet imports
3. Legislating for animal sentience to ensure all government policies take account of animal welfare
4. Building animal welfare into independent trade policy
5. Using new independent voice in international forums to improve animal welfare, including the WTO

Global Britain

1. Agreed trade deals with 70 countries plus the EU
2. A new dialogue partner of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations , the first ASEAN has agreed in 25 years
3. Reaffirm our commitment to work together with the United States to realise our vision for a more peaceful and prosperous future
4. Retaken our seat at the World Trade Organization as an independent trading nation
5. Established an independent sanctions policy
6. Established a strategic partnership with Australia and the USA (AUKUS)
7. New UK Defence and Security Industrial Strategy to promote defence exports
8. Began accession negotiations to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership.
9. Launched trade deal negotiations with India
10. Deployed the UK’s Carrier Strike Group, led by HMS Queen Elizabeth to the Bay of Bengal.
11. Agreed more ambitious provisions for digital trade
12. Launched 12-point Export Strategy to support British businesses exporting globally
13. Continuing UK Export Finance mission
14. Created the Trade Remedies Authority to help defend UK economic interests