Brexit and Devon County? Things aren’t as bad as they seem

January 1st has come, and with it the long and excruciating process of Brexit has been finalised. It certainly wasn’t easy on both sides, but it was harder on the UK, having its economy on the line here. While Exeter was predominantly against leaving the EU back in 2016, the rest of Devon county was certainly up for it - and Devonians have certainly had their reasons to be in favour of the decision.

Now, only a few weeks after the day of the split, it seems like things aren’t as bad as they could have been for the people of Devon county (certainly when comparing the situation to other parts of the UK). Let’s take a look at some of the main concerns that preceded Brexit and compare where we are today in relation to them.

Economy

Historically, Devon county has been a bit behind economically, when compared to other parts of England. This probably has to do with the fact that Devon is not home to a big commercial or industrial center, the kind that are more common in urban conglomerations. While for many years this has been a disadvantage for Devon, it also means that the blow felt by Brexit was smaller.

With business between the UK and other parts of Europe being restricted, naturally self-reliant counties like Devon have felt it much less, since international export is not a dominant cog in the economy’s wheels. True, the agricultural sector in Devon plays a major role, but it was not harmed since it mainly provides and supports Devon and neighbouring counties.

Tourism, which is also a main industry in Devon, will be impacted. It isn’t as easy to pass the border between the UK and the EU anymore, but that blow is insignificant for a few reasons. First, the tourism industry here has always been more reliant on domestic crowds. Second, the blow for tourism was felt a long time before Brexit, a result of COVID-19. Third, Brexit is not supposed to make travelling between the EU and the UK much harder, just a bit more bureaucratic.

This ice cream store in Torquay won’t see many tourists in the near future, sadly, but not because of Brexit.

Employment

Due to the fact that the economy won’t feel the strain of Brexit as much as in other places, unemployment rates are not going to soar. On the contrary, they are projected to drop in Devon, the main reason being, of course, the recovery from the pandemic and the lifting of restrictions. Devonians felt the big blow in the summer of 2020, when tourism came to a halt and when commerce was forced to shut down - causing many to lose their jobs. In that sense, Brexit’s supposed negative impact probably won’t even be felt.

Nowadays, things are returning to normal despite restrictions not yet being completely lifted. This has to do with the fact that the unemployed of Devon county have found alternative means of income - mostly online. Crystalead, a known digital marketing company for example, reports a rise in demand for its platform in the area. The platform serves as a means to earn an income in the form of commission for lead collection, an online advertising method becoming more and more popular these days.

Jonathan Greenwood from Crystalead adds details: “Our purpose is to let people with a sense for marketing put their skills to work in online campaigning. By attracting attention from potential audiences for many different types of industries, these people can make a commission.”

Welfare

For many years, the rural and peripheral parts of the UK were paid less attention to, as opposed to the big cities and metropolitan areas. Thus Devonians, being far from the main hubs of London, Birmingham, and Manchester, have had the right to feel neglected. However, now that commitments to the EU (mostly financial ones) are out of the picture, the government has more free resources to invest in this area.

Exmouth, Devon County. Time to invest a bit more in this beautiful region.

It is no secret that the UK was one of the stronger nations in the EU, putting a burden on the country’s shoulders in the form of support given to weaker European countries. Now that this concern has been lifted off British shoulders, it is time to take an inward look and see how the central government, the people in London, can promote equality between different regions. Whether this is going to happen or not, it’s too soon to say.