Brexiteers worried that this day would never come. It took 3.5 years to happen. Theresa May tried and failed. But it was left to the current conservative Prime Minister Boris Johnson to get Brexit done. It took him several attempts and a general election but Friday 31st January was the day it actually happened and the United Kingdom exited the European Union. Press TV went to Westminster where a party was being held to mark the occasion to find out how the supporters of Brexit felt about their momentous day.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has hailed Brexit day as a dawn of a new era, promising real national renewal after 47 years of EU membership. With the divorce now sealed, one chapter of Brexit has come to an end. The next, however, has only just begun. The negotiations with the European Union over a future trade deal will begin and the clock for the 11-month transition period has now started ticking.

Despite the optimism placed in Boris Johnson by Brexiteers, there are also some concerns. Some worry that Johnson’s determination not to extend the transition period beyond 2020 will create the risk of a no-deal Brexit. They think that this will spark business anxiety that could cause the UK’s GDP growth to potentially be reduced by £11bn by 2025 and £15bn by 2029, unless a new deal is reached. However, those numbers and estimates are seen as just more scaremongering for many Brexiteers.

Brexit has now officially happened after parliamentary battles and two general elections. Britain has formally left the European Union. What does this mean for the UK and the British economy? Only time will tell.