BREXIT THE MOVIE - FULL FILM - Martin Durkin Crowdfunded Documentary

Summary

The documentary makes a strongly pro-Brexit case, framing the EU referendum as a choice between continued membership and Britain’s ability to govern itself. It argues that EU institutions are opaque and insufficiently democratic: in its account, the elected European Parliament has limited power, while unelected officials and the Commission hold substantial legislative authority. It also criticizes the system’s complexity, limited public accountability, and the pay and perks of EU officials, portraying Brussels as an entrenched political elite.

The film says EU membership has harmed British industries and economic competitiveness. It uses the decline of fishing in North Shields to argue that EU quotas transferred control of British waters and damaged local fleets. It also criticizes EU regulation and protectionism, contending that they raise prices, limit competition, and burden smaller businesses. A London sugar refinery is presented as an example of EU trade rules increasing costs and threatening jobs. The documentary contrasts this with the postwar German recovery, which it attributes partly to deregulation and freer trade.

It further argues that the EU’s protectionist model has left Europe economically stagnant and less able to compete globally. The film presents Switzerland as evidence that a prosperous country can remain outside the EU while trading internationally, and suggests that Britain could do the same. It claims that trade does not depend on EU membership or formal trade deals, and that the EU would have strong reasons to maintain access to the UK market.

The documentary also warns that EU policies and limited democratic responsiveness may fuel political extremism and leave member states exposed to decisions or conflicts they did not choose. It rejects the idea that promises of economic benefits or consumer conveniences compensate for the loss of self-government. Its conclusion is that voters should choose “Leave” to restore British control over laws, policy, and the country’s future.

Presenters and contributors

• Martin Durkin — Named in the film title as the filmmaker; the subtitles do not identify the on-screen narrator by name.
• John Ellis — North Shields fish merchant.
• Beat Kappeler — Swiss economist and writer; his name is rendered uncertainly in the auto-generated subtitles.
• John Mills — Businessman and Labour Party donor.
• Other interviewees — Several are heard, but their names are not given in the subtitles.