On this date back in 2016, the British public took to the polls and voted to leave the European Union. After four years of negotiations, the UK has now finally left the bloc, a move seen as a victory by Brexiteers.

       However, the EU's single market commissioner, Thierry Breton, has claimed Brexit has proven to be an "aberration that has weakened and isolated the UK".

       Mr Breton said it is "hard to see" any concrete benefits for Britain leaving the EU and the coronavirus pandemic has exposed the multiple downsides.

       He claimed Brexit was "supposed to take back control" and protect British citizens and boost Britain's global standing.

       However, Mr Breton said: "What we see is pretty must the opposite."

       After Prime Minister Boris Johnson signed a Brexit trade deal with the bloc in December, there have been several issues, particularly with the Northern Ireland Protocol.

       The Northern Ireland Protocol - agreed in the Brexit deal - is designed to avoid customs checks along the Irish border.

       Mr Johnson threatened to suspend the Northern Ireland Protocol unless the EU backs down on checks and restrictions.

       Earlier this month, the European Commission said it was ready to "suspend" parts of the Brexit trade deal unless the UK ended its refusal to implement the Protocol.

       READ MORE: Enough is enough! UK will change hated EU rules next month

       Mr Breton also claimed the UK would have benefited from around ￡45bn of the EU's coronavirus recovery plan if it remained part of the bloc.

       He said: "If the UK was still in the EU, it would have benefited from perhaps ￡45bn of collective EU money.

       "It's hard to see how one country on its own can fare better than many, together."

       He also mocked Britain's ￡14bn trade deal with Australia claiming UK imports and exports with the EU are worth "￡660bn".

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       Mr Breton also said Britain looked "more and more isolated" but claimed the EU would not "abandon our British partners".

       He told the Guardian: "But they have made their choice.

       "My job is to defend the single market.

       "That means helping make sure the agreements that have been negotiated and signed are respected - fully."

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       10.10am update: EU chiefs unveils plans to hold back City of London in bitter act of Brexit revenge

       Brussels has revealed plans to curb the City of London in a bid to end the UK's dominance as Europe's leading financial hub.

       The European Commission’s financial services chief said Brexit had “laid bare” the Continent’s dependence on the City.

       Mairead McGuinness warned that the bloc requires a major rethink to “reinforce its capacity and suggested delaying a decision to grant UK firms greater access to its market could be used for the rebuild.

       But the Irish eurocrat insisted that the move was underpinned by concerns over financial security rather than a bitter grab for the City’s business in the wake of Brexit.

       Ms McGuinness said: “Where possible, we want to limit the concentration of critical infrastructures located outside the EU.

       “Our goal is not to move or steal business away from London but rather to build our own infrastructure, and that’s an important nuance.”

       9.50am update: Do as I say, not as I do! Sturgeon tells Boris to work with EU - despite own Brexit attack

       Nicola Sturgeon has launched another scathing attack against Boris Johnson on the five year anniversary of the Brexit referendum.

       Not only did the First Minister issue a stinging attack on Brexit but Ms Sturgeon also called on the Prime Minister to seek cooperation with the EU - despite years of her own clashes with Westminster.

       In an op-ed, Ms Sturgeon once again reopened her pursuit to break up the UK, claiming Scotland had been taken out of the EU against its will on what is the fifth anniversary of the referendum.

       The First Minister also claimed Scotland had now been subject to a "hard Brexit" in what has been a difficult five years.

       Writing for Politico, she said: "Despite that vote, not only have we been removed from the EU against our will, we’ve been subject to a damaging hard Brexit.

       "These five years have been especially difficult for the more than 200,000 people from EU countries who have chosen to live and work in Scotland, and who are now being forced by the government in Westminster to apply to stay in the UK."

       9.15am update: 'They've sold us down the f*****g river!' British fishermen hit out on Brexit anniversary

       British fishermen have lashed out at the Government, claiming they have been "sold down the f*****g river".

       Under the trade deal secured by Boris Johnson, the EU was allowed to keep 75 percent of the value of the fish it now catches in UK waters, with 25 percent being returned to British fishermen over a transition period until June 2026.

       From 2026, Britain will be able to cut quotas or exclude boats in a zone of 6-12 nautical miles.

       However, British fishermen have said their trade has been made more difficult due to Mr Johnson's Brexit trade deal.

       8.50am update: EU braced for pandemonium – Sweden dubbed 'next one to leave' before plunging into chaos

       The EU could soon lose another member as after Brexit Sweden is the country most likely to leave the European club, a German lawyer told Express.co.uk.

       A clash over housing policy in Sweden led to a full-blown government crisis on Monday as a fragmented parliament withdrew its support for Social Democrat Prime Minister Stefan L？fven.

       In a vote of no confidence, 181 lawmakers voted against Mr L？fven, with 109 in favour and 51 abstentions.

       Mr L？fven now has a week to decide whether to call a snap election, or resign and try to build a new governing coalition without a new election.

       Like many European nations, from Finland to France and from Germany to Greece, Sweden has seen the emergence of an influential far-right anti-immigration and anti-EU political party, in this case the SD.

       The SD have gained a surge in support for their criticisms of establishment politicians, Brussels and the continent's response to the migrant crisis of 2015.

       8.15am update: Doing it for Britain! Boris vows to unleash Brexit freedoms with ￡9TN trade spectacular

       Boris Johnson has vowed to use the UK's Brexit freedoms to "shape a better future" for the country.

       In a message to mark the fifth anniversary of the historic referendum vote to quit the EU, the Prime Minister hails the “momentous decision” to “take back control of our destiny.”

       He also celebrated the advances already made in regaining control of borders and reaching out for new trade deals across the globe.

       Mr Johnson said: “Five years ago the British people made the momentous decision to leave the European Union and take back control of our destiny.

       “This Government got Brexit done and we’ve already reclaimed our money, laws, borders and waters."

       7.45am update: Priti Patel warns EU to treat Brits living in bloc fairly - ‘We’ve been generous!’

       Priti Patel has warned the EU Britons are being denied work and healthcare after Brexit.

       Ms Patel noted Government concerns over the treatment of Britons in Europe, with reports saying people have been stopped at borders and were not granted residency in some EU states.

       Brits have had delays in receiving their residency documents in Portugal, and Italian town halls have failed to complete registrations of residency applications.

       Writing in The Telegraph, the Home Secretary praised the UK’s offer of residency as “very generous”, pointing out the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) has been open for two years.