UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has listed the reintroduction of crown stamps to pint glasses and the lifting of a ban on the sale of products in pounds and ounces as two of Brexit’s “key successes” this year.

In 2021, a year after the UK-EU trade and cooperation deal was signed, the prime minister shared his thoughts on the prospects afforded by Brexit.

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However, in his new year’s speech about Brexit, he made no mention of Northern Ireland, where there are still major trade issues with the agreement’s operation and ongoing talks with the EU about how to proceed. The prime minister also failed to address David Frost’s resignation as the Tory peer in charge of Brexit.

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Frost is stepping down from the cabinet, citing unhappiness with Brexit negotiations as well as broader worries over the government’s COVID policy and tax hikes. Foreign Secretary Liz Truss will take over his responsibilities.

Johnson claimed in his anniversary address that the UK had “used Brexit freedoms” to develop a new immigration system and to strike new trade accords with countries like Australia.

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Johnson also stated that Brexit had aided the vaccine deployment, though this assertion has been disputed by others.

Ending VAT on sanitary products, simplifying complex EU alcohol tax rates, and pushing through the ban on selling in pounds and ounces, as well as restoring the crown mark on the side of pint glasses, were among the prime minister’s accomplishments this year.

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“We’ve replaced free movement with a points-based immigration system. We’ve secured the fastest vaccine rollout anywhere in Europe last year by avoiding sluggish EU processes. And from Singapore to Switzerland, we’ve negotiated ambitious free trade deals to boost jobs and investment here at home,” he said.

“But that’s not all. From simplifying the EU’s mind-bogglingly complex beer and wine duties to proudly restoring the crown stamp on to the side of pint glasses, we’re cutting back on EU red tape and bureaucracy and restoring common sense to our rulebook.”

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Johnson promised that the government would move “further and faster” in 2022 to maximise the benefits of Brexit.

Officials are assessing thousands of individual EU regulations that will be automatically maintained on the books after Brexit, with the goal of abolishing those that do not act in the best interests of people and businesses, he added.

Johnson also mentioned regulation reforms in areas such as artificial intelligence, self-driving cars, data privacy, genetically modified foods, and medical devices as areas where the UK may depart from the EU.

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“The job isn’t finished and we must keep up the momentum. In the year ahead my government will go further and faster to deliver on the promise of Brexit and take advantage of the enormous potential that our new freedoms bring,” he said.

In the week leading up to Christmas, Truss met with her EU counterpart, Maroš Šefčovič, amid increased efforts to scrap the contentious Northern Ireland agreement.

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The cabinet minister and foreign secretary said she intended to seek “a comprehensive solution” to the accord, which calls for post-Brexit checks on goods arriving in Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom.