Footloose and fancy free: state aid after Brexit

There is a perception in certain quarters that EU state aid law acts as a barrier to the UK's ability to pursue an effective industrial policy. Indeed, while the level of state aid provided by the UK is low, members of the current UK government and Labour’s Jeremy Corbyn have framed the EU state aid regime as potentially limiting the UK’s ability to support British business. The UK's decision to leave the EU has thus led some commentators to opine that Brexit will allow the UK to provide greater support to domestic industry. This article evaluates to what extent, if any, Brexit could provide the UK with greater autonomy to grant state aid.