Was Brexit really about Europe ?

Abstract

Much of the debate about Brexit, during the referendum and afterwards, was not obviously about Europe at all. There were perhaps five general themes that shaped the argument : (i) The impact of austerity after the 2008 credit crash, the fall in real wages and welfare cuts. This particularly influenced Labour voters. (ii) Disaffection with the union of the United Kingdom, especially in Scotland.(iii) Discontent with party politics. The traditional two-party polarization and been in decline from the early 1970s. (iv) Immigration. Heavy migration from Eastern Europe from 2004 onwards had an emotional impact in old industrial areas which had little or no immigration at all.(iv) Britain’s post-imperial destiny, especially the decline of its great-power status since 1940. Some dreamed of a Joseph-Chamberlain-type ‘anglophone’ bloc, or reviving Churchillian greatness. But European ‘control’ seemingly blocked the way.Thus Britain’s strengths seemed to lie elsewhere – in its soft power, culturally and intellectually. But this suggested new social division, elitism based not on class but on education. It followed new attacks on established institutions, the constitution, the judges, the BBC, the churches, perhaps in time even the monarchy. The Olympic Games of 2012 inspired internal solidarity, including emphases on British rights of protest and women. That spirit must be revived to regenerate the European idea.