BRITAIN’S OUT. Now what?

By Politico 6/24/16

New poor gave birth to Brexit

Dawn Foster is a writer on politics, social affairs and economics for the Guardian, London Review of Books, Independent and Times Literary Supplement.

Many people are understandably shocked this morning: Received wisdom that when faced with a straight choice between two options, undecided voters plump 2:1 for the status quo turned out to be false. But in some ways the result shouldn’t have been surprising. As the results rolled in, the areas voting to Leave shared some key characteristics. I’ve visited many of these areas in the past year or two — Redcar, Swansea, Sunderland, Newport, and many others — not to gauge opinion on the referendum, but to report on poverty.

All were areas previously relatively affluent, with strong industry, stable jobs and careers, homes and communities. Now, with the collapse of coal mining, manufacturing and steel, jobs are rare, and precarious if they exist at all. People I spoke to said they felt forgotten, but also afraid of a future that looked unrelentingly gloomy.

When politicians announce Britain’s economy is recovering, they see no evidence in either their own pay and conditions, or their town. The high street is desolate and increasingly boarded up, and it takes days to secure an appointment to see a GP. With no job, money or prospects, people feel powerless. Voting to leave delivers a short, sharp shock in this instance. The Leave campaign’s slogan “Take Back Control” was canny in its promise of more engagement for people who feel they have no other option.