Brexit

Question 1

What is the long-term party systems origin of Brexit?

Answer 1

Decline of two party politics

Question 2

What political dimension best explains Brexit?

Answer 2

By 2015 a ‘nationalist versus cosmopolitan’ dimension showed strong patterns

Question 3

What explanations are there for Brexit?

Answer 3

• Anti-Globalisation backlash by the ‘left behind’ [white] working class - Labour decay - and least prosperous regions (inequality)
• Sustained UK euro-scepticism linked to ‘golden age’ nostalgia by elderly (55+) and ‘naive statism’ (“Take back control”)
• The increased salience of immigration - uncontrolled EU migration - UK net migration 330,000 against government target of 110,000
• Nostalgia and Brexit Support
• Age Gap
• Anti-experts, anti-elite feelings
• Political Economy View
• The political salience of immigration