The UK has voted in favour of leaving the
EU. Well, this is what's being discussed in the UK this morning
accompanied by both champagne and tears.
As an engineer, my conclusion would be that the result is very unclear; the UK is either unsure or divided.
I think the truth is that we are both. However, the vote has fallen on the side of "Leave".
Why?
Well there are many reasons. I strongly believe that the UK
belongs within the European Union, but I hope I can help my
international colleagues understand why UK citizens would vote "out".
Here are some reasons..
Hearts & Minds
The campaigns leading up to the vote have been
characterised by fear. Both sides argued that "the world will end" if we
voted the other way. A nationalist minority, headed by the UK
Independence [political] Party ("UKIP"), managed to link EU membership
with immigration in the minds of voters. This was a vote of the heart as much as (if not more than) the mind. In the end, this is more of an emotional result than a cognitive one.Austerity & Inequality
There is a great deal of dissatisfaction in the UK. The
government since 2010 has been implementing austerity policies which
have served to exaggerate inequality which was already rising. Many
people feel unhappy with the UK's direction but do not have a clear idea
why. The referendum offers a big decision which is essentially a choice
of keeping something as it is, or doing something different; a vote to leave is a vote for change.
Left Right Left Right
UK politics has recently swung towards the right. Whereas
over the last century, the left side of politics has been seen to
represent the "workers" and the right side the rich. The left have
recently lost the trust and identification of lower income voters. Now
there is a broad consensus with right-wing philosophy; the UK has
subscribed to neo-liberalism; a faith in the free-market and a distrust
of government. The EU has an important role in regulating business in
the name of society, however UK society has broadly thrown itself at the
feet of business, so suddenly the EU seems counterproductive.
The Voice of the Media
Some very popular newspapers have been pro-leave. These
have used sensationalist headlines and images to reinforce
misconceptions and fears around Europe. A great deal of information used
to promote leaving has been inaccurate and misleading, while the remain
campaign has largely limited itself to use well supported information.
Despite most UK leaders being in favour of remaining in the EU, the media has had a louder voice than our leaders. The British Empire
Britain's history probably plays a part in this vote. When
Brits look into their history for identity, they see the British Empire.
Despite the fact that this is firmly in the past, with British imperial
colonies now independent, and the industrial strength which powered the
empire's formation now spent, for many it represents our identity.
There is a feeling that Britain is naturally in charge. Despite the
facts, there is a sense that Britain can "go it alone" and be a strong world leader if we are completely independent, just like the "good old days".
I was going to write a short section on "What Next?" But
the truth is I don't know. We should treat this result with some regard,
it tells us something important about the currents flowing under the UK
surface.
In the meantime, please treat us kindly, I hope to post again soon.
