Despite the turmoil induced by the referendum, party affiliation remains strong, with many leavers likely to back Labour
We are a divided nation, torn apart by Brexit and unable even to have Christmas dinners together – or so the story goes. The 2016 referendum created a deep divide in British society around which people are increasingly positioning themselves. Some believe that this is now the defining feature of our political landscape. But while it is true that almost half of the British electorate identify “very strongly” with either leave or remain, and this can outstrip party identification, it would be wrong to imagine that any future general election will only be about this “new” politics. Older divides that have structured political behaviour in Britain for the best part of a century still have a major part to play.
Looking at the values of those with very strong Brexit identities, it’s possible to see interesting “cross-pressures”. The positions people hold on subjects other than Brexit do not always line up as you might expect. This helps us to understand why someone with a strong remain identity might have ended up voting Conservative in 2017, or why someone with a strong leave identity may intend to vote Labour next time around. People’s stances on economic questions, for example, are often rooted in longstanding antagonisms that have not been entirely replaced by identities based on Brexit. Those who are very strongly attached to remain but voted Conservative in 2017 are the group most likely to have right-leaning views on the economy, for instance, while at the same time being more socially liberal than other Conservative voters. Likewise, those who identify strongly with the leave side but who voted Labour in 2017 are more likely to take leftwing economic positions, while being more socially conservative than their fellow party members who support remain.
Continue reading...from The Guardian https://ift.tt/2ldWLtw
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