The Poverty of Brexit

Sounds like a no brainer doesn’t it? That is for a party wishing to win an election.

That doesn't count, though, does it. Wrong sort of people.

www.theweek.co.uk/70667/the-ten-happiest-countries-in-the-world-and-the-ten-unhappiest

It seems the ten happiest have more equality than other countries.
A shame the government can't see that.

One of the saddest things, which I mentioned before but was 'poopooed' - is the break down in relationships accelerating as time goes on - adult children and grandchildren who make any excuse not to visit parents or grandparents- as they just can't bear yet another row based on ridiculoous arguments- and friends and other relatives too- same in the USA with Trump supporters. Many tried and tried - but are giving up and just can't stand the constant arguing and feel they are better off without. In our case, with 2 lots of relatives- NO argument, we wouldn't have allowed that to happen- but we just gave up. When racism and prejudice is so strong- then that is a fine line I won't abide with. Sad, but true.

The background for this comment is not just my personal experience, but that of more and more people from the 2 pro remain groups I belong too.

Just one example from today- but similar come up everyday at a rapid and increasing pace- people who have genuinely tried to keep it together- but are now coming to the conclusion there is no way forwards:

'I lost my first friend over Brexit at the weekend. It's been a long time coming, and I haven't taken the decision lightly, we've been close friends for years. But she has stubbornly refused to engage with me on the subject, even though I have tried several times to understand her point of view. To me, if you STILL support Brexshit, you are either actively in favour of racsim and xenophobia, or you're ok with seeing the massive increase in hate and division this stupid vote has caused. Not to mention the myriad other reasons to remain. Thoughts? — feeling sad.'

Labour does have a problem backing Remain. Although about 75% of Labour voters backed Remain in the referendum, in terms of Labour constituencies, about 66% voted Leave. So Labour MPs are reluctant to alienate their constituents.
Most Labour MPs backed Remain, but how to convince their constituents that they have their interests at heart in going against Brexit?

I would think up our way that Labour could make a big thing of the fact that Nissan is almost inevitably going to up sticks and leave, at the cost of an estimated 30,000 local jobs... I've noticed that the local papers are beginning to worry a bit about this...

They could also come clean and say that their undoubted sincere desire to improve the lot of the 'ordinary' citizen ain't going to be possible after the Brexit carnage, and start pinning the blame for the NE's deprivation firmly where it belongs- on tory austerity policies.

www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/happiness-map-north-east-been-14304897

North East is the zero hours capital of the UK.
What an accolade to have.

The strongest Brexit voting areas were in the East of England. Hull, Basildon, Boston, Doncaster etc. Not necessarily traditional industrial areas.
Mainly (outside Scotland) the more prosperous areas voted Remain.
In the Observer Will Hutton says there is now an East/West divide in England as much as there is a North/South divide.
Bristol and Manchester are booming - interesting!

www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/feb/18/youve-heard-about-north-south-divide-how-about-west-east-one?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

The almost inevitable loss of the car industry is going to be devastating.
It’s not just the big names like Nissan, Honda, Toyota it’s all their small suppliers all over the country.
What is the Government proposing to do to replace all these manufacturing jobs? Oh no - it’s going to be a successful Brexit, a red white and blue Brexit. More zero hours contracts means unemployment is at a low!
I think they’re just in denial.

Hull and Doncaster are traditional industrial areas, mostlyharmless.

I see Ruth Davis is warming May not to be cowed by the brextremists. Some hope.

Boston I can sort of understand as it’s an agricultural area with lots of migrant workers. Yes Doncaster ex mining, Hull fishing and ship building - a neglected corner of England. But why Basildon? A post war new town with an easy commute to London by train.
I hate Question Time when it’s from the East of England!

My husband just said “Did you know? One bottle of Fairy Liquid lasts longer than three UKIP leaders!”

Bar chart of impact of Brexit
pbs.twimg.com/media/DWZRNTkXcAAdX7o?format=jpg

Doncaster's not just ex-mining, it was also a key player in railway associated industries. When I lived there in the early 1980s there were quite a lot of North Easterners there who had moved down when railway engineering works in the NE were shut down.

Maybe this helps to explain Basildon?

www.thesun.co.uk/news/2314383/closed-down-shops-and-run-down-council-estates-black-and-white-photos-shot-over-a-10-year-peiod-reveal-the-roots-of-discontent-that-led-to-brexit-britain/

^ 75 per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds voting to Remain, while 61 per cent of those over 65 chose to Leave.^ Basildon..

Another red line scrubbed.

pbs.twimg.com/media/DWZ3WM6XkAck59m?format=jpg

Very depressing article (and the comments underneath too) Maizie. But 75% of youngsters voted Remain.
But so close to London? Thirty four minutes by train?

The depressing thing is the fact that so much of the vote for Brexit was no more than a kick back against the Tory government and years of austerity. Absolutely zero to do with Brexit

Is London really the fount of an endless supply of jobs?

And the cost of train fares to get to a poorly, paid job with possibly no guaranteed hours ; is it really worth it?

It's not that easy to find information on ticket prices without actually pretending to book one but from what I can see a weekly season ticket would cost about £68, a sizeable chunk out of the earnings of someone on minimum wage...

mostlyharmless
What has Basildons close proximity to London got to do with the residents voting to leave?
We are only 10 mins down the line from Basildon but my town (Southend) voted to leave.

And I'm from Hull, paints, chemicals,Fenners making fan belts for your cars and other heavy machinery, Reckitt and Colman's, Jordan's motorbikes, caravan making, now Siemen's wind turbines and blades, as well as ship repairs, not just fishing.

Strangely enough, I like Question Time when it's from the East of England.