The vote breakdown of Brexit is a telling tale in itself; majority of south part of UK and Wales voted to leave the EU while the northern counterparts of Scotland and Northern Ireland, together with some smatterings of vote from the south, supported the stance to remain in the EU. England and Wale’s comparatively higher populations could explain why the “leave” position ultimately prevailed with the leave vote coming out to be around 52%, sustaining a margin of 4% from the 48% who voted to remain. The support from the UK political parties came hardly as news as the Labor Heartlands and the southern constituencies of Tory-Conservative party rallied to the Brexit cause almost instantly.
These figures have made it to both print and digital media worldwide. They are quoted incessantly whenever the Brexit topic is teased in the headlines. But apart from these numbers we consume every day, it is important to look a bit deeper. We need to focus on other demographics related aspects underlying the popular leave vote, that do not receive as much coverage in the media. These include the educational background, socio-economic status, socio-political views and most importantly the ethnicity of the voting groups.
Around 1 in 4 university graduates backed the Leave movement. A closer look into these numbers reveals that, despite their personal level of education, it was increasingly probable for people that hailed from “low-skilled” communities to back Brexit. These communities had fewer degree holding individuals with meager opportunities for them to get ahead. Frequently dismissed as ignorant, these voters were never taken seriously. But these individuals actually had a strong reason to vote for a radical stance and shake up the social landscape. Aware that their communities were already on the losing side of the battle, these less educated individuals did not really have much to lose. They were already compromising on the one thing that guarantees a bigger impact on life outcomes than almost everything else: education.
Among those who chose to vote for leaving the EU, most belonged to the socio-economic status of the working class, while the socio-political beliefs of many Leave voters were grounded in social conservatism. Evidence suggests British Jewry to opt for leaving the EU with anti-Semitic political forces rallied across Europe as a protective measure.
The most interesting analytic that gets overlooked however is that of ethnic diversity. Many well-off South-Asians contribute to the ethnic diversity of the Leave vote. The culture underpinnings of the vote are hence as important as the economic reasons cited by the mass media. It is important to note that South East Asians, especially Indians, constitute some of the largest ethnic minority groups in the UK.
The EU freedom of movement played a major role in the resentment of these South Asian voters who felt that EU migrants had a far easier route to the UK compared to their counterparts in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. The claims were not entirely misplaced as evidence prevails of the ease with which mostly white EU migrants, irrespective of their academic and English language skills can enter the UK. On the other hand, non-white prospective migrants from the South-East Commonwealth nations undergo rigorous evaluations prior to their immigrations being approved. This signaled a sort of a positive discrimination against UK locals with South Asian origins, who despite their history with the UK, were perceived to be treated unfairly. The arrangements made under the freedom of movement have also increased uneasiness amongst these ethnic minority groups over the growth of the far-right sentiment in Europe. Numbers related to race-related harassment faced across the EU have soared as xenophobia takes roots in many of the European communities.
Another potential yet notable reason for the ethnic minorities to side with the Leave side included their concerns over their economic livelihood. Those working behind the counter value their trade of the Commonwealth products to British Asian communities much more than their exchange of goods with the EU. By voting to leave the EU, these minorities hope to expand the trade between the Brexit Britain and the Commonwealth countries, giving more opportunities for local businesses to flourish.
Other motivations of the ethnic leave voters include their frustrations in the mass media as a monolith always siding with the Labour Party. Ethnic minorities felt like they are taken for granted. Although there is a fear of the resulting stigma they would face for supporting the Brexit, but the risk of being labelled as racists did not stop the leave voters to continue to support their position and take a stand for themselves.
The pro-EU and Remain voters arguing for equality and anti-discrimination have turned a side-eye to reasons other than the economic backing the Brexit movement. The grievances of minority groups are checked and exchanged for concerns that only serve to satisfy the political agendas and interests of the ruling parties. Hopefully these layered realities will see the light of the day when the movement is complete and these decision points could be discussed more openly and unapologetically. Right now the fear of shifting opinions in either side allows for a tight-lipped situation and it could be a while before we see these reasons being represented in the media.
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