Brexit: Anti-immigrant prejudice major factor in deciding vote, study finds

[Denzil_DC]

Prejudice against immigrants from the European Union was a “major” deciding factor in the Brexit referendum, according to a new study.

But people who actually met foreigners living in Britain tended to have a positive experience and this appears to have helped persuade many people to vote Remain, the researchers found.

The results suggest that the Brexit campaign’s emphasis on immigration – dubbed “Project Hate” by the pro-EU camp – was politically astute.

...

Dr Meleady, of the University of East Anglia, said the figures showed prejudice against EU immigrants was a “major” deciding factor in the referendum, but it was unclear whether this would have swayed the result.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-racism-immigrant-prejudice-major-factor-leave-vote-win-study-a7801676.html

[JHan]

1. yep. I imagine it will continue to be denied.

just as the animus that drove Trumpism is continually denied.

[Denzil_DC]

3. I remember many of us who hang out here regularly having to explain this to DUers

on other parts of the board after the referendum. We weren't saying it was the whole motivation, but it was a significant one for many.

The article does sound a positive note that could point to a way forward, though:

“Everyday interactions with immigrants are really important. If you have more opportunities for contact, for example on public transport, at the shops, or with neighbours and colleagues, your attitude is likely to be more positive.

“Fear of immigration can sometimes drive prejudice rather than its reality.”

[JHan]

4. Yep I remember those exchanges in the postmortem forum well.

And more data has come out confirming what we argued - till we were blue in the face.

And I agree with that quote: the remedy to this is contact, relationships, (cosmopolitanism essentially)

[unblock]

2. Duh.

My mother-in-law visited from Norwich a few weeks ago. She voted "leave" based exclusively on anti immigration, insisting that too many Syrians are flooding in solely to freeload.

We had what arguments we could without ruining civility....

But it was clear that many, many people voted "leave" based on anti-immigration, and it certainly gave that side a big run-up in the polls in the weeks prior to the vote, when they really amped up that aspect of it.

Frankly I think the pros and cons of eu membership and what a brexit would look like was far too complicated a decision for many, but the idea of weak borders and immigration decided in Brussels was something simple they could latch on to and ignore everything else.

[T_i_B]

5. It was the biggest thing for many "leave" voters

The leave side attracted Alf Garnett types by the bucketload and immigrant bashing was a major part of the leave campaign.

And the leave campaign was most successful in areas with little to no immigration, and with aging, poorly educated voters.