Why, you might ask, did very rich people fund Brexit? Answer: to be able to scrap EU regulation of their businesses. That’s all. They actually want the cheap Continental labour.
On the other hand, the man in the street voted for Brexit to reduce immigration and get back his old job and what he thinks was the old British way of life. He reads the gutter Press and therefore doesn’t understand that regulations are there to protect him against predatory banks and businesses.
Owing to the power of big money, the British will therefore likely end up in the following situation: immigration will barely be affected. Taunton, a smallish country town in the West of England, will still keep its three thriving Polish shops. On the other hand the regulations that keep business reasonably fair and protect the poor, will be whittled down, and those Brits in work at all will face lower incomes, shorter holidays, maybe no sick leave, no protection against shoddy products (need I go on?)
This represents a massive “own goal” for Essex Man and the the Brexit advocates, and a potential Great Betrayal. The old jobs will never come back and the old way of British life is history. All the excessively cheery articles in the media are designed to make people think all will be well. You can keep your fingers crossed, I suppose.
Polly Toynbee writes: “The moment is fertile for some yet-worse demagogue who calls for throwing out migrants already here. Expect the volume to be raised against the “elites” – anti-parliament, anti-politics, bored with democracy itself. Ignite hatred against Europe, blame Brussels for deliberately impoverishing us in revenge, (Tories already blame Brussels for policies they themselves have implemented. Ed.), stirring centuries- old enmities”.
“Blend all that with a little nationalistic, leftish populism; nationalise our utilities and rail, eject foreign owners from key industries and property, pump up the armed forces and national pride, scrap the Human Rights legislation, make the BBC a government information department”, oh, and deal with the greedy people in the City (who would resettle in Frankfurt, however reluctantly).
The British regard themselves as a tolerant, moderate nation. So, until Trump, did the Americans. Polly Tonbee calls this prospect “militant majoritarianism”. Sounds not so harmful. I call it national fascism, and it’s happening in Eastern Europe and the United States. Winner? Russia, a spectacular victory against an EU perceived to be encircling and threatening the Russian state.