The historical public vote on Brexit took place on the 23rd June 2016, with 51.9% voting for the UK to formally withdraw from the European Union (EU). This surprise outcome caused the government to trigger Article 50 the following March. This gave the UK the right to withdraw unilaterally from the EU, as well as allowing the UK government 2 years in order to negotiate the terms of its exit from the EU.
Various issues influenced those who voted for Brexit of which two integral factors were sovereignty and immigration. The idea that decisions about the UK should be made in the UK was prevalent amongst Brexit voters and was borne due to a general mistrust of multinational organisations such as the EU. Immigration also posed a threat to the Remain campaign with many citing this as their personal reason for wanting to leave the EU.
Demographic factors also played a large role, with high voter turnout of around 90% of over 65s whereas only 64% of eligible individuals aged between 18-24 years old voted in the referendum. The fact that young people under the age of 18 years old were not eligible to vote in the referendum also incited outrage by the fact that they would not have a say in their own future. The reason for this is as younger people have to live with the outcome of the referendum for the rest of their lives, whilst the effect on older people appears smaller due to the fact that they did not have much of their lives left to live. Under 18s were generally in favour of Remain, so the integration of these voters into the referendum may have swayed the results in the other direction.
The majority of Leave voters was fairly narrow, with 48.1% voting for Remain. Some of the most popular reasons were economic, with many pointing to the various trading relationships with the EU including the customs union and membership of the single market which may be lost if the UK were to leave the EU. Some Remain voters also saw the economic benefit of immigration and were concerned over the loss of migration of workers if free movement of labour was revoked and the UK left the European Single Market.
There is still a large amount of uncertainty surrounding Brexit as a whole and the future relationship between the two depends on the deal negotiated between the UK government and the EU. The contents of this deal are largely subject to change based on political forces within the UK, including the Conservative leadership contest and the prospect of a second referendum. Various options such as Theresa May’s deal and the no deal outcome have failed to be agreed upon previously. Boris Johnson and Jeremey Hunt who were the two candidates for the Conservative leadership have different opinions on how negotiations should proceed. But Britain, Europe and the rest of the world has to wait and see the direction Brexit takes under the leadership of Boris Johnson as the Prime Minister who is aiming to leave the EU promptly on October 3rd 2019.
Written by Nathan James Howell
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