The 2016 Referendum, Brexit and the Left Behind: An Aggregate‐level Analysis of the Result

Abstract Why did Britain vote for Brexit? What was the relative importance of factors such as education, age, immigration and ethnic diversity? And to what extent did the pattern of public support for Brexit across the country match the pattern of public support in earlier years for eurosceptic parties, notably the UK Independence Party ( UKIP )? In this article we draw on aggregate‐level data to conduct an initial exploration of the 2016 referendum vote. First, we find that turnout was generally higher in more pro‐Leave areas. Second, we find that public support for Leave closely mapped past support for UKIP . And third, we find that support for Leave was more polarised along education lines than support for…

• EA
  Economic and Social Research Council

  Award: ES/N004205/1