Brexit created lasting tribal political identities that have polarized Britain and replaced class-based politics with culture wars
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/profile/adityachakrabortty. "Ten years after Brexit, this is the UK: a divided nation frozen in time | Aditya Chakrabortty | The Guardian." April 9, 2026. www.theguardian.com
The Gist
Brexit didn't just change Britain's relationship with Europe - it completely rewired how British people see themselves politically. Instead of identifying as Labour or Conservative voters, people now define themselves as Remainers or Leavers, and this tribal thinking has made politics more about cultural fights than real economic issues that affect people's daily lives.
Conclusion
Brexit fundamentally transformed British politics by creating enduring tribal identities (Remainer vs Leaver) that have replaced class-based politics with polarized culture wars, leaving Britain divided and frozen in unproductive political conflict
Premises
- Before Brexit, British voters identified primarily by party affiliation (Labour/Conservative), but the referendum created new tribal identities (Remainer/Leaver) that 60% of Britons still maintain 10 years later
- Brexit identity became stronger after the vote rather than fading, with emotional attachment increasing most significantly in the aftermath of the referendum
- The polarization has become so severe that by 2025, only 40% of each side can bear to discuss politics with the other, showing evidence of discrimination rather than mere disagreement
- Tony Blair's shift of Labour to the center in the 1990s ended class-based politics, and Brexit filled this void with culture war issues focused on immigration, foreign aid, and social issues rather than economic equality
- The Brexit debate avoided substantive economic policy discussions, with leave campaigners using immigration as a 'baseball bat' issue while offering no clear trade alternatives
- Political elites who created this division have prospered regardless of outcomes, with figures like Cameron earning massive speaking fees after leaving office
Assumptions
- Political identity formation follows patterns similar to habit formation described in behavioral psychology
- Class-based politics was more substantive and beneficial than culture war politics
- The Brexit referendum was primarily an elite-driven project rather than genuine grassroots demand
- Political polarization based on cultural issues is less productive than economic-focused politics
- The current state of British politics represents a deterioration from previous eras