To wonder how the divisions in the country will ever be healed?

[amandacarnet]

Brexit has divided this country. I wonder how this is ever going to heal. And the repercussions of this deep divide in our country.

In what way is it divided, and what repercussions?

Perhaps it's the circles I move in, but the subject of Brexit hardly ever crops up other than occasionally, and in passing. Nobody ever gets worked up about it, like people do on MN.

It wasnt Brexit that divided the country, the divide already existed. The Bexit vote was just the first time anyone stood up and took any real notice because the ‘have nots’ had affected the lives of the ‘haves’ for the first time.

I know people talk about how it is the have nots that voted leave. But all the people I know who have voted leave do not fit into that category. Instead they tend to be more rightwing and anti immigrant.

Like a bamboo above, I only ever hear any Brexit convo from my Mother and am not aware of any more divisions in the country than we have always had between haves and have not .

When people understand how the media work, and how you have to "follow the money".

We're far more divided. I see people emboldened to say appalling things to other people. People who I thought were normal human beings have turned out to be racist or fascist. It will take at least a generation before things may improve.

I think there are deep divisions, and I don't think they will heal for many decades.

The chances of us leaving with a decent deal seem vanishingly small. The chances of us remaining seem even smaller. No deal looks likely. If that happens, most remain voters will never forgive the leave voters. Meanwhile, the leave voters will be scrabbling around for someone else to blame for the shitstorm that ensues, and they'll try to point the finger back at the remainers not "believing in Britain" or some such nonsense.

It's a no win situation. We have backed ourselves into a corner and things are only going to get worse. The have-nots are going to find that they voted to have even less. The peace in Northern Ireland will be shattered. There will be bitterness and resentment for many, many years.

The ultra wealthy on the far right of the Tory party, along with Farage and all his cronies, will probably do quite well out of it, so I guess there will a few people who think it was all worth it.

I also think that there will be great divisions between young and old. The upcoming generations who didn't have the opportunity to vote in the referendum will not forgive us for destroying their futures

No deal looks likely. If that happens, most remain voters will never forgive the leave voters.

^ this

I will preface this by saying I didn’t vote either way. But the “have nots” as they are being called here, that I know of, are content with losing more if it causes the “haves” to lose even more. To them, it is an acceptable price to pay to “make their voice heard”. In recent years we have left huge swathes of the country impoverished and with no hope for the future. This is the result. They already felt they were living in a divided country. Do you think they will care if remainers don’t “forgive” them? They should have been given a voice before but the only voice they were given was the referendum. When you’re on universal credit and relying on food banks it’s hard to envisage things being “worse”. Not saying they can’t be but I can imagine why someone in that scenario thinks that maybe Brexit will be a positive thing. And I can’t really blame them for that. Maybe that’s why I struggled so much re the decision to vote. I didn’t necessarily feel we should leave, but I had issues with the remain side also,

blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandpolicy/brexit-and-the-squeezed-middle/

The have and have nots argument regarding Brexit is too simplistic.

I've just broken a friendship of long standing, not over the Brexit argument as such, but the extreme irrationality used by my ex-friend. She really, truly, deeply believes that the destruction of her husband's employer, the avoidable death of a close relative (type 1 diabetes), the closing of the borders etc etc etc, is a price worth paying for some nebulous thing called sovereignty. I nearly got through when I pointed out that all cigarettes are imported, but then she stuck her head back in the sand.

Well, Northern Ireland has a good template in how to begin to repair division much more deeply entrenched than Leave Vs Remain. We have a peace treaty that's one of the most celebrated in the world that allows us to begin to heal after generations of trauma. So perhaps the presence of something so inspiring and precious within the UK will...

Oh no, wait...

@disgracetotheychromosome. Avoidable death of a relative??. I sincerely hope you didn't say that to your friend.
If you did you were no friend anyway

I was thinking the divide here in Scotland is worse than England. The independence opinions come with a deep passion and I don't know if its repairable. But @mindystclaire you are so right. How Ireland have rebuilt their relationships and lived in peace for so long is amazing. And it gives hope that Scotland can come back together one day
I remember when the gfa was signed. I didn't think it would last.. But you're right it's a fantastic example of how a country can put a bloody and violent past behind them.

It would be heartbreaking to see the country torn apart again.

I don't think the divisions in Scotland will be healed, the majority voted remain here and it is pushing us towards another independence referendum. The tensions from the 2014 referendum were starting to calm down but this is going to be a lot worse.

Have u read the comments on sky news recently. They recently did an article how people turning a quick lull in the war managed to get out of a ruined city.
The comments from people on there made me sick. Empathy seems to be lacking in so many people. The loathing and hate for other people not from this county is sickening. I’m not sure we will heal the rift as I think it was there in the first place but brexit gave them a voice and all of a sudden it’s okay to express these views.
I tried once to talk to these people and find out why ... the abuse I got for trying defend these people was just awful.

Last time there was a thread on this, it was rapidly filled with Remainers saying how much they hate Leavers, can never forgive them, avoid talking to them etc.

It's as if they cannot see how much they are the ones promoting and promulgating division.

Because I think unburnished is correct. Brexit did not cause this - it showed what existed. And berating the majority (of those who could be bothered to vote) - which is the sole way division manifests itself - needs to stop if there is to be any prospect of moving on.

But I really think those who espouse division are going to,continue tomdo so for quite a while yet

I agree we are a divided country in any case. How many of us honestly regularly mix with people from very different backgrounds or political persuasions?

Brexit is just making it more visible.

I think you’ll find those driving Brexit are very much in the “haves” category, it’s not as simple as have vs have not.

Brexit has been divisive for sure but it has only brought out what is already there. And it’s not pretty. I despair for this country, glad not to be there any more but worried for those that still are. We were brought to this point by cynical politicians bent on feathering their own nests, it’s ordinary people that will suffer.

It’s underlined to me how many people have very few critical thinking skills.

No, I don’t think the divide will be repaired quickly.

The divide will be there for a long time and the young generation will not forgive and joe should they. I only know two leavers and one regrets voting leave and and one is a racist I don’t speak to anymore. She is not a have not. She has expressed views I cannot consolidate with a friendship.

I think all but the most polarised in their view will get on with each other without any fuss.

I don’t think it made people more divided, but sadly it made a minority more vocal.

I’m fairly regularly told by random strangers that brexit means people like me will finally be chucked out. These people were just as dense before the vote, but they feel the result has legitimised their views.

I think all but the most polarised in their view will get on with each other without any fuss.

I agree.

I think anyone who thinks there isn’t a divide because it’s not talked about in their social circles is a bit naive to be honest.

• the way people have voted means the government who is in have a majority of one
• when there is another election there will likely be no majority again
• whatever happens with leaving the EU almost exactly half the country will be not dissatisfied
• there things will impact the vast majority of daily lives
• it’s likely the UK will break up (at least with Scotland leaving)

I’ve put that in very basic terms. In reality the emotions and opinions of most people attached to these things are very strong.

There is a divide everywhere I look.