By “take responsibility” for Wales’ voting record, ChargingBuck, I obviously mean look at the underlying sentiments in your own society - ugly or uncomfortable though that may be - before you start pointing the finger over the border and indulging in the whole nonsensical blaming mentality.
When does someone ‘become Welsh’ out of interest? A year? One generation? Multiple generations since the year dot? What you are saying doesn’t even make sense. Millions of English have Welsh ancestry or relatives and vice versa. What even is Welsh and what is English?
People voted Brexit in Wales for the same reason people voted Brexit in England. There are communities that have suffered years of deprivation and feel left behind - or out of the loop. They feel there are no opportunities for them so when they hear -“Take back control” it resonates. They figure anything would be better than the present state of affairs.
I live in a part of London where 75% voted Remain. This is faulty typical. Not surprising, as it’s a wealthy prosperous, multicultural area and people are what you could call the “winners” of globalisation and free trade / open borders etc. In fact, don’t actually know anyone who voted Brexit. Yet it happened, sadly. But it’s no use me just pointing the finger at regions with a high Brexit vote - eg Boston in Lincolnshire - and blaming them. We are part of the same society - and as in all societies, there are “winners” and “losers.” People in prosperous London and south-east England can’t fully relate to the sentiment in deprived ex-industrial areas, such as parts of Northern England or yes, Wales. I have studied regional variations in the Brexit vote and those with the highest Brexit vote are regions with the highest levels if inter-generational deprivation. This is why significant areas of Wales voted Brexit - along with the former “Red Wall” constituencies. It’s no good blaming them and “othering” them though. You have to look at all facets within your own society - even ‘incomers’ or those with polarised views to your own - and accept that their voice is as valid as yours. That applies to all regions and all demographics - whether they can trace their ancestry back to the Doomsday Book, or have been here 20 years (like me) or were just granted asylum yesterday.
It a ridiculous and quite frankly, childish to blame “the English” for Welsh Brexit vote. Who are “the English” anyway? Would you count me as English (I emigrated to London from overseas 20 years ago)? Would my Arabic-speaking husband be English in your book? What about one of the millions of people born in England to one (or two) Welsh parents? What are they then?
People have been freely living and working across the border for thousands of years. Funny how just as many if not more “English” people live in Scotland - yet Scotland still voted Remain overall. As I say, look closely at your own society.
Most “English” who move to Wales probably have some sort of connection to Wales. Or they are Welsh-born, but have been living in London for work and moving back - perhaps with a family to be close to relatives etc. Regardless, the English are a very mixed bunch and I doubt there’s many “English” families that have no Welsh or Scottish connections or ancestry Ther U.K. is a small country!