Left out of the left behind? Ethnic minority support for Brexit

Martin, Nicole; Sobolewska, Maria; Begum, Neema

Abstract

The Brexit referendum was a seismic electoral event with far-reaching consequences, but ethnic minority voters’ decisions in the referendum remain under-researched. We examine what differentiates ethnic minority Remainers from Leavers in two large social surveys. Ethnic minority voters were divided along ethnocentric and generational lines, similarly to majority voters. Those who were born overseas were more likely to support Brexit; meanwhile, younger minorities and those born in the UK were more supportive of Remain, like their young white British counterparts. We show that anti-immigrant attitudes, including views on Turkey joining the EU, mattered for ethnic minority Leavers, as well as sovereignty concerns. Our results reveal that the factors that led minorities to vote to leave the EU were not altogether different from those identified for white British voters. We argue the concept of left behind can include minorities, and research must therefore consider what role whiteness plays in this concept.

Citation

Martin, N., Sobolewska, M., & Begum, N. (2024). Left out of the left behind? Ethnic minority support for Brexit. Ethnic and Racial Studies, 1-23. https://doi.org/10.1080/01419870.2024.2358080

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Apr 17, 2024
• Online Publication Date: May 30, 2024
• Publication Date: May 30, 2024
• Deposit Date: May 30, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: May 31, 2024
• Journal: Ethnic and Racial Studies
• Print ISSN: 0141-9870
• Electronic ISSN: 1466-4356
• Publisher: Routledge
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Pages: 1-23
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/01419870.2024.2358080
• Keywords: Brexit; ethnicity; immigration; voting behaviour; referendum; ethnic minorities
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/35438150
• Publisher URL: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01419870.2024.2358080
• Additional Information: Peer Review Statement: The publishing and review policy for this title is described in its Aims & Scope.; Aim & Scope: http://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?show=aimsScope&journalCode=rers20; Received: 2023-03-06; Accepted: 2024-04-17; Published: 2024-05-30