As the dust final settles, psephologists have begun the unenviable task of trying to understand how the public voted and what it means for the nation going forward. Asian Voice has been researching the numbers and has noticed clear division geographically, generationally and economically.
Geographically, Remain only had three strong holds. London, Scotland and Northern Ireland were the only three areas to vote in favour of Remain, with Scotland voting 62/38 in favour of staying while London as a whole voted 60/40 in favour of staying. Despite the collective voting to stay, London still saw some areas which voted to leave, such as the working-class Eastern borough of Barking and Dagenham (63/37 in favour of leave). Almost every other region of Britain voted to leave, with strong holds in major cities such as Doncaster (68/32 leave), Wolverhampton (67/33 leave) and Sunderland (61/39 leave).
Generationally, the divide is just as stark. Three-quarters of voters aged 18-24 voted to Remain in the EU, while two-thirds of pensioners (over the age of 60) voted for Brexit. However, turnout was much higher amongst the over 60 age group, with 82% voting. Young people, by comparison, only managed a turnout of 60% in the 18-24 bracket. This is despite the fact that the average young person will have to live with this decision for the next 69 years, whereas the average pensioner must only live with this for the next 16 years.
In terms of economics, the electoral map is clear. Those who have jobs which are classified as low-paying (that is under £23,000/year) voted overwhelmingly in favour of leave. 77% of local authorities with an average annual earning of under £23,000/year voted in favour of leave whereas 65% of local authorities with an average annual earning of over £23,000/year voted in favour of remain. For example, the average salary in Boston (the strongest pro-leave area at 76%) is £15,699 whereas the average salary in the City of London (one of the strongest pro-remain areas at 75%) is £45,219.
All figures sourced from The Times newspaper, 25/06/2016.
