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1/ Many Labour folk say the Tories will own the Brexit failures. This is wishful thinking. Leavers will be told that all the problems are caused by the EU and Remainer traitors. They will lap up the lies because in their minds the national tribe cannot be wrong.
2/ Many on the left and centre continue to adhere to the naive view that there is a direct link between people's economic experience and their political views. The events of the last 10 years should tell them that this is misguided.
3/ In the last election, support for the Tories was strong, despite economic failure, and spread evenly across the socio-economic categories. In present day politics the slogan should be 'It's not the economy stupid!'.
4/ And here's an article entitled 'It’s NOT the economy, stupid'. Brexiters tend to be people troubled by fear and seeking safety and security. https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandpolicy/personal-values-brexit-vote/
5/ When people are frightened by social & economic change they tend to security in a group. They want a group solid and strong enough to defend them, in other words a powerful tribe. With the decline of working class communities and unions the only available tribe is the nation
6/ So far from economic distress leading people to back the left, it leads them to support the nationalist right who offer them the protection and identity of the strongest tribe going, namely the nation-tribe.
7/ Tribal affiliation is emotional not rational. Tribal mentality is very different from rational individualism. It divides society into the tribe and others. It values loyalty, solidarity and self-sacrifice. Questioning and criticism are often seen as disloyal and treasonous.
