Lefties vs Righties

The U.K. is almost as divided now at the US was during the election of 2016. While the social intensities aren't as high as they are in the states, many people are still on edge because they don't know what will happen next. The uncertainty of this decision is actually what's splitting the country's dichotomy further. One of the biggest stressors between the parties is Brexit. 

Brexit was the decision of the British parliament to leave the European Union. The vote was made around this time last year, and negotiations behind on June 19th, 2017. The decision of Brexit was divisive at the time it occurred and, since we're still talking about it, sparks a lot controversy today. 

The Tory's platform was centered heavily on Brexit negotiations, and it's actually what caused the decision to have an early election- a decision many Londoners think was hasty and ill prepared. Actually, some might argue that Brexit was the reason the election turned out the way it did. Many voters were turned off from voting Tory in this past election. 

"Theresa May is a robot" said Brandon, a man I met at Road Trip bar in Shoreditch. "The touries don't know what they're getting themselves into with Brexit and it's going to miraculously evaporate right in front of their eyes." Brandon wasn't in any state to have his photograph taken, so I refrained out of courtesy. However, Brandon wasn't the only one at the table. His friends agreed with his statements almost fully. We then spoke about our favorite newspapers; they asked me which ones I've had the opportunity to read while I've been in the U.K. and they brought up an interesting argument. The boys proposed that the reason Brexit was so successful was because papers like the Guardian and other well-known press hadn't really described the ramifications of the decision accurate manor. 

"While it's nice to keep things positive and find silver linings, we must be realistic" Hans, another friend, said. "Brexit is not good for the people. It never has been and it probably never will be. So, when we don't have these conversations it's like the people aren't doing anything to stop what's going on. There are so many red flags and rather than waving them, we've just kind of hoped that others will pick up on it." 

With Brexit negotiations right around the corner many U.K. citizens feel like it's going to mirror the U.S. election; the voice of the people will fall on deaf ears and more and more people will fall victim to a broken system. This, obviously, is a more leftist view of the occurring circumstances. And while I've tried to find sources that support Brexit and look forward to the negotiations, I haven't. It's almost like they dot exist. 

"In light of recent events in London (the attacks on Manchester and London Bridge) this isn't a time where we should be more divisive. Rather, we need to seek unity and find a common ground of what holds us all together and not fixate on the things that make us different." Said Corinne, a Waitrose shopper. "I just don't see Brexit creating a better U.K. and I think that's what's most important"

All of these things brought memories back from the Front Line Club, where we discussed Brexit and it's impact on the Human Rights Amendment. The Human Rights Amendment is a part of a European organization and it might have bad impacts on it.

Similar to the party interest in the U.S. the Left's concerns are more social; gay marriage, gender equality, worker's rights, tuition, and the interests of the middle-class. The right, on the other hand, are more interested in economic issues: Brexit, national income, traditional values, and basically respectability politics.