STRATFORD-UPON-AVON, United Kingdom—Stratford-upon-Avon is famous for being the birthplace of Shakespeare, but beneath the charm of this very English town lies a deep divide.
It’s split over Brexit, with the town’s populace voting 52 to 48 to leave the EU, the same ratio as the rest of the UK in the 2016 vote. People from both sides of the debate here do agree on something though: Brexit can be likened to a play written by the Bard over 400 years ago.
“If he was writing that play now, I’m not sure if it would be a comedy or a tragedy,” said Richard Morgan, a lawyer who voted to stay in the EU. “We started three years ago with ‘As You Like It’ and then for three years we’ve had ‘Much Ado About Nothing,’ and I think it’s ‘A Comedy of Errors’ now.”
His partner Ellen Kay, a life coach, is pro-Brexit. She said Brexit is like her favorite Shakespeare play, “Othello.”
“I think there has been raised emotions throughout the entire debate. People either love it or hate it, and I would liken it to ‘Othello,'” she said.
Lawmakers have not yet agreed on a Brexit deal, which has to be approved by all other 27 EU member states. Some think the EU is making it too difficult for the UK to leave the bloc and just want Brexit to be done.
“I voted to stay in Europe, but with the last couple of months, or more than a couple of months, it’s changed my views completely, I really want to get out now,” said Roy, a former county councilor.
Some people have shifted the other way too, according to surveys by pro-EU campaign group Stratford4Europe.
Two of their members, Manuela and Sophie, both originally from Europe, set up a Brexit cafe after the referendum so people could openly discuss their differences over tea or coffee, to help bridge the divide.
“The difficulty, to be honest, is to try and get people who voted for Brexit to come along. It’s mostly Remainers who come along. But the will is there,” said Jonathan Baker, Chair of Stratford4Europe.
He added, “I think Stratford reflects the national picture, which is still very much a divided country.”
The traditional two-party system in the UK has crumbled because of the Brexit vote, with opinions split across party lines.
“The MPs are no different, they are reflecting what the country feels,” said Sally Bigwood, Secretary for Stratford4Europe. She said that the UK’s links with the EU are historic and have maintained peace in the region. “We’ve got too much to lose as a society and a culture in saying goodbye to Europe,” she said.
Younger Voters
Polling expert Sir John Curtice told NTD last month that while very few people overall have changed their minds, those who didn’t vote last time may have become marginally pro-Remain—which includes people who were too young to vote in 2016.
“That is essentially the one area where there’s been movement in the aggregate level in public opinion,” he said.
Student Ailsa Mackie said she was on the cusp of being able to vote in the 2016 referendum. Three years on and she wants to have her say.
“I think that Brexit was a mistake. Always did but couldn’t vote at the time, so I’d like a second referendum,” said Mackie.
Sovereignty, Immigration and the Economy
Some people are reluctant to talk about which way they voted, even among their friends. A businessman who is a second generation immigrant said he voted for Brexit, but he doesn’t openly talk about it out of fear of reprisal, because the Brexit vote is often seen as anti-immigration.
An Italian man who has lived in the UK for three years said he supports Brexit because the UK is a strong nation and better off outside EU regulations.
Surveys and polls (pdf) show the main reasons people voted for Brexit were to regain sovereignty and immigration control, and a main reason for people voting remain was the economy.
Helen Hogg, a guide for Stratford Town Walk said: “Although I voted Remain, I’d be happy to come out, because the majority of people want to. My only drawback on that is, did they really want to come out, did they know what they were voting for? But then, I suppose none of us did,” she said.
She added: “The vote was to come out of Europe, it doesn’t mean to say that we want to lose our European friends. I hope that they still feel welcome here, and wanted and valued.”
Her husband John said he supports Remain, but if the UK had to leave it would need to be with a deal.
“There’s a cliff at the end of that road, you know, do you want to keep running or do you want to give it some time? You might want a parachute. That’s the way I see the Brexit way. Just hold fire a minute… if delaying again means we’re going to get a deal, that’s a benefit not only for the UK but for Europe,”
The script is still unfolding though, as negotiations are set to ramp up in the weeks to come.
