Life in London’s Brexit heartland 10 years on from European Union referendum

Some Havering residents still believe we’re better off outside the European Union, but others say it has destroyed their livelihoods

Ten years on from the European Union referendum, London’s Brexit heartland is divided over the nation’s decision to leave. On June 23 2016 some 96,885 people in Havering voted to exit the EU – more than double the 42,201 who wanted to remain.

But speaking to MyLondon in the midst of a 36C heatwave which has gripped the capital, voters on both sides are not happy with how the decision has been handled. “We haven’t really had it yet,” Maureen Grey, 72, fumed as she crossed Market Place in Romford.

“We voted out and should stay out, but Starmer didn’t care what the British public wanted. He wasn’t tough enough on immigration and we’re still unable to make our own decisions on human rights laws.”

Havering went firmly against the tide in London to become the 12th highest leave voting borough in the UK. In contract 59.9 per cent of people in London voted to remain, with residents in some boroughs – such as Lambeth – choosing to stay with 78.6 per cent of the vote.

Keith Gould, who was previously a Labour Party member and trade unionist, believes this passion for the leave campaign was sparked by the particular damage he believes the EU had on Havering and surrounding areas.

“I was a sheet metal worker for Ford at the Dagenham plant until it closed in 2002. The government decided it was much cheaper to get rid of Dagenham and import cars instead from Germany.

“But look what the area lost. It employed a lot of people in skilled work and created a lot of apprenticeships to get young people on a career path. We have none of that today.”

Although frustrated by the direction of the country, the Hornchurch granddad remains happy Britain is no longer part of the EU. “We’re so much better off,” he continued.

“We have control of our government, not unelected Europeans government with a far different from ours. I don’t think we should go back.

“Their thinking is inward – and Europe is not doing too well at all. I want to tackle youth unemployment and illegal immigration, but we need a government and Prime Minister determined to fix them.

“I would personally vote Conservative [in the next general election], they’re the only ones with the expertise to sort that out. Lots of these Labour MPs have never had a proper job outside politics or trade unions.”

Sheldon Nielsen, who also voted to leave, agrees that Brexit has been a good thing for the country. The software engineer believes Brexit has been wrongly blamed for the economic downturn in recent years which was actually caused by the Covid pandemic.

“We have much more autonomy from Europe and we’re now able to control our economy and make our own trade deals,” he told MyLondon. “I think this aided our recovery from the pandemic better than if we had still been part of the EU.

“Keir Starmer’s financial policies have also caused a lot of harm and really hurt businesses. My partner works as a hotel manager, and once the government increased VAT his hours were immediately cut.

“Businesses are also afraid to take people on because the government has been so unpredictable.”

Despite the enthusiasm many people in Havering still have for Brexit, others say the disruption of trade with Europe has had a detrimental impact on their livelihoods. Yvonne, who opted not to provide her surname, lost tens of thousands of pounds due to the closure of her business which helped Europeans study at UK universities.

“Brexit has broken me,” she said. “I mainly helped German students come to the UK, and had a relationship with a school there that would send them to my company. But it died as soon as the vote happened.”

Yvonne moved to London from Jamaica in 1989, but despite working from the age of 14 says she is forced to live off her state pension and payments for being a foster carer. “I like to work for a living and not get handouts, but I had put everything I had into the business.

“I’m not living how I used to live, I really had to cut back.”

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