Did austerity lead to Brexit?

There have been numerous suggestions attempting to explain the reasons behind the UK's vote to leave the European Union but could the core reason be economic? In this short film, The Open University's Professor Norman Clark argues that austerity played a pivotal factor in the Brexit vote.

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[VitorMadeira]

Spot on. This is a clear example on how everyone should study history in order to avoid making the same mistakes from the past.
Thank you and greetings from Portugal.

[SlimHandle]

Yes it did. Along with many other factors.

Mine are

1 - Austerity, nagging us about debt. Constant use of word deficit, same parrot like sentences across govt. Council cuts causing youth club closures along with tuition fee hikes. Cosy up to markets asking for Corp job cuts.
2- A different course to the behaviour of young people ne sais crois culture at the time of 'be fashionable or be mocked' for being different.
3 - Similar to point 2, a kind of enforced global fashion of thou must wear the same clothes out and about, jeans etc, no individual country identity.

[uweinhamburg]

Well, i think something like Brexit has more than one reason.
One of the mayor reasons why Brexit happened was ATAD and that has little to do with austerity.

What is 100% clear to me - the Tory austerity certainly did do nothing to prevent Brexit.

[annoyingbstard]

There are a thousand "causes" of Brexit. For one man (especially an economist) to try and suggest there is but one is simply an invitation for him to display the bees in his own bonnet.

[mks]

There are so many perspectives already I say first lets agree on the definition of austerity second how to act in reciprocity to the taxpayer/ general public and resolve the issues.

Then maybe more economic liberty the rule of law ending violent crime by giving defence rights crimminal have weapons anyway ending government debt as much within reason if not at all cost possible after all there is some stupid spending practices here and there and maybe some dole work contracts including training which would include self employment options for them which is probably cheaper.
Then the eradication of income tax as it is just a cumbersome inefficient and costly procedure. Introducing acsize on porn magazines and related stuff along with cannabis legalization and acsize.

[nagoranerides]

That's an easy question to answer: no. The Brexit campaign started in real strength with the Maastrict Treaty in 1992 and steadily *lost* strength from there. Cameron thought that it had ebbed enough that he could safely call the referendum, win it, and be the Man Who Solved the Europe Question and get another stint as PM. He was, obviously, slightly too early.


Austerity was never a factor because no one believed that leaving the EU would prevent . The money was already gone - pissed up the wall by the same central bankers that are still in place in the EU and the UK and constantly telling us that black is white and that negative interest rates will save us if only we make them negative enough, honest. This time it will work...