Inequality, Brexit and the End of Empire: Danny Dorling & Sally Tomlinson

In 2016, the UK voted to leave the European Union – but has yet to leave its Empire past behind. What part did the long afterlife of the world’s largest-ever Empire play in Britain’s view of itself and world? And could a post-EU Britain, against all the odds, become less unequal?

Professor Danny Dorling and Professor Sally Tomlinson discuss their book 'Rule Britannia: Brexit and the End of Empire' (Biteback Publishing) at the London School of Economics on 29 March 2019. Professor Bev Skeggs chaired the event and Professor Gurminder K. Bhambra was discussant. Professor Will Hutton spoke briefly on the work of the Progressive Economy Forum.

This event was hosted by the Atlantic Fellows for Social and Economic Equity programme and the International Inequalities Institute at London School of Economics, and was supported by the Progressive Economy Forum.

[MMLavi]

I enjoyed this session, absolutely fantastic.

[TheASMRCyclist]

Great topic and it's good to see these discussions being had.

[pastyman]

We are losing our financial sector, our factories, our tax base, the nations capital ( £1.1 Trillion), EU institutions that were based here, our ability to export competitively, many of our hauliers rights to work there, our ability to tender for contracts there fairly, the right of our professionals to have their qualifications recognised there, our right to study for degrees or educate kids at no cost, our ability to claim state pensions and benefits there ( at higher rates than UK), for free roaming charges and likely the right for UK airlines to fly there.

Also losing the right to the fast lane at airports, to protecting foods, to food standards, environmental standards ( rivers falling and failing in quality) and soon to human rights of high international standards. I could add losing the ability to do Just In Time working which keeps the hospitals, pharmacies, factories and supermarkets going.

After Christmas the disruption is going to cause real shortage, not just ones caused by panic buying. But the panic buying will make matters worse than for COVID

We can expect another big fall in the pound and several years of price rises

What do we gain to counter this? Our agriculture gradually closed down as cheap and dangerous commodity foods are flown up to half way around the world take over the UK market, with origins and standards labelling made illegal as part of a U.S Trade deal?

[pastyman]

Britain has been atrociously governed for a long time. The latest chaos shows Johnson is about as unsuitable as PM as could be imagined.
The arts and hospitalities will return in attenuated form, but in the meantime business and personal bankruptcies are inevitable. People would be wise to seek other employment in the meantime. The UK Government is not going to be as generous as Germany and others who are continuing majority income support through next year, whatever misrepresentation of the comparisons with European neighbours Government ministers are now making

[pastyman]

It would be nice to live in a democracy but the UK is not one. We have the only clerics with assured power in the western world, a an inherited Head of State with powers, also hereditaries in Ho Lords or many party donors and failed politicians, only rivalled in size in China. England is the only large western country with no regional or federal democratic bodies. FPTP voting does NOT reflect the will of the people, not even close. Now Parliament being increasingly bypassed, contracts are being handed out to the mates of Government with no competition and the voting system will be twisted again to get an even more unfair Tory result, with the Electoral Commission destroyed. At. least in the EU we had fair representation

[hendrikbarboritsch]

Many good insights! One point, there was mention of the Chinese people being high % atheist/agnostic. They are extremely superstitious though, i.e. still believe in the supernatural. Look at all the magic in their films.
People who have nothing but a patch of ground to grow food, are dependant on nature and tend to personify it as a god/gods or look for divine signs etc.

[remsorian]

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