In These Divisive Times, One Thing Voters Agree On – Brexit Is Boring

The optimists were no more positive about the political establishment, but they had greater faith in themselves and each other. They also saw the rise of concern about issues like mental health and climate change to be a sign that maybe things could turn a corner. “Mental health is becoming a massive thing, and we’re getting more savvy on the environment, that’s fantastic.”

Two things united the group.

The first was a preference for Boris Johnson over Jeremy Corbyn. Boris was “a clown”, “a buffoon”, “scruffy” and “a bumbling toff”. But Jeremy was “wet”, “boring”, “communist” and “dodgy”. They preferred the clown to the commie. The only other politicians they knew were Jo Swinson (“New”, “Non descript”), Diane Abbott and Jacob Rees-Mogg.

The second areas of consensus was a belief that the way to stop Brexit being a distraction is to get it done. Whichever way they voted, and whatever they thought would be happening in an ideal world, in practice they thought we had no option but to push on. The most Brexit-positive voices were not naïve – they knew this would not end in January but were optimistic it would pan out well in the end. Sceptics thought Brexit was going to be damaging, but still felt it was what we have voted for and so should be done. “I am in blood stepped in so far that should I wade no more, returning were as tedious as go o’er.” (that’s Macbeth, not Watford).