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Ebbw Vale struggles a decade after Brexit

politicsJun 21, 202622447

Ebbw Vale in Blaenau Gwent voted 62% to Leave in the 2016 referendum, the highest Leave share in Wales. A decade later the town, previously sustained by large European Union regeneration grants, reports few jobs and stalled economic growth. Many EU-funded schemes have not been fully replaced by UK investment, leaving construction sites idle and public services under-resourced. That failure to restore funding and create work has left residents expressing growing regret and shifted local political attitudes, illustrating the tangible local costs of unmet Brexit promises.

The Guardian
@theguardian.com

‘There’s no jobs’: struggle and regret in a Welsh town that backed Brexit

14745d ago
Paul Rogers22

It's amazing that everyone who could vote at the time had full, free internet access to research their decision. 10 years on, people are still surprised that it wasn't going to go well...

Robert Peate14

To quote Prostetnic Vogon Jeltz, I've no sympathy at all. Votes have consequences, and if those who voted for Brexit were dumb enough to think it would make their lives better, well, I hope they have learned their lesson and will not make the same mistake again.

boxman485.bsky.social8

Another talking head article where Mike blames immigrants for his and he's children's woes Obviously it's not his fault and he's already told the kids it's not theirs Why didn't he get challenged on his ignorance/racism?

CAL 1963 AD7

the world has turned to s**t in the last 10 years, brexit was just one of the choices that helped make things worse.

sadiesson.bsky.social7

The whole referendum was pathetic from both sides, lies from leave and apathy from remain. No coincidence that those areas that received the lions share of EU support voted leave as they failed to separate fact from fiction.

Fargaman5

So they all regret Brexit? I also bet they're all voting reform now.

NoMadLadNZ5

Dolts, the lot of them, my native north east England too. Biggest benefactors of EU regeneration funds, squandered for lapping up lying politicians who sold the premise on false grievances. They were likely the only ones to benefit from shady kickbacks.

bertiebirdman4

The greatest act of self harm.

Nick4

Ah yes, the town with the large ‘Funded by EU’ sign.

Rainbow is still not tall, dark or handsome, unfortunately3

Of course there's no jobs. Brexit wasn't about jobs. It was about stopping immigration while maintaining British exceptionalism.

Nintendo Pro 032

The job market worldwide is the worst it’s ever been.

tokenwelshman2

"If these towns were ‘showered with cash’, it appears to have gone straight down the drain." Actual journalism would involve finding out where the money had gone, rather than talking to racists on the high street.

Looking out to sea.2

“Either people didn’t care or they didn’t know, or they believed what [the leave campaign] said about immigration.” That's largely down to lack of good education and manipulation from Farage, and across the pond (U.S).

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