Polarisation and shared values - interview with Miriam Juan-Torres

Catherine Neilan

06:50 8th May 2021

How polarised is the UK? In the immediate aftermath of Brexit it felt as though we were living in society so divorced from others that we were speaking a different language. Remainers did not recognise the country that Leavers described and vice versa. The years after the referendum reinforced that sense, and for a time it felt as though we were - like the US - teetering on the brink of a civil war.

But while the Leave-Remain identities appear to be surprisingly resilient, there are grounds for hope.

Miriam Juan-Torres, global senior researcher at More In Common, talks to Catherine Neilan about how our values don't fall in easy camps, which means Britain is less polarised than the US.

But despite the stronger foundations the "festering wound" left from Brexit could still turn bad if we do not attempt to resolve some of the issues that provoked the rupture.

Listen to the full episode below for more.