Brexit caused by growing inequality between rich and poor, says ex-Labour MP
Alan Milburn also issued a warning by likening the 'ugly' public mood to 1930's fascism
THE growing divide between the wealthy and the poor in Britain must shoulder blame for Britain voting to leave the EU, a former Labour minister said yesterday.
Alan Milburn said a “deeply corrosive us and them” society had fuelled anger and “soured” the public mood over issues of identity, immigration and inequality.
The social mobility tsar warned Britain must learn the lessons of history before growing divisions in society turned the public mood “ugly”.
Mr Milburn said Britain had been “storing up trouble” over the past decade highlighting parallels with the rise of fascism in the 1930s.
The former Cabinet Minister singled out the “alarming” popularity of National Front leader Marine Le Pen in France.
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He said: “We know from the history of our own continent that when people feel that they are losing out unfairly while a few are gaining unfairly that the mood can turn ugly.
“The EU referendum earlier this year exposed deep divides that go well beyond the box that people crossed.
“Public concern - even anger - about issues of identity, immigration and inequality found a voice and a target to aim at.
“In our previous annual reports we warned that without a dramatic change in approach to how we tackle issues of poverty and mobility, Britain would become a permanently divided nation.
“The chickens have now well and truly come home to roost.”
Mr Milburn said out of 65 parts of the country identified as deprived “coldspots” with the worst education and employment prospects - only three voted to remain in the EU.