VOA常速英语:脱欧公投满一年，英国社会分歧加深

“In or out of the European Union?”The question on the ballot paper was simple, but the divisions exposed by last year’s referendum cut far deeper.

“One of the best predictors of how you voted in the referendum was what values you hold,whether you’re a social liberal or a social conservative.One of the best predictors of a vote for Brexit was whether you believed in the death penalty or not.And that’s very American, I mean, values didn’t really figure in our politics up to now.”

Britain’s general election earlier this month underlined the country’s political realignment.The ancient city of Canterbury had been a stronghold of the ruling Conservative party since 1918 but fell to socialist Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour Party, the primary reason? Revenge for Brexit.

“Brexit has played an enormous role here.I think young people who, for the most part voted to remain and then saw to their astonishment that, you know,the rest of the United Kingdom and indeed Kent, you know, voted to leave, were genuinely disappointed.”

Brexit was widely seen as part of 2016’s populist surge that swept Donald Trump to power in the United States.In calling this month’s election, British Prime Minister Theresa May appears to have misread that surge.

“The parties are struggling to align themselves with how the British people vote or feel about issues.Are we seeing a move toward a more values-based political system? Yes, to some extent, just like in the United States.And we’re seeing that all over the democratic world as well, to varying degrees.”

Even as traditional party loyalties break down, support for the two established parties —Conservatives and Labour — hit 82 percent, the highest since 1970.

Compare that to France where the two traditional parties,the Republicans and Socialists, were heavily defeated by centrist newcomer Emmanuel Macron.

Henry Ridgwell, for VOA News, London.