Did economic issues fuel Britain's vote for Brexit? This study argues that citizens' views on their ethnic minority group's relative gains compared to white British groups influenced referendum support.

Economic Drivers & Methods

• New survey items assessing citizens' perceptions of economic conditions across social groups
• Focus on comparisons between the ethnic minority out-group and the white British in-group
• Included assessments of each group's situation relative to their status twelve months prior

Key Findings

• Economic concerns were realized through perceptions of social group differences
• Citizens' negative economic assessments of ethnic minorities compared to white British groups predicted Brexit vote choice
• This effect held across income levels and was robust to variations in national identity strength
• Geographic comparisons between London vs. local communities yielded similar results

Breadth of Implications

• The findings extend beyond Brexit, offering insights into the economic motivations behind populist movements globally
• This suggests that populism's appeal may often stem from citizens' concerns about relative group economic standing rather than absolute national wealth