When we talk about the politics and broader values of modern societies, we generally think of people as being divided on two axes. There’s the sociocultural spectrum, with defenders of traditional values at one end and progressive activists at the other, and the economic axis separating socialists from free market evangelists.
As such, arguably the two pivotal issues dividing most societies today concern immigration (the cultural wedge) and inequality (the economic). Is immigration a good or bad thing? Should the levels or types be changed? How wide are the gaps between the rich and poor, and are they expanding or narrowing?
Where people come down on these questions will shape not only electoral outcomes but how societies evolve in the coming decades. And, unfortunately, Britain can’t answer either of them.