Conclusion

Abstract This concluding chapter reflects on the origins, consequences and future of Brexit-based political identities. While the salience of Brexit has declined since the referendum, the Leaver and Remainer identities continue to shape attitudes, political behaviour, and party alignment. This chapter revisits the book’s core argument that under certain conditions specific political issues can evolve into powerful social identities. Brexit fulfilled these conditions, giving rise to emotionally resonant tribes that have outlasted the original vote and radically shaped people’s views of the world. We explore four possible trajectories for these identities: restoration (a return to traditional political divides), revival (reactivation of Brexit identities by political actors), realignment (absorption into a broader cultural cleavage), and replacement (the disruption of the party system by new identity-driven movements). We argue that Brexit identities exemplify a broader shift towards issue-based politics, fuelled by the decline of traditional social cleavages and weakening party attachments. These developments suggest that the tribalism seen around Brexit may not be exceptional. Rather it may be indicative of a broader transformation in democratic politics—one in which identities form rapidly, endure beyond specific events and reshape the structure of political life.