Located in central England, mostly populated by middle-class voters, Erewash is a "barometer" constituency. Voters acclaimed Margaret Tchatcher and her social mobility program in the 1980s, and then turned to Labor when Tony Blair helped to give his party a reputation for economic competence. They returned to the Conservative vote in the 2010 elections.
Traditionally, they tend to vote for training as the most economically competent. But this is complicated with the approach of the elections of December 12, because against all odds Erewash largely voted in favor of Brexit in the June 2016 referendum, at the risk of undermining the prosperity of the region.
The decline of heavy industry has led to an increase in precariousness. But when globalization gained ground towards the end of the twentieth century, many local voters benefited, economically, from trade agreements with the European Union. International companies are now prominent employers: Toyota and Rolls-Royce in the city of Derby, as well as Deloitte and Capital One in Nottingham, two cities about fifteen kilometers away.
"Toxic" debate on Brexit
In this context, it may seem surprising that Erewash voted 62% for Brexit in the referendum. "Certainly, people have not voted for the loss of their jobs, which is a potentially high probability, depending on what will happen after the elections [of December 12]", analyzes a union representative of the East region Midlands, who did not want his name to appear. If implemented, plans by conservative Prime Minister Boris Johnson may lead to a Brexit without agreement, which could be detrimental to the local economy.
"But the debate on Brexit has become toxic, we can not have a reasonable discussion," the trade unionist regrets. "The last time we wanted to talk about it, we were booed, people were shouting, 'We do not want to talk about that!'"
The Labor Party is the main opponent of outgoing local MP, Conservative Maggie Throup. Jeremy Corbyn's Labor is now proposing a new referendum on Brexit, in which the Labor leader would not take sides. And with an option "Leave" that would still allow to keep the United Kingdom in the customs union.
Diane Fletcher, Labor councilor in the city of Long Eaton, believes this is a proposal that may appeal to Brexit supporters, in an area where economic issues are at the center of debate.
"All 'Leavers' did not want a tough Brexit," she continues. "Many localities, including Ilkeston, the largest in Erewash, owe their jobs and their prosperity to investments by European companies, and undoubtedly some 'Leave' supporters expect this to continue, will be the case as part of a 'sweet' Brexit.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson "bound hand and foot"
However, other voters in Erewash approach the prospect of a second referendum in a very different light. "Corbyn can not say what he thinks about Brexit, it is very bad," says a retired of the locality, who preferred to remain anonymous. "It just shows that he can not put his party in order, let alone in the country," she said.
Ron, a retired official who preferred not to give his last name, is indignant that the Parliament blocked the exit of the EU as of October 31, as Boris Johnson wished: "The country has clearly voted for a leaving the EU, and Boris had no option but to call for new elections, because everything he tried was systematically thwarted. "
A few kilometers away, Cliver Toone, a former miner and businessman from the neighboring district of Amber Valley, takes the same view. Very similar to Erewash, Amber Valley is also a barometer of general elections and Brexit won in the referendum. "I think we should defend the will of the British people and go all the way, Boris Johnson has had his hands tied, and since becoming Prime Minister he has not been able to bring the Brexit to an end. because he has always been barred by Parliament, whether we like him or hate him, if he is given a chance, he will do a good job, "said Cliver Toone.
"The psychological impact" of the Northern Ireland - Republic of Ireland border
Since becoming tenant of 10 Downing Street in July, Boris Johnson has continually surprised his admirers as his detractors. For a few months, he recklessly discoursed on the departure of the UK from the EU without a withdrawal agreement. But just before the deadline of late October, the former mayor of London snatched a compromise with Dublin and Brussels, proposing to guarantee the absence of hard border with Northern Ireland by establishing customs controls in the Irish Sea .
Brexit involves a land border between Northern Ireland, which belongs to the United Kingdom, and the Republic of Ireland, a member of the European Union. This border began to attract the attention of voters in the Erewash constituency only when it became the main blocking point in the Brexit negotiations.
In the region, this is something that many Brexit fans did not anticipate. "Most of us have never really considered the Irish question," Ron acknowledges.
Ireland has traditionally been the most important source of immigration to the region, as shown by the many Irish surname students in local Catholic schools.
Brent Poland, a teacher for 16 years, is an environmental candidate in the riding of Erewash. He is from Warrenpoint, a Republican-dominated Northern Ireland town on the border with the southern neighbor. He grew up in a Catholic family at the height of the conflict.
Brent Poland regrets that many Brexiters have not measured the risks of a new physical divide between the two Ireland. "What annoys me is that they did not perceive the psychological impact of this border during the unrest," he points out. "It's like the Berlin Wall, it was not just a physical barrier, it was a psychological symbol, imagine that you were putting the wall back in the center of Berlin, what kind of impact would that have on people ? "
Under the banner of the Greens, he wants to seduce the voters of the Conservative party - even if this formation has taken the risk of a hard border with Ireland. In the Erewash, he wants to consolidate the green vote, while this party got only 675 votes in the last election.
"As strange as it sounds, I get on well with 'tories' voters," he says. "People often vote for Tory because it reassures them, and I talk to many Conservative voters about the disturbing changes that conservative policies have brought about in the region, such as the privatization of schools, budget cuts in local hospitals, the project a new high-speed rail line that cuts Long Eaton in two, and many end up saying that the only thing they disagree with me is Brexit. "
Text translated by Françoise Marmouyet, originally published on the English website of France 24.