Constructing a Nostalgic Narrative

This chapter reconstructs the nostalgic national myth created by Brexiteers during the EU Referendum campaign. Myths, which by definition are a mix of truth and lies, are not descriptions of things, but expressions of a determination to act. When a nation is at a crossroads, for example before a war or an existential referendum, the glories of the past can influence people to take one path over another. The Brexiteers scrupulously built their own nostalgic myth, paying attention to its credibility, idealizing a specific historical era, and creating strong links between Brexit and Britain’s history. In the end, past, present and future were so intertwined that it was impossible to distinguish them. Britain’s past golden age was suddenly seen as its new beginning. Brexiteers monopolized and nationalized British history to convey a message that was consistent with their political agenda. This chapter is a step-by-step description of how the aforementioned nostalgic national myth was fabricated. It will also show that the “now and here” strategy adopted by the Remain camp failed because it was too rational at a time when the electorate was experiencing a highly emotional moment, partly caused by the financial crisis, and more broadly, by globalization.