The Impact of Anti-Immigration Discourses in the United Kingdom on the Brexit Process

As the referendum held in the United Kingdom (UK) in June 2016, the proportion of “leavers” was much higher than “remainers”. Since the referendum, the debate about the future of the European Union (EU) has progressed into a different dimension. The effectiveness of anti-immigrant discourses from political parties points to a very interesting scene. However, it was not surprising that 51.9% of the citizens of UK voted to leave the EU as a result of the referendum, where European skepticism was evident. Based on the literature, this article tries to find an answer as to what extent anti-immigrant discourses can widen their influence. In this sense, it focuses on the discourses of the hard Eurosceptic United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP), which presents an example regarding the instrumentalization of the opposition to immigration. Although there is an increase in the emphasis on multiculturalism, in the sense of being a part of the Union, the Brexit process is a tangible outcome with respect to the portrayal of immigrants as an economic and social burden, and it is an expansion of the sphere of influence of anti-immigration sentiments