A recent anthology of essays reflecting on Brexit, edited by Sir Anthony Seldon, offers an extensive examination of the referendum’s causes and aftermath but largely omits any substantial discussion of English nationalism, a key factor in the political landscape where Brexit found its strongest support.

The collection, spanning 600 pages and featuring contributions from 43 authors, including members of the British aristocracy and former politicians, is positioned as a semi-official account of Brexit’s legacy. However, the phrase "English nationalism" appears only once, highlighting a reluctance within parts of the political and intellectual establishment to confront the nationalist sentiments prevalent in non-metropolitan England, the region that delivered the referendum’s narrow victory for leaving the European Union.

This omission has significant implications for understanding both Brexit’s impact and Britain’s political future. Despite many who voted to leave now viewing Brexit as a failure, proponents of the referendum continue to influence political discourse. In particular, Nigel Farage remains a dominant figure in English and Welsh politics. Peter Kellner, in his essay, notes that among those who regret Brexit, a quarter attribute much of their dissatisfaction directly to Farage’s role, a figure who still shapes public debate despite widespread criticism.

Economic assessments reinforce the negative consequences of Brexit. A Stanford University study projects that by 2025, the UK’s GDP will be between 6% and 8% lower than it would have been without Brexit. Investment has declined by 12% to 18%, while both employment and productivity suffer reductions estimated at 3% to 4%. These figures challenge early promises of economic renewal following the UK’s departure from the EU.

The essays also reveal an ongoing struggle within government to manage the post-Brexit reality. Former pro-Brexit Conservative MP Conor Burns characterizes senior civil servant Simon Case as “lightweight,” suggesting that this reflected a deliberate political choice under Boris Johnson’s leadership. Case himself is quoted describing the Brexit process as one that quickly descended into “muddled thinking” and “Parliamentary quagmire.” Douglas Carswell, a veteran anti-EU campaigner, reflects somberly that while Brexit may have restored self-governance, the UK has yet to govern itself effectively, underscored by the turnover of seven prime ministers since 2016.

There is little evidence among Brexit proponents in this collection of introspection about missteps. Burns, for example, blames “problems the Irish had created” regarding the Northern Ireland border, overlooking Northern Ireland’s majority Remain vote and the Irish government’s opposition to Brexit. Economist Patrick Minford and co-author Zheyi Zhu maintain that any short-term disruption is outweighed by anticipated long-term gains, although these remain speculative and distant.

Those who supported remaining in the EU do not appear to have fully confronted the underlying identity issues either. Susan Greenfield, a neuroscientist contributing to the volume, links the referendum’s central question to a broad identity crisis, yet her analysis remains focused on cognitive aspects rather than concrete social or political dimensions.

Insight into the national identity dynamics can be found in research by political scientists Ailsa Henderson and Richard Wyn Jones. Their Future of England surveys reveal that for many Farage supporters, Englishness is a primary identity marker, sometimes outweighing personal roles such as parenthood. This cohort perceives a disconnect between England’s historical stature and its current status, feeling besieged internally and externally despite achieving significant outcomes like Brexit. Their dissatisfaction persists, suggesting that Brexit was an inadequate response to deeper questions about England’s place in the UK and the world.

The collection ultimately highlights a reluctance among Britain’s political elite to reckon with the complexities of English nationalism, leaving an unfinished conversation about how to address the roots of Brexit and its continuing reverberations through UK society and governance.