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Comment by redstripe | Hacker News Reader

This claims the differences in language and culture provide enough friction to keep people from migrating efficiently throughout the union. This seems at odds to me with what has happened in the EU (especially Britian) - many who voted for Brexit seem to have done it because they felt overwhelmed by the foreign hordes.

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The UK is unique in that its native language is also the "common" language. I've worked in Europe with multi-lingual teams; if a Dutch-speaker wants to talk to a French-speaker or a German-speaker wants to talk to an Italian-speaker they'll do it in English. This means there is much less friction for anyone from the EU to work in the UK than for a Brit to work anywhere in the EU.

Not saying this is necessarily good or bad in and of itself, but it is a thing that cannot be ignored in any of these discussions.

Not quite, Ireland also speaks English.

Ironically the areas of the UK that most strongly voted for Brexit are also generally the areas which see the lowest levels of immigration.

The areas that voted most strongly for Brexit are the areas that have seen the highest rate of change in immigration levels. It's the derivative not the absolute value that causes pushback.

Since when though? Free movement within the EU has been in effect for 30 years.

Since the EU expanded in 2004.

Can it be because in areas with high immigration some immigrants have stayed long enough to be granted citizenship and right to vote? And their votes are affecting overall score?

In general, rural areas in England voted to leave while cities voted to remain. Immigrants are more likely to come to cities rather than the countryside. Those that work in the countryside are more likely to be seasonal labourers.

That said, I don't think the immigrant numbers are so high to have made that big of a difference. The UK population is >60M.

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