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Agence France-Presse

In the eastern English town of Boston, ground-zero for Brexit in the 2016 referendum, voters voiced little support Wednesday for Prime Minister Theresa May’s long-awaited deal.
Despite uncertainty over the exact terms of the draft agreement, people in this market town 160km (99 miles) north of London said they preferred a clean break.

“It’s crap,” retiree Kathrine Denham, 74, said of May’s mooted plan. “She’s reneging on everything we voted for.
“We should just get out – I don’t know why we’re faffing around.”
May told parliament on Wednesday that the tentative deal struck by British and European Union negotiators delivers on the result of the 2016 referendum. She was due to speak later outside 10 Downing Street, after an emergency cabinet meeting.
The vote saw 52 per cent of Britons back leaving the EU after four decades of membership – with around three-quarters of Boston residents voting in favour.
UK PM May takes Brexit deal to cabinet as MPs revolt
“They’re going to screw us,” retired farmer John Taylor, 70, said at the town’s twice-weekly market.
The market is held in the shadow of the largest parish church in England, boasting a 85-metre tower dating back to the 14th century.
“It’s going to be a right shambles,” he said of the parliamentary battle May faces over the plan.
“If she keeps her job she’s going to be lucky.”


Others agreed May has little hope of uniting her fractious cabinet and Britain’s parliament, divided between ardent Brexiteers and Remainers.
She’s reneging on everything we voted for. We should just get out – I don’t know why we’re faffing around
Kathrine Denham
“I don’t think she’s got a cat’s in hell chance of winning because she’s got so many back-stabbers,” said 58-year-old carer Brenda Taylor, walking her two whippets in a park.
“She’ll be made a scapegoat from hereon,” the Brexit supporter added, noting she nonetheless still expects Britain to leave.
“If we just walked out they’d be more keen to negotiate with us,” added her husband, who favours a no-deal scenario.
This flat and fertile farming region has experienced a big spike in recent decades in the number of immigrants from Eastern Europe arriving to work in the agricultural sector.
Around a quarter of the 65,000-strong population of Boston is now from the EU, according to government statistics. Unofficial counts put the numbers higher.
Locals said Wednesday such a rapid change in demographics, alongside a sense of little control over the political process, had fuelled the Brexit vote.
Boris Johnson’s family is feuding about Brexit on Twitter
Whatever the outcome with May’s deal, there was no appetite for the second referendum that some campaigners are calling for.

“We’ve had a vote – it’s done,” said David Holmes, 35, a Brexit backer.
Unimpressed by May’s plan, he would like to see opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn given the chance to negotiate.
“I like Corbyn because he tells it like it is.”
Even those in Boston who voted to stay in the EU in 2016 appeared unconvinced by the deal – though sympathetic to May.
“She’s picked up a bit of a poisoned chalice and is doing remarkably well with it,” said Bryan Kirkham, 70, a retired local authority planner who has come around to support leaving.
“But if we give up our ability to make our own laws, that’s one thing I don’t like to see. Exit is exit, and no deal is perhaps better than a fudge.”
Joshua Wright, a 26-year-old IT worker and Remainer, said he was fatigued by the whole debate.
“People are wanting a hard Brexit, a soft Brexit, and all sorts – and I’m just done.”


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Brexit

‘It’s crap’: at Brexit’s ground-zero, voters slam Theresa May’s draft deal, saying they want clean break instead

A woman walks past an Eastern European food shop in the market town of Boston in Lincolnshire in eastern England. Photo: AFP

Anti-European Union (EU) demostrators, in favour of a "hard" Brexit hold placards as they demonstrate outside the entrance to Downing Street in London on November 14, 2018. - British Prime Minister Theresa May told parliament on Wednesday that a draft Brexit deal struck by British and EU negotiators delivered on the result of the 2016 referendum. (Photo by Tolga AKMEN / AFP)

(FILES) This file photo taken on March 5, 2015 shows an overhead view of the market town of Boston in Lincolnshire in eastern England. - In the eastern English town of Boston, ground zero for Brexit in the 2016 referendum, voters voiced little support Wednesday, November 14, 2018, for Prime Minister Theresa's May long-awaited deal. (Photo by LINDSEY PARNABY / AFP)

UK PM Theresa May takes Brexit deal to cabinet as MPs revolt

Anti-Brexit demonstrators wave flags outside the Houses of Parliament in London, Britain, on Tuesday. Photo: Reuters

Britain's International Trade Secretary Liam Fox (L) and Britain's Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union (Brexit Minister) Dominic Raab leave after attending the weekly meeting of the cabinet at 10 Downing Street in London on November 13, 2018. - Prime Minister Theresa May today faced her divided ministers as negotiators scrambled to secure a divorce agreement with the European Union and anxiety mounted over the risk of a no-deal Brexit. (Photo by Tolga AKMEN / AFP)

(FILES) In this file photo taken on July 24, 2018 Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May exits 10 Downing Street to greet the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad al-Thani, in London. - British and European Union negotiators have reached a draft agreement on Brexit, Prime Minister Theresa May's office said on November 13, 2018. (Photo by Daniel LEAL-OLIVAS / AFP)

Boris Johnson’s family is feuding about Brexit on Twitter

A rain damaged placard in favour of a second Brexit referendum features pictures of former Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, and former Transport Minister Jo Johnson, in Westminster, London. Photo: Reuters

FILE - In this March 28, 2017 file photo, Jo Johnson visits the the European Commission in Brussels. A transport minister in the British government stepped down Friday, Nov. 9, 2018 to protest Prime Minister Theresa May’s Brexit plan and is backing calls for a second referendum on whether the country should leave the European Union. Jo Johnson, younger brother of former Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, said Friday that the withdrawal agreement being discussed would greatly weaken Britain. (Stefan Rousseau/PA via AP, file)

Rachel Johnson, journaliste au Daily Mail, participe le 06 mai 2015 a une emission de France Culture en direct de l'Institut français de Londres à l’occasion des élections législatives sur le theme "L’Europe en questions". AFP PHOTO/CYRIL VILLEMAIN (Photo by CYRIL VILLEMAIN / AFP)

FILE - In this Saturday, Sept. 8, 2018 file photo, Britain's former Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson reacts to seeing photographers taking his picture as he sits in a spectator seat whilst attending the fifth cricket test match of a five match series between England and India at the Oval cricket ground in London. Boris Johnson says Prime Minister Theresa May's blueprint for Brexit will lead to "political and economic disaster," and refuses to rule out trying to replace her. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham, File)

Brexit deal could be 48 hours away, says PM May’s de facto deputy

David Lidington heaing to number 10 Downing Street for a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, November 13, 2018. Photo: Bloomberg

epa07159792 British Prime Minister, Theresa May leaves Westminster Abbey after attending a Service to mark the Centenary of the Armistice in London, Britain, 11 November 2018. The Queen accompanied by members of the royal family are marking the centenary of Armistice Day with a service at Westminster Abbey. EPA-EFE/VICKIE FLORES

In this photo taken on Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2018, a long-abandoned unused customs shed seen next to the border between Ireland and Britain near Carrickcarnan, Ireland. The land around the small town of Carrickcarnan, Ireland is the kind of place where Britain’s plan to leave the European Union walks right into a wall - an invisible one that is proving insanely difficult to overcome. Somehow, a border of sorts will have to be drawn between Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom, and EU member country Ireland to allow customs control over goods, produce and livestock once the U.K. has left the bloc. (AP Photo/Lorne Cook)

UK ministers on verge of quitting as PM Theresa May faces Brexit rebellion

Anti Brexit campaigners protest outside the Houses of Parliament in central London, Britain. Photo: EPA

Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May arrives at an European Union leaders summit in Brussels, Belgium October 17, 2018. REUTERS/Francois Lenoir

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World

Europe

Three quarters of the English town of Boston voted in favour of Brexit in 2016, and its residents are not happy


Three quarters of the English town of Boston voted in favour of Brexit in 2016, and its residents are not happy.


Britain

Theresa May

European Union

‘It’s crap’: at Brexit’s ground-zero, voters slam Theresa May’s draft deal, saying they want clean break instead

.css-1mniedq{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;}Three quarters of the English town of Boston voted in favour of Brexit in 2016, and its residents are not happy

Three quarters of the English town of Boston voted in favour of Brexit in 2016, and its residents are not happy