Struggle and regret in Welsh town that backed Brexit
Ebbw Vale, the Welsh town that voted 62% for Brexit in 2016, now faces regret and economic hardship despite significant EU funding and new tech projects.
Where Ebbw Vale's steelworks once stood, there is now a cluster of modern buildings, including a hospital, leisure centre and college. Over the past decade, a public-private cybersecurity research centre and two tech firms have also opened. Yet during a recent visit, the area was quiet, with few visitors. John Edwards, a volunteer at the local museum, noted that the train station is packed in the mornings, but people are commuting to Cardiff. The town has become a dormitory settlement.
After the steelworks closed in 2002, Blaenau Gwent received the maximum EU structural and regional development funds. Much of this money went into regeneration projects on the old site. Despite this, the number of jobs in the area declined steadily up to the 2016 Brexit referendum, and median wages fell in real terms. A report by the Bevan Foundation suggested the EU cash did little to boost the area's fortunes.
Local shopper Claire Jones, 52, recalled the Brexit vote with a wince, saying many either didn't care or believed the Leave campaign's immigration claims. Lindsay Whittle, a Plaid Cymru member of the Welsh Senedd, said the vote reflected deep despair and feeling left behind, and now many regret their decision.
In the decade since Brexit, the UK has failed to fully replace EU funding. The Welsh government launched a £100m tech valleys programme, bringing three tech companies to the old steelworks site and a coworking hub called Goldworks, opened in 2024. According to Blaenau Gwent council, more local businesses opened in the past 10 years than in the previous 10 – a net gain of 870 compared to 511. However, residents still struggle with the cost of living. Nathan Grist, 40, a butcher, said some businesses are barely afloat and customers cut back on small items.
Mike, a 62-year-old shopper, called the regeneration projects 'white elephants', lamenting the lack of jobs and rising house prices. Immigration is cited as a problem, though only 3.2% of Blaenau Gwent's population was born abroad. Brexit has fueled a political shift: in the May Senedd election, Ebbw Vale's constituency elected no Labour members; instead, Plaid Cymru won three seats and Reform UK three, in what was once the safest Labour seat in the UK.
