Like many cities around Britain shaken by anti-immigrant riots over the past week, Hartlepool, a seaside town on the northeast coast, has partly recovered from the devastating waves of industrial decline that began washing over the country in the 1980s.
Disposable income is below the national average, and more people are out of the work force, according to the Office for National Statistics.
There are fewer active businesses, healthy life expectancy is lower and the crime rate is 89 percent higher.
In Britain, as well as throughout Europe and in the United States, economic problems — like stagnant wages, roaring inequality and declining public services — have been linked to the rise of anti-immigrant attitudes.
Even though research shows that immigration is an overall plus for most economies, far-right politicians have been able to exploit those frustrations to energize supporters and gain political power.
Persons:
energize
Organizations:
Hartlepool, Office, National Statistics
Locations:
Britain, Europe, United States