How do people feel about Brexit three years on? - BBC Newsnight

The Brexit referendum of 2016 divided the UK. For some Brexit was an exhilarating opportunity, for others a self-inflicted wound.
It led to the immediate downfall of former prime minister David Cameron, the tormenting and eventual toppling of his successor Theresa May, and along the way it raised questions about the durability of the United Kingdom.
So three years after the UK left the EU, how are people feeling in Westminster, and in Sunderland? - the place where results first indicated that Brexit was on the way.
Newsnight’s political editor Nick Watt has been assessing the political mood.
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[@francisbasker4722]

It's kind of funny that the Brits can no longer blame the EU for their problems

[@GCS88]

That's where You are wrong

[@bg3841]

​@@GCS88hahaha hahaha. Yes. We still blame French border control for not letting us into their country quick enough.

[@andyetheridge]

@@GCS88 I live in France and did so before Brexit and wasn’t allowed to vote but soon after was eligible to apply for a WARP resident permit. There are now people in Spain, France and Italy that travelled back to the UK and voted leave and now are only allowed to stay in their ‘dream homes for the allowed 90 days. These are the ones now moaning about Brexit, i as a french resident can travel across Europe with no problems, i can leave France for up to 5 years before it affects my residency. I returned to the UK last year to work, showed my passport and as expected it was not stamped. The people that lived abroad and voted leave only have their selves to blame

[@Cervando]

​@@bg3841Even though the Dover Port Authorities asked for ten extra custom booths years ago as they foresaw the problem of all the extra checks taking far longer and BoZo granted them a tenth of what they asked for. Furthermore, BoZo bragged about recruiting 500 Custom clerks, despite a previous White Paper saying we needed many thousands to deal with all the goods entering and leaving the UK from and to the EU. In comparison , Rotterdam alone took on 800, just to cope with goods to and from one city to country.

[@ct5625]

I'm a Brit, I never blamed the EU for our problems. And sadly, the Brexit cultists are in fact still blaming the EU for our problems. They will never accept responsibility for their own choices, ever. The EU will always be a big scary scapegoat for the Tories while they rob the people blind.

[@DanielBrotherston]

"We wanted the benefits of membership without the costs." These people are adults right?

[@lenawagenfuehr53]

No, apparently not! We tried arguing with them, trying to make them understand they would lose benefits and a voice (kept using allegories of a divorce, of leaving a gym membership) but they would not listen...

[@Demetri450]

Nope, they're political cultists just like americans

[@LonnieHalouska]

Two-shayyyyyy!

[@kanedNunable]

i want a divorce but i still want to shag my wife every weekend.

[@Britannia.]

'@@lenawagenfuehr53 'WE tried arguing with them'!!?? ha ha ha , Weve not lost our voice we've just got it back . You can take your corrupt, greedy, power mad dictatorship & stick it where the sun dont shine!!! The UK will be around well after the hated bloc is gone and forgotten .

[@crossknight1490]

Politicians: "If we get out of the EU, all the money we send them can be used here to improve our country!" UK citizens: "Cool. Now that we made it out of the EU, where are the millions of dollars we were supposed to be saving after the brexit?" Politicians: "What money?"

[@a5cent]

This is it basically. Lies. Politics and economics are complicated. Not everyone has the education, desire or time to really look into these things. We all need to defer to other people's expertise, and we all underestimated the extent the Brexiteers were out to deceive. Farage knew we didn't send 350 million to the EU every week, and he knew leaving the EU would not bring those 350 million into the NHS. But many Brits believed those lies. What they wanted was a good thing. They were just deprived of a meaningful vote, because all the dishonesty made it impossible for us to really know what we were voting for or against. There needs to be repercussions for this sort of thing. It undermines democracy itself and until people like Farage suffer some personal consequences, such deceptions will continue.

[@lijohnyoutube101]

Who would have believed something so silly however, it was far cheaper to have more centralized processes. Efficiency saves money. The UK left the EU for two reasons the first a segment of their society is sorely lacking in education and overall knowledge as to how the world runs and secondly they bought into hate towards others being a problem and that immigrants somehow took something from them. It’s sad and pathetic and shameful.

[@StephenSeabird]

@@lijohnyoutube101 And most people claiming benefits are actually English. Truthfully, the proportion of migrants relying on unemployment or disability benefits is very small in comparison. Fact. They want a job - even if to send money back home.

[@johnsmith-rs2vk]

Millions sent to Rwanda is just one example .

[@playingpianoathome2022]

Don't blame the politicians. It was a choice of adult voters to accept the known uncertainties for the greater good. They consciously decided to "take back control".

[@jwebbnature]

I am 26 and British and brexit has more or less ruined several job oppurtunities for me, made my relationship with my EU partner difficult, and has made my day-to-day living in an EU country incredibly stressful. When the brexit vote came out I deattached myself from the UK, but I am still living with the consequences of other people's short-sightedness to this day. What I lost was tremendous, and will scar my life forever. I am not a refugee fleeing violence and unrest, so I understand not everyone is completely sympathetic to people such as myself, but I am an immigrant who has had my open rights to life, love, and employment withdrawn without my consent

[@PCP1992]

Well-articulated bro. Same here. Sad times :( I won't ever get over this to be honest. It feels like the same as when my Mum died. LIke, I knew it was true, but part of me was hoping "what if maybe she'll come back?"

[@kurbads74]

I am soo happy for your struggles. You sound like a Russian wife complaining about her hubby dead in a ditch and complaint is about her not even receiving the promised pennies.

[@jwebbnature]

@@kurbads74 Um, what? I really don't understand your metaphor. But even if I did, what? I voted and wanted to remain...

[@PCP1992]

Weird answer@@kurbads74

[@kennethfribert6074]

​@@kurbads74sounds like.a silly troll that struggles with the long words.

[@ale99bigsoos23]

I like how the brexiteers describe it as "the best decision we ever made" but still aren't able to describe a single tangible benefit from leaving the EU.

[@opencommentsbbcnewsnight1704]

The EU is a failing "project" and the UK is better off being free of the wreckage when it all comes crashing down.

[@Micfri300]

The uk though is being compounded by the fact that its people allowed for multinational companies to dominate and let small businesses die which isn't the case in France Germany or Italy. Had France Germany or Italy its economy would be performing better than the UK right now.

[@happyjonn9242]

We aren't in the EU.

[@diabl2master]

@@happyjonn9242 Oh great that will help me feed my kids

[@wolfder6661]

We don't have to listen to the EUs annoying ass rules is the biggest benefit of Brexit if Norway can manage to survive Britain shoulda been able to but the government as expected failed to sort it

[@ajcgolf69]

The lady with the dog really sums it up with how brexit got voted in, starts off by saying “it hasn’t really made a huge difference to my life” and follows that up with “I still think it was a good idea” No thought put into it, no reasons given, just a decision made on a whim

[@Demetri450]

Sounds like an american

[@patrickmccutcheon9361]

@@oldstix perhaps but someone should tell her that the ‘wogs’ keep coming. Brexit stopped the flow of migrants from the EU. It did not and could not affect migration from outside the EU which the UK could have and could control if it wanted to but did not. The Brexiteers have pulled a cunning stunt. Question is has anyone benefited. Outside the EU and not applying procurement rules, the Johnson government handed out juicy contracts to its friends.

[@oddcharacter6891]

@@oldstix - by reducing immigration from white majority EU countries?

[@smokeango]

AJCgolf: Did you get a vote on joining the EU in 1992?

[@ajcgolf69]

@@smokeango why is that relevant?

[@niklas603]

I got a bunch of British friends, all between the age of 22-30. Every single one of them is so upset about Brexit and how it not only caused a crisis within the UK but also completely fucked up their opportunities to live, work and move in the EU. They're all trying desperately to get an Irish passport through their Irish nan/grandfather...

[@kferg3029]

as an Australian this decision just seemed insane at the time and most of us laughed at it including all the people I know who are from the UK thought it was totally stupid

[@pablosskates7067]

As an Australian, almost all our nearest neighbours are about 8-10 hours away on a plane. Our options are limited. To be a train ride away from a huge list of countries to work, live and play sounds like a dream. The Brit’s should have come and lived here for a while to understand what it’s like to have close to zero easy options.

[@kferg3029]

@@pablosskates7067 well the stupid thing was they wanted they expected the benefits of being in the EU to stays but what they considered the negatives to stops and now they are what.do you mean I need to pay to get a entry visa into the EU LOL

[@clarkpalace]

Stupid trumpers , but english. America hasnt ruined Canada yet, but it will happen

[@larryc1616]

What's more stupid, brexit or electing Trump president? #Can'tFixStupid

[@Hiforest]

Most of the uk knew it was stupid. I know lots of elderly people who didn't bother voting because they thought it was a load of nonsense. They were shocked by the result. It was obviously a con, I feel sorry for the people who got suckered.

[@fukuokakusuo2391]

I feel so sorry for the youth in Britain. They've lost numerous opportunities that other countries in EU have.

[@locn]

Like what?

[@GRFC1872]

I feel sorry for them because of the internet,we had fk all growing up in the 80s but our lives were far richer ,and famous people were famous due to talent

[@andrew300169]

They had the right to education courses across the EU cheaper than the U.K. the right to work in places like Ibiza, Chamonix, for summer and winter which are jobs they no longer have opportunity for. Older people had the right to retire to the sun without needing to be wealthy. All Brexit did was make us poorer and less free

[@jahsonlion]

@@locn You’ll never know now!

[@annab9994]

@@locn To start with free university exchange programs like Erasmus.

[@Demetri450]

I think it's funny that the UK thought they could keep all the benefits of the EU without paying to be a member of the EU.

[@occamraiser]

The UK didn't think that. The Brexiteer little-Englanders believed that.

[@jasonkingshott2971]

@@occamraiser ...and the majority of the Welsh, the 30-40% of Scots?...you're a clown.

[@RandomShart]

The interesting question now would be what individual benefit would come from joining the EU? For the majority very little about everyday life has changed as a direct consequence of leaving the EU, and very little would change as a result of rejoining.

[@jasonkingshott2971]

@@RandomShart Think you need to take your head out of the sand.

[@lawsonj39]

@@RandomShart Look at the shelves in grocery stores. I guess you like the idea of substituting turnips for tomatoes--only there aren't enough turnips, either.

[@loooongtimeago]

They forgot they no longer have an empire😂

[@3takoyakis]

They keep remembering their glorious day lmao

[@3takoyakis]

Glorious days of colonialism.

[@educatingfool216]

If anyone in the UK believes that the worst has passed, you better hold to something solid, because this is just the beginning of a downfall.

[@hannahmurray3782]

“We’d be a rich country”?? We cut our ties with our biggest trading partner and this man thought it would make us rich? What planet is he on?

[@Winecone]

Sadly he’s the guy in charge lol

[@lunoxyajpw2679]

Mars apparently

[@simulationl279]

no country is an island alone. cut yourself off from the world, means the world cuts itself off from you.

[@bfc2155]

You realise they were the biggest trading partners because of all the tariffs they put on to trade outside of it don't you? The EU block the uk from a trade deal with China worth billions to the economy when Cameron was in charge.

[@bfc2155]

@@lunoxyajpw2679 you people 😂 seriously the EU blocking British trade was only 10 years ago you can't be that dopy

[@user-ex2yt1pl6u]

It's like when you leave your partner thinking you can do better only to realize you were wrong, but now you are too embarrassed to beg them to take you back, so you start pretending it's all good.

[@MiniM69]

And said partner has moved on and got a hair piece that’s working for them

[@expatingermany7685]

Perfectly put. Expats didn't get a vote althought in my case I still am a serving member of the britisch Army Reserve but live in Germany. An old Army friend contacted me this week asking to get him German showergel because he can't buy it in the UK anymore and he's prepared to pay the 20-25 pound Post and package.....he voted to get out.

[@Harry-TramAnh]

@@expatingermany7685 I’m an expat (have lived in SEA for over 10 years) and I voted, why weren’t you able to?

[@Julieb210]

​@@Harry-TramAnh 15 years was the threshold.

[@expatingermany7685]

@@Harry-TramAnh apparantly althought i was a serving member of the britisch Army i hadn't been a Resident of the UK for over 7years.

[@TheRealSnakePlisken]

You are so on point. The decline in US democracy is following suit, with a large portion of Americans not understanding the principals of governance, economy, and social balance. Perplexing is the human existence.

[@jtcorey7681]

America is sleepwalking into dictatorship and decline. Heartbreaking.

[@philipslighting8240]

USA has never had democracy Money buys the US votes always has.

[@Blue_3rd]

So many people had very strong opinions about things they didn’t fully understand. They got what they voted for and still don’t realise it.

[@CarlosGarcia-gs1wd]

In Europe almost no one mentions BREXIT, it is a past issue and of course no one considers that the United Kingdom could return, since Brexit everything works better in the European Union and even the extreme right parties no longer talk about leaving. Farange, Johnson and others have done the European Union a great favor4

[@davidalons0]

Absolutely agre

[@dimiathan]

We had so many EU exit loud voices in Greece before 2020 and now that the UK has officially left, everyone has been quiet

[@aw2584]

​@@dimiathanyep same in Poland. It was a riddiculous idea to begin with considering how much Poland benefited from EU and the support for it was marginal (Poland had and perhaps still has the biggest support for EU out of all members), but after Brexit it disappeared completely.

[@Llkc60]

Looks like everybody is happy except for the majority of UK voters. Oh well, this is democracy

[@fryfrysk]

Brexit even brought EU more together ! Brexit and its consequences is seen as a pure UK topic and no mainland paper writes even a single letter for months ( reading dutch, french ,german papers on a daily basis )

[@kokliangchew3609]

I'm a Malaysian working in Singapore. Both countries are in the Commonwealth and have millions of investment in the UK, but most if not all of them were prior to Brexit. This was due to the familiarity of the language, laws, culture and much more due to being former colonies of the British. In short, we were used to the British and found it easier to invest in the UK because of that, and as a gateway into the EU. Post-Brexit, businesses here are concentrating on investments in the EU directly, and bypassing the UK, despite the different legal systems and languages. Oh, and Malaysia and Singapore are part of ASEAN (Association of South-East Asia Nations), which aspires to integrate their economies like the EU. As for the Brexiter's dream or aspiration of becoming a Singapore-on-Thames, well, Singaporeans are more pragmatic and realistic than Brexiters. They had to be in order to create the modern and successful Singapore that Brexiters want to emulate. Ask them if they want to exit ASEAN or exit the EU if they were part of it, the answer would be a resounding NO. Almost everybody here that I talked to about Brexit thought that it was financial and business suicide for the British. And most if not all, put it down to the UK harking back to the days of the British Empire. It wasn't helped by the fact that many Brexiter politicians and businessmen thought that the Commonwealth and the World would gladly trade with the UK on an individual basis. Why should they? And what advantage is there to trading with the UK when it is not a gateway into the EU? Business is business, and it would always look at the bottom line. Brexiters seemed to have forgotten that, or totally ignored it altogether. And with the recent news from the IMF that the UK is the only major economy expected to shrink in 2023, as well as to do worse than Russia (which is heavily sanctioned by the world and fighting a war in the Ukraine) in 2023, well, so much for Brexit!

[@djtaylorutube]

Everything that you wrote was so blindingly obvious to anyone with a brain yet even smacking a Brexidiot in the face with a length of 2x4, trying to explain this, they'd metaphorically be lying there, bleeding and saying "but sov'rinty init?" Or "furriners out". I wish them all the worst outcome ever, absolutely zero sympathy. I just wish I wasn't trapped here on shithole prison Island along with 17.4 million morons.

[@TomTom-ik8dm]

So true!

[@mrthai-rg9nv]

ohh another fake account from a layabout labour supporter , nice try now uck off to the eu and dont come back

[@Kj16V]

You absolutely hit the nail on the head. Brexiters genuinely thought everyone would want to trade with Britain simply because Britain is Britain.

[@alicjakowalski3552]

I VOTED BREXIT TO STOP MORE EASTERN EUROPEAN FREE LOADERS & CRIMINALS GETTING IN WHEN THEY JOINED IN 2004 5.7 MILLION FLOODED IN 68,000 BABIES BORN 4,5 BILLION IN SOCIAL SECURITY ETC NOW PRISONS ARE FULL OF MIGRANT CRIMINALS ALL EUROPE SEND BRITAIN IS ILLIGALS MIGRANT CRIMINALS & FREE LOADERS

[@Martin-tn5lm]

It's no longer a question of whether Britain may rejoin the EU but a certainty that it won't be allowed to rejoin.

[@elmercy4968]

German government will take them back any time.

[@joshuamatkin8306]

It’s like putting up a wall around yourselves so you feel safer and then expecting everyone outside the wall to try and come in.

[@Yukiwodashite]

Honestly the woman with the dog's response has become the standard of many modern conservatives. Being "It hasn't personally effected my life in any capacity, and I do not fear it impacting my life, so I am fine with it." No sense of broader country or community, simply, me and my family are fine, and that's all I really care about at the end of the day.

[@marekkac7046]

It's literally what labor does all the time. Ironic comment.

[@Yukiwodashite]

@@marekkac7046 such nonsense. Labor: Hey let's make sure immigrants are treated with respect. Tories: Nah I wanna worry about me. Labor: hey let's make sure the minimum wage is a fair price so that people don't have to struggle. Tories: nah, I don't make minimum wage I don't give a shit. Labor: We are part of Europe there is a reason we are in the EU we need to stand together. Tories: nah fuck Europe. Must I go on?

[@reddragon3163]

It's why I lmao every time they pretend they're patriots. Everything is "me, me, me" but at the same time "I love my country, I want what's best", yeah best for themselves.

[@reddragon3163]

@@marekkac7046 yeah makes sense. Labour raise the tax rate so they can improve national infrastructure, no care for the country in that regard. Seethe. Cope harder.

[@spinnetti]

Exactly! selfish pricks.

[@franceskronenwett3539]

As a Brit living in an EU country I was horrified at Britain's decision to leave the EU. The British people were tricked into leaving by blatant lies by Farage and Johnson. Many people seem to have forgotten the fact that Britain received a lot of money from the EU for various projects. This fatal decision could eventually lead to devolution if Scotland becomes independent and the United Kingdom will cease to exist. Absolute lunacy.

[@happyjonn9242]

What does it have to do with you? you don't live here anymore. We don't tell you or your country what you should do so don't tell us what to do.

[@JwayT]

It wasn't EU money it was OUR money.

[@seekingthemiddleway4048]

@@happyjonn9242 Gobsmacked by your post. All the rights of expat Brits in the EU ripped away overnight, and most of them didn't even have a vote on it.

[@seekingthemiddleway4048]

@@happyjonn9242 What Brexit benefits would you miss if we rejoined the EU?

[@PeligroOCallahan]

@@happyjonn9242 brexitter to the core you nasty POS

[@theparisdream]

It's interesting that they interviewed a lot of older individuals. I am curious to hear how people under 40 feel about things, and what they hope for in the future (which is moreso their future than those interviewed in this segment).

[@noyo1444]

Play stupid games……win stupid prices!🤷‍♂️

[@DCTag]

Prizes*

[@Rig0r_M0rtis]

"Yeah it's been a shitstorm but I still think it was a good idea because I have no brain and admitting that I was wrong hurts me more than my worsening economical situation."

[@robhendrikx2198]

I honestly think most people are too stupid to even realize they were wrong.

[@alfilkemper9240]

😂

[@terryj50]

What is funny you say brexiteers don’t have a brain yet you still live in the uk and cannot leave without fom. Really I wonder who does not have a brain as if you did and it was that bad why have you not left.

[@z3onix]

Lmao

[@dech9570]

Lol, still sulking?

[@AlanSmith88888]

As someone from outside of the UK, you can only laugh at the idiots who persuaded their citizens to commit financial and business suicide.

[@chilesauce7248]

You obviously do not have the full information. The UK never adopted the Euro, ask why! Business wise, the UK has more trading partners now than it did in the EU, financially much better of in the medium to long term without the shackles of the EU.

[@TheSteve_1992]

​@@chilesauce7248 oh that is the famous British copium.

[@UPPERKEES]

@@chilesauce7248 more trading partners? You lost the EU. The US also didn't jump in to fill the void. So who are you talking about? Or are you mistaking inflation percentages with economic growth? Because then the UK is the winner indeed.

[@mihailchehlarov2720]

@@chilesauce7248 Why don't you call yourself just England and leave Scots out of it?

[@boitmecklyn4995]

@@mihailchehlarov2720 Me thinks the UK shouldn't have dragged down Scotland, wales, and NI. Let England go at it alone.

[@thtecc]

i have studied in England and lived there for about 5 yrs; I would say i was always of the opinion that in general the British never liked continental europe or europeans, and as such I don't believe that they will ever change their view on other european countries; my impression has always been they they don't consider themselves as europeans, but equally they don't like americans or us; i dont know any other country in europe where locals have a nickname for every single european country; so they did well to go

[@jesusbermudez6775]

You are right, the British have nicknames for everyone.

[@liamoconlocha3264]

There is opportunity...but which ones? ...nothing!

[@renebosselaar2198]

How shameful and disgusting it is to see people celebrating 'the best decision we ever made' ruining so many people's lives.

[@bennyboy2079]

Worst decision ever

[@capri2673]

People seem to be forgetting that two of the richest countries in the world, Switzerland and Norway are NOT are in the EU.

[@renebosselaar2198]

@@capri2673 Not complete members, but closely related. Do not compare apples with oranges

[@Leo-gt1bx]

You are oblivious to reality

[@mwd331]

@Capri yes, but are closely aligned and absolutely nothing like the UK..

[@leangrypoulet7523]

Woman in Sunderland. “Don’t think it’s made a huge difference to my life. I thought it was a good idea at the time and I still think it was a good idea”. There’s Brexit logic for you. Meanwhile the country crumbles and anyone who traded anywhere further afield than a miserable beach in Sunderland has seen their businesses adversely impacted. 🙄

[@kevinwillis6707]

wilfully ignorant old codgers made up a large proportion of the leave vote, older people scared of change were more likely to vote leave. harking back to a rose tinted past that never exsisted.

[@hblock8361]

Mackems have never been a bright bunch

[@lestrem11]

No they haven’t, name all the business’s affected?

[@peterburry2531]

@@lestrem11 All business's trading with the EU face reams of paperwork and costly delays.

[@leangrypoulet7523]

@@lestrem11 Well, I live in France and I can tell you numerous businesses that I used to trade with in the UK (building, construction, automotive etc), no longer trade with Europe as their economies of scale wouldn't allow it to cover the extra expense/hassle/paperwork. Just last summer I placed an order with a UK company worth €9k. One order. The order took just one week to ship, but was diverted to Germany, returned to the UK, then made it to France where it was held by customs until all duty was cleared. Three months. Company stated they'd never trade with the EU again. I also worked as European sales director for a UK firm that worked in construction. Prior to Brexit, 30% of its total sales £20m+/year, was to the EU. They closed their European arm because of post Brexit paperwork and I was made redundant. What's more, I live in an area of France with a very high percentage of expat Brits with businesses. As was allowed by EU rules at the time, many had their companies in the UK not France. As their tax status was British, they had no right to stay in Europe (only fully tax resident foreigners could) and they were forced to return to the UK. As their businesses were entirely based on tourism (B&Bs, cycling holidays, skiing etc) within this region, they had to shut down. No opportunity to keep the business open and run it from the UK. People who'd worked for YEARS setting them up, establishing a client base, a network of local contacts etc. Small, independent businesses. I heard from the local chamber of commerce that in one town alone, 30% of these types of business closed. And families (and employees) many of whom had been here quite legally under EU law for years (kids at school etc, networks of friends, possibly home owners) for as much as two decades, had to leave. And some were friends, this is not some kind of mythical story. And this was repeated across France, Italy, Spain and all other regions with large expat communities trying to make a go of things, and likely at a very bread and butter level. Also my main role since I moved to France 17 years ago was in real estate sales and as the British/Anglophone specialist. I can tell you that the number of Brits buying property in France has dropped, by a lot and did so over night. There is absolutely no other reason they wouldn't still be buying in this region otherwise. Brits used to account for 50% of buyers, now it's closer to 15%. Finally, we used to buy a lot of stuff from the UK for personal reasons. For example I have a classic car I maintain personally. Parts from the UK were more abundant and cheaper. Now they're vastly more expensive and as per my example above, I risk all kinds of problems with customs etc. So I no longer buy from the UK. Simply not worth the aggro. I can guarantee that that is replicated thousands of times over across the EU (whether expats or Europeans) who used to buy from UK suppliers and no longer do so. Perhaps they've not gone bust, but many will have suffered some loss of revenue to a greater or lesser degree. So I no longer trade with the UK, friends no longer trade with the UK, I have friends who were forced to close their independent businesses and leave the EU, I have seen a net drop in UK buyers in my sector directly as a result of Brexit regs (3 month rule) and finally a company I worked for closed its European arm, and I was made redundant directly as a result of Brexit. Is that enough examples for you?

[@bartosz6003]

maybe im naive but living in united Europe with free trade and travel is a big deal for me. I know there will always be some arguments between countries on many issues regarding EU, but at the end we should reach an agreement and work together.

[@philliprees7704]

Used to drive around Europe in a truck delivering or picking up goods You dont realise how much it has cost us with Bexit Until you see how much is imported into Britain and how much we depend on it as well

[@pvught390]

Three years after Brexit, the British are still waiting for the benefits. Greetings from the Netherlands

[@sidneypedroso3415]

@New Moon what craZy guy, ahahahahahah

[@majorskies7091]

I wish I was both Dutch. I love your country and that you can cycle everywhere.

[@Patmofar]

@New Moon The Yanks won't sign any free trade agreement with the Brits. Are you punishing them? Why? And if you think that the EU is solely Germany and France as you claim then you are just a typical ignorant Yank. It's like saying California and New York are the US of A.

[@hugogrilo9742]

@New Moon what? Lol what are you talking about mate? As an American you don't even understand how democracy works, nevermind the EU and Brexit consequences. But please explain your sentence

[@HazyWave1974]

@New Moon Thank you for once again demonstrating that Americans are the dumbest people on the planet.

[@KlausT]

I find it amusing that the UK thinks that the EU would welcome them back with open arms...

[@dantetre]

If they come back this time no "opt out". They have to joint the Euro, they have to join Schengen zone. And all the other things that other members are willing to sacrifice for playing in a team!

[@ems4884]

The EU would accept Britain back at some point in the future, but definitely not now. They have no interest in working with the Tories after the way they bungled Brexit. And now that Britain is out, it just isn't that important anymore. There are bigger issues for the EU to handle.

[@herlandercarvalho]

Brexit actually benefit the EU... lots of business moved out of the UK to France and other countries, and due to the clusterf*ck that Brexit revealed itself to be (unsurprisingly), decreased the "leave" sentiments from other EU states. I don't see why would the EU accept the UK back. I just hope that Scotland manages to get independence, and I'm certain the EU will receive them with open arms.

[@michael1345]

@@Christian-ut5um I give Britain less. Far less and why the BS name. Typical xenophobe.

[@patrickmccutcheon9361]

@@Christian-ut5um bigger issues like energy security or falling further behind the US with technology and being overtaken by China…

[@tara.melina173]

Genius move cutting yourself from your largest trading block.

[@CitroTeam]

Many Britons voted for Brexit without realizing the implications of that decision. Greed blinds the greedy. One girl said that she voted for Brexit jokingly because she thought that Brexit would be defeated in a landslide as it was a stupid mistake to leave the EU. And the next morning when she heard the result of the referendum she panicked.

[@einundsiebenziger5488]

It's just sad that in a country where over 99 % of the population are literate and have access to all kinds of information, so many fell for the silly idea that "EU only takes our money and all we get in return is rules, and as soon as we have left the EU, there will be absolutely no more problems."

[@maxcyber]

Cameron refused any influence of the EU in the media to explain the benefits of the common market, freedom of movement, etc. It was so poorely prepared that incompetence can't explain it all. I am pretty sure a few have hugely benefited from this whole mess, and therefore, pushed for it.

[@-_James_-]

Being literate and being stupid are not mutually exclusive.

[@einundsiebenziger5488]

@@-_James_- Correct. I meant it in the way that most literate people do not use that ability to acquire knowledge but insist on their "right to be stupid" and go for the simple, convenient (i.e. usually stupid) answer.

[@philipvjones397]

Around 25% of the UK population are functionally illiterate. 50% can't manage 5 GCSEs.

[@ocean_kp]

That's assuming that those people who are literate are actually intelligent, therein lies your mistake. As a Brit who voted remain I've now left the country, as have so many other people I know. The attitude of the average Brit is just too nasty and negative and bigoted to want to deal with on a daily basis.

[@sarangistudent8614]

Well they believed Johnson, that paragon of honesty and truth 🤣🤣🤣

[@MontyCantsin5]

Stupidity knows no bounds.

[@sebastianguerre6868]

I can't wait until the government puts forward legislation to get us out of EU laws so that we can be independent country and exploit international opportunities. I'm not sure after all these years why we're still tied to these EU laws that discourage investment in the UK. Having said that remainers were right, food prices did go through the roof after brexit particularly in France.

[@Iazzaboyce]

Don't be stupid - people understood the issue - they didn't want to be part of a federal Europe. We now know the big lie was 'project fear'. You don't think it's strange that the UK government leaflet stated _"We will not join the euro"_ and not a single pro-EU activist in the UK complained or argued the UK joining the euro would be a good idea? That's right! The single currency is a flagship mandatory policy of the EU - and not a single person in the UK said a word to the UK electorate about ever joining. Is this because they never wanted/planned to join - or because they are sneaky liars?

[@paulgibbons2320]

Nobody believes ANY MP's.

[@Number9s]

My uncle has complete faith in him, "Good old Boris, he'll get it done".

[@liamoconlocha3264]

Have they forgotten the hardships before they joined the EU

[@michaelmazowiecki9195]

The decision makers were privileged children in the 1950s and 1960s.

[@otockian]

As a business who has been trying to get a VAT ID for 6 months I can 100% say the government isn't handling it well at all.

[@ReadySteadyDESTROY]

Truly impossible to not be embarrassed by it

[@GRFC1872]

If you voted yes then defo

[@christophermoorhouse8828]

@@GRFC1872 How's those 'sunlit uplands'?

[@danielbentham758]

@@beautifulempatheticliberal5204 NPC

[@michaelparker7331]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD

[@PincheBrayan101]

@@beautifulempatheticliberal5204 hella NPC

[@davidruiz8689]

She really said with her whole chest “I’m so happy I lied to people about brexit and I’m still happy about it “

[@stephenfarthing3819]

You may be happy of that! I - for one - remain pragmatically disappointed with the situation and decision! It's cost many vulnerable communities in Britain hugely. Setting things back by 47 years for those vulnerable communities. I could - theoretically say worse of what you have said! But for the consideration that it might not make much difference at all. Not for another quarter century, at least!

[@richardgallagher4880]

We won, every thing went amazingly well. You lost, rekrain is a disaster.

[@AlfaGiuliaQV]

@@richardgallagher4880 What apparently didn´t go amazingly well was your ability to spell.

[@mark-ish]

She's happy because she collects a govt. salary no matter what happens.

[@stephenfarthing3819]

@@AlfaGiuliaQV Indeed! And perhaps he is one of those who reside in the one part of the British Isles which believes that Brexit was still a good idea. Most now do not! I have some suspicion of this fellow.. I suspected that he could have been something else. To a degree. I still do. His poor spelling of something ' remain!' for instance. Demonstrates a possibility.. I can't explore why! A suspicion is not sufficient without co-oberative fact or proof! I only have a suspicion! It's a possibility but can go no further than that!

[@hauskalainen]

I'm fed up of hearing COVID and Ukraine war in the context of Brexit. The rest of Europe experienced these but only Brexit was negative for the UK and what Britain lost the EU has gained. 90% the size of the German economy down to 70%. Brexit has been a disaster for the country and the conservative party.

[@Happin3ess]

No one in 7 years of heated and mindless debates have even mentioned Trade or trading relations. Not heard it.

[@KingCollossuss]

I’m British and have been dealing with the decision for the last 7 years and I still struggle to understand the attitudes of those that voted for it. It was always obvious that it would destroy the economy, the Brexiteers at the time seemed to understand that but felt ending free movement was worth it. I still don’t understand why you would want to live in a worse country just to reduce immigration but the fact that some of them seem surprised that the economy has struggled is baffling, it’s like they’re all primary school children that just make decisions for purely emotional reasons and don’t have the most basic understandings of the country they live in or the EU and the MASSIVE impact Brexit would have. It’s embarrassing but it feels at times that people in this country are very immature and really need to grow up.

[@saturday1066]

@@ml8022 ask it

[@saturday1066]

my guess: - I heard endless that "sovereignty" (aka ending free movement) was worth being poorer - also that remainers were lying and UK wouldn't be poorer - some claimed "sovereignty" would mean 'Second Golden UK Age" (never mind there wasn't a first one for "UK") - and too: EU will allow UK to cherry-pick the good bits bc EU "needs" UK so much "to survive" - 'hull vs heath': lower income people knew/suspected that it would screw UK and welcomed it - "Gov has already screwed me so NOW you can see what it's like" (meaning, some people didn't see a change from their current circumstance ... and thought it good if the whole country dragged down to understand how they lived) I'm not agreeing with ANY of that. just repeating what I've read. also, fwiw, "I didn't think it would pass, I just voted for it *_TO SEND A MESSAGE_* (to someone)" number one google search in UK, morning after brexit vote: "what is the EU?" as far as I can tell, they were voting with their lizard brain (except for the uber rich pushing this bc EU was about to out their hidey-holes)

[@hendrik8953]

oh, it´s easy to understand, once you think a society as being formed by classes where some classes can be conviced other class to do their bidding. lack of "class conscience" or something. like when you are a miserable employee that sucks to the boss.

[@abdulsufan3325]

U vastly underestimate how racist this country is...remember what brexiteers really want.. no more brown people!! (From europe lol )

[@lloydnaylor6113]

Destroyed economy, what are you on about?

[@darkflighter100]

This is what happens when you make the public vote on a decision which takes economists and policy analysts years to understand the consequences to.

[@jaaksavat7916]

"Divide and rule" Julius Caesar. Stepping out of the European economic union, based on lies and xenophobic fearmongering was imbecilic, and those spreading the lies, hate have no accountability for the consequences thereof

[@carlosgarcao2847]

They have study a lot to do this shit.

[@jvananderson2610]

Totally agree the country is so much poorer it is so obvious that Brexit only works for the few and not the majority.

[@AllinOne-wv1mp]

voting in general, shouldn't be for everyone. that's why Socrates's point of view about it got him executed. it should be for experts and people who wouldn't vote based on intuition or emotion.

[@Gerishnakov]

@@AllinOne-wv1mp Or maybe our education system should be geared towards producing individuals capable of this, rather than mindless drones for the economy.

[@seferinorino6951]

From an outsider, seems some people want all the good bits of being outside while,keeping all the good (edit) bits of being inside.

[@mortenfrosthansen84]

Some people in the airport, were quite sad that they now have to stand in the "Outside of Eu" line... The line where you get a thorough check for contraband of luggage and body, so it takes forever and is uncomfortable

[@manhoosnick]

Gives them more time to admire the blue passport then.

[@Lowdenjim]

In 1965 I joined a highly successful machine tool company selling 80% in the UK market and 20% in Export markets - mainly in Europe. Our Export admin and sales teams were double the number of those on Home sales, essential because of the complexities involved - not least of which was the mountain of documentation relating to movement of goods across various borders. Processing an order from a UK customer meant handling a single piece of paper; processing an export order meant getting to grips with a substantial portfolio. The term "red tape" was so nebulous really and didn't shed any light on the reality of the work and cost involved. Joining the EU changed all that, and exporting was so much smoother, easier and costs were reduced dramatically. Brexit brought those nightmares back for businesses who had no idea what was about to hit them. I knew, but obviously Farage, Johnson and the other charlatans didn't have a clue.

[@M0UAW_IO83]

Oh they knew, but that's not where they make their money so didn't care, but they're now terrified that people are beginning to realise they were conned.

[@truthtotell7583]

@@investmystonks7048 Uneducated? - Well, clearly this guy doesn't have a clue what he's talking about!

[@commonsense31]

@@investmystonks7048 I’m sorry but you seem to be a member of the uneducated group. And frankly pretty ignorant! I don’t think you work in the export department. Especially with your attitude that you think that it’s the EU being difficult that are the problem! My bet is that you are a janitor of that company!

[@marcd6897]

@@truthtotell7583 who is “this guy” ?

[@olearyma57]

@@investmystonks7048 You are right - you would recognise an educated fool of uncommonly low intelligence. JIT manufacturing philosophies are dependent upon total unimterrupted flow of materials and data/ information across national boundaries. Disrupt logistically effective supply chains and a whole dimension of globally competitive companies simply disappears leaving them to wither on the Vine. Intra EU movement has no non value added beaureacracy and can pass the savings onto customers in a competitive 'stand off' wit UK companies. UK death by slow asphisyation and nose diving purchasing power of the pound in your pocket... you Brits are an uncommonly low intelligence lot YOU WERE TOLD THIS BY PEOPLE WHO REALLY KNOW. If a Frenchman has a good lover and a nice bottle of wine why should he leave the house early to convenience a country outside the EU - they are sovereign as well you know!.

[@Stephen.Bingham]

People find it very difficult to admit they were wrong, even in the face of overwhelming evidence. Today’s example is Liz Truss’s delusional account of her downfall.

[@rb1062]

Yup, Remoaners are childishly stubborn!

[@dan.k4317]

@Fetch! you haven't made a single point

[@dan.k4317]

@Fetch! all your comments are about people 'crying'. Not a single point made about brexit. Grow up

[@superlight7654]

Maybe people were sick of immigration which was letting anyone in. Desperate times...

[@tatienouorest3358]

That first shot summarized it all They feel nostalgia of the good old days

[@tomwilliam9810]

Freedom of movement was awesome, it was one of the best things that the UK citizens ever had, rights to your entire continent. Such a loss.

[@padfootfan123]

When remain lost the vote, I desperately hoped that my fears around Brexit would be proven wrong. Unfortunately, it is far worse than I feared. No sympathy for those who voted leave and now regret it. The signs were there clear as day, and now we'll all suffer the consequences probably for decades to come.

[@kevinsullivan7831]

how sad must you be to wish you were subjigated by a foreign power

[@k-doggy1762]

@@kevinsullivan7831 much better to be subjugated by the leeches in Westminster 🙄

[@kevinsullivan7831]

@@k-doggy1762 you are being eaten alive by illegal immigrant parasites

[@shelleylyme6402]

Doggy likes to be subjugated 😄

[@happyjonn9242]

@@k-doggy1762 why would having two bosses be better than having one?

[@zossua7375]

Politicians always blame others for their own mistakes. They never take responsibility. Never.

[@brubeker12]

Was it the late Nigel Lawson rip who voted leave but lived in France and applied for French residency

[@friedrichjunzt]

It was not politicians who voted leave, it was people!

[@minidreschi2]

@@friedrichjunzt ye but who manipulated them? politicans and bigots...

[@friedrichjunzt]

@@minidreschi2 they could have easily educated themselfes about this topic but All they wanted to hear was "no Polish people here anymore! No 80 Mio Turks migrating to glorious UK!!!"

[@hawkswell59]

Cameron and Johnson should be charged with treason! .

[@shahjehan]

Imagine voting against your own self interests

[@Chr1st0ph]

I hope I will still live long enough to see the UK re-join with a new spirit. The EU is not perfect, but it is a long process to shape it to common benefit, and it is absolutely worth it for peace and stability in Europe...

[@tre641]

I dont think that the eu would let them even if they want. They cost us billions even before they left, because they always wanted their special treatment and then they cost us even more billions with this s*it show.

[@geertstroy]

America is perfect!

[@gohumberto]

It's almost as if Boris was lying and the experts knew what they were talking about.

[@ednawelthorpe5578]

LOL remember Gove telling the morons that it was time to ignore "experts" - that's the first thing the far right come for - the intellectuals.

[@lenawagenfuehr53]

And yis wouldn't listen...

[@solarmaru49]

Democracy doesn’t work when the population is retarded and the leaders exploit it

[@clairewiseman-cq8ct]

STOPPING ANOTHER 5.7 MILLION EASTERN EUROPEANS FLOODING IN WE PAY 4 BILLION A YEAR IN BENEFITS 15 MILLION A YEAR KEEPING THEM IN PRISON & 970,000 BABIES BORN COSTING BILLIONS IMMIGRATION IS ONE WAY TRAFFIC UNDER 1 MILLION BRITISH IN ALL OF EUROPE

[@snsn7251]

N Farage. People seem to forget he was a part of the gang of liars.

[@Jericho642]

The most heartbreaking thing about this whole episode is how utterly predictable it was. All of this mess was predicted. All of it. Every lie was pointed out as a lie at the time. Every promise was predicted to be false. None of this is a surprise. It’s reassuring to see people turning around on this, but its way too little too late. People who voted for Brexit can rightly claim they were misled and lied to, but have to also accept that they closed their eyes and ears to the “remainers”; they didnt want to hear the truth, and placed their trust in KNOWN liars. What has been done to this country since 2016 will eventually be investigated in a formal commission and hopefully, people will go to jail.

[@tech9803]

People who continue to vote for charlatans and liars are not victims, but accomplices.

[@Moyopheus]

Hear hear!

[@franciscouderq1100]

The only problem is that alas for over 40 yrs no one was really promoting EU or explaining what it is to the Brits . EU has always been poor at promoting advertising it’s assets and other positive deeds and the Tory lies among others went freely hammering the so called EUSSR stuff and how bad it all was the the UK.

[@evgeniynagornyak1150]

The same with the virus and tests, vaccination. Lies globally. The BBC should be on investigation list.

[@jabt2023]

The first person to go to jail should be Daniel Hannan. He spouted more lies and bullshit then even Johnson and Gove

[@badabing8884]

It was too complex a Question to have put to one referendum to an electorate who were lied to again and again which couldn’t be reversed. The result should have been reviewed by a Royal Commission and detailed facts then presented to the public to save itself from a decision it did not have a clue on.

[@Jin420]

Brexit (imo) seems comparable to a state leaving the union in the US. I can't see how there could or would be many benefits from leaving EU... It's like a state losing all federal benefits in the US.. (they wouldn't/ couldn't survive on their own). But as a whole union there are much greater & favorable benefits.. Not only does(and is) hurt the travel, but work & trade. UK is on their own with no agreement. How was that a good idea?? Granted I'm new to UK politics but having left the EU just doesn't make sense.

[@guydreamr]

One of the most egregious examples of a country shooting itself in both feet this observer has ever seen.

[@M0UAW_IO83]

Shooting ourselves in the feet is pretty mild, I think we amputaed everything below the knees.

[@dr.davidenglish778]

Yep. Oh how the mighty has fallen.

[@giamartube]

It’s really amazing how, after all that has passed, people in the UK still think it’s only about them and what they want. And the rest of the world has to simply comply. Well, you’ll need to open your eyes; you might want to rejoin, but we don’t want you back in the EU. Not until you understand the concept of equal countries working together and that respect goes both ways. The Empire has gone, we are not colonies. Once you get off the high horse, come back and we can have a conversation based on mutual respect.

[@mik7564]

Well put, but pride is hard to break, especially when it's built in your identity. Looking back through history, total destruction (not annihilation) is how some civilizations came to humility.

[@robw7676]

Not wanting to be told what to do by a globalist cabal in Brussels is not the same as wanting to tell anyone else what to do. Have fun with the cabal, they are all yours now.

[@rgp1976]

British expat here. I think there is a good chance Great Britain / UK will split up: a united Ireland (already in the EU), Scotland (overwhelmingly wants to be in EU), England and Wales. These small countries will have about as much in common with the Great Britain Colonial Superpower of two centuries ago as modern Italy does with the Roman Empire. They will need to join the EU as much more junior and compliant partners to have any chance of prosperity. I think the British military and nuclear power as we know it today could well cease to exist, consigned to history within 20 years. The British military support of the Ukrainian fight for freedom is probably their last hurrah.

[@miscellaneousvideos8879]

I am English, and unfortunately this is a side to the country I am embarrassed by. I think it was also fuelled by sensationalist media and certain political personalities playing into people's vulnerable economic situations for decades, baselessly putting blame on EU membership and external affairs for the problems in more deprived and segregated parts of the UK. Before Brexit, I didn't particularly mind saying I was English, but since then, I suppose I have become more aware of the problems of this identity. It will take a few generations maybe, for the delusion of being a 'global power' to become more diluted as a part of the identity

[@loosilu]

They followed the example of Trumpers. It;'s all about ME, everyone else can eff themselves.

[@giulianapizzi8054]

It Is quite interesting that all the reasons mentioned to justify the challenges UK Is facing (COVID, Ukraine war, Energy crisis, inflation, etc) are the same for every Country in the world... Yet other regions/areas are reacting better and adjusting faster. It Is a difficult era, therefore isolation Is not the answer because of the complexity of the problems each government has to address and solve.

[@jesusbermudez6775]

Yes, the chap is blaming factors that other EU countries have had to contend with. As always blaming something else.

[@nairobi203]

Now live with the consequences.

[@geoffsiddle9547]

I was born in 1962 a post war child. Like many other people of my generation we wondered how the German people were taken in by Hitler. Now we know.

[@revolution1423]

You're sadly mistaken

[@romanjimenezgil]

Very interesting thought. Thanks.

[@thierryparte2506]

Well Brits, I feel sorry for you I really do but something positive did happen out of this No EU member will be dumb enough to leave the block now

[@HonestMan112]

We were the guinea pigs unfortunately. The EU was so good for this country and some fools still dont see it

[@shzarmai]

yep unfortunately

[@Weareeverything2023]

Technically true, Britain is the first to leave the EU, but Greenland and French Algeria both left the EEC, the EU’s forerunner.

[@_jpg]

​@@thetruth9210They won't (un)fortunately. They get far too much money from the EU, so they would never risk a referendum like in the UK. It's all bark, no bite.

[@elmercy4968]

That remains to see. Marine Le Pen who is against EU is quite popular for example. AfD the German nationalist party is very successful atm.

[@johnconlon2207]

I am Irish. I think the EU would not be particularly interested in having UK back. More trouble than they are worth.

[@linmorell1813]

Well we now have more understanding about what membership of the means. All rhetoric.

[@colinthompson3111]

I hope future generations see Andrea Leadsom in this video. Her explanation of her support for Brexit reminds of Neville Chamberlain waving a piece of paper.

[@elipa3]

She doesnt have to care about the cost of living. And she probably will have no responsibility, as she will tell you in coming years. She will blame Bojo.

[@quwipyui6519]

she has a lot of money so she doesn't care for the youngest

[@Dreyno]

Chamberlain was desperately trying to avoid ravaging the country by going to war. Leadsom campaigned and voted to ravage the country by choice.

[@bbcisaids6727]

You can move to Ireland and enjoy the eussr

[@guleiro]

@@bbcisaids6727 I grew up in a communist country. In what way is the EU communist?...

[@thedadmeister6392]

How ordinary intelligent British citizens did not see the economic implications of Brexit is mind-blowing to me. Classic example of when democracy fails. Large swathes of people in most civilised nations do not always necessarily understand what is beneficial for them. Politicians prey on this ignorance for their own gain.

[@Xune2000]

Roughly 72% of the eligible electorate voted, of which 51% voted leave. We left because 37% of the country are racist idiots and 28% couldn't be arsed to vote. Stupidity and laziness is what caused this problem.

[@fijapopovic5335]

I think Ricky Gervais made a good point about why you shouldn't ask average people important questions.

[@mr.thegreat557]

Screw the economy. I couldn’t care less about woke multi billion pound companies. 👍🏻

[@Tourist1967]

​@@mr.thegreat557Nobody cares what you think, boomer. More than 10 per cent of those who voted to leave are dead now, you know. Another five years, it'll be closer to 25 per cent.

[@showoff59]

​@@mr.thegreat557The thing is the multi billions companies are doing just fine.

[@90Eight.6]

i completely forgot about this, had no clue it even went through

[@olaflieser3812]

Looking at it from inside the EU: So much fun watching the Brexit topic debates now, many years later. Only thing I have to remember: When I do visit the UK again, now I have to carry my passport (wasn't necessary before) ....

[@dominicpeterson8362]

Covid hasn’t helped! But as someone who was about 6 months too young to vote, I know everyone in my year at school was wanting to stay. Definitely the youth getting mugged by the elderly. Also the poor Scottish who’s majority vote was to remain.

[@geoffbirchall7552]

Shame you don’t remember the time when Britain was independent of Europe.

[@markgallagher5908]

@@geoffbirchall7552 When the UK was last independent from Europe it was known as the sick man of Europe it is quickly returning to that situation.

[@michaelccozens]

@@geoffbirchall7552 Oh, sweetie. You realize your inability to present a single way in which your mawkish nostalgia actually possessed any material benefits demonstrates both that you know you can't support your white-supremacist Brexiteer nonsense and that you're too cowardly to cop to your obvious lies?

[@michaelccozens]

The Scottish, whose vote not to pursue independence was also explicitly based on a promise from David Cameron and the Tories that the UK would not leave the EU.

[@1957hackie]

@@geoffbirchall7552 Looke it up..Sick man of Europe

[@Glasstable2011]

As a remain voter, it’s often pointed out to me that the EU wasn’t perfect. It’s large, bureaucratic and unwieldy. I didn’t vote to remain because I thought the EU was a perfect institution. I don’t think there such a thing as a perfect institution. But I think being a part of the EU is a damn sight safer and more beneficial than being apart from it. So if you’re a leave voter and you’re going to point out all the deficiencies in the EU, that’s fine. I get it. It makes no difference to me that the EU has its faults. Still better to be in than out as far as I am concerned, and the current state of the U.K. economy vs the rest of Europe appears to validate my vote.

[@chucky2316]

They shouldn't have dumped loads of eastern Europeans here.

[@Glasstable2011]

@@chucky2316 and here was me thinking there was more to the average leaver voter than xenophobia…

[@chucky2316]

@@Glasstable2011 except its not, why were we not asked. Don't you think it gets people's backs up

[@chucky2316]

@@Glasstable2011 xenophobia ROFL 😂

[@Glasstable2011]

@@chucky2316 I’m sure it gets people’s backs up. In the same way the Spanish are furious that some of their seaside resorts are now inundated with tangerine-coloured British pensioner expats who refuse to learn the language or eat the local cuisine. That’s how immigration and emigration work. But don’t worry, the process of moving elsewhere in Europe to work or retire is now much more complicated so we’ll have to stay where we belong. On OUR island. That WE have a GOD GIVEN right to, and NOT those mucky mucky foreigners who WEREN’T BORN HERE and SHOULD JUST ALL LEAVE NOW. God save the King. amiright 👊

[@mattwillis9173]

Sir Robert Maxwell and Sir Philip Green were the archetype .

[@sgregg5257]

I think it comes down to complexity. People like simple. They think that simple is better then complicated. Some times this is the case, often it is not. Cars of 1930 were much simpler than the cars of today. Yet they were less reliable, less safe, got worse gas mileage, and were not as comfortable. The global economy, a system that we have all been tied into for the last 2000 years, is big and complicated. People think that trying to escape it, to give them back the levers of control, will make for a happier life. That might be true if you are an economic super colossus like the US or China, however if you are a very small economy, then you really need to leverage power with others.

[@Abieee4725]

People need to be educated not just drive decisions based on pride and ego

[@vice.nor.virtue]

I think a successful assasination attempt on Rupert Murdoch wouldn't hurt either. The amazing xenophobic output of that media mogul combined with the arrogant isolation of the country which was responsible for the planet's largest Empire were a truly toxic combination. Everyone was duped and now the many stooges stare at the desolate wasteland of the UK making the shocked Pikachu face and asking how this all could have possibly happened.

[@RiffRaff-mb7hh]

People need to be educated?? What's your surname sugar titz Mao?

[@toddnorman1343]

... and racism and xenophobia. There are going to be millions of climate refugees... Including England when it gets flooded, it behoves you to be nicer to emigrants because you will be one soon.

[@RiffRaff-mb7hh]

@@toddnorman1343 ...'Todd the tinhat', oh my not the rising sea levels and all those beastly racists!! Next you'll be telling me some women have a penis...

[@user-FUCKYOU18]

Just like Ukraine?

[@jumbodoener2235]

Some speakers suggest that the cost of living crisis, ukraine and covid have all made brexit harder. But in this day and age, such crisis should be anticipated. And you know what really helps in dealing with any such crisis? Being part of a bigger group and supporting each other. Delegate some tasks to a higher entity and focus on your own problems on the ground...but oh well

[@markoshea6833]

nonU.K countries will have to wrest back their fate/destiny from their past erroneous decisions, to join it. Ireland and Spain are continuing to drive off of cliffs.

[@michaeljohnangel6359]

I agree: essentially, these idiots are saying that Brexit would have worked if only the world were different from what it actually is.

[@ednawelthorpe5578]

Covid and then Ukraine were convenient and lucky in a way, for the tories and leavers. They can't hide behind it because EU have had the same stresses and still thrive... Look at Ireland. We look like a third world country now, compared to Ireland.

[@richardgallagher4880]

@@ednawelthorpe5578 They've got the same inflation as us. Caused by remain now you mention it.

[@richardgallagher4880]

We did anticipate ukř. That's why any sane person voted brexit because we didn't want the same thing to happen here. Did you?

[@jl8217]

We are like a sailor cast adrift, paddling wildly away from land.

[@sands7779]

Let's not understate the benefits of Brexit: blue passports and more opportunities for the British at airports and ports to show how good they are at queuing.

[@charlesnorwich5932]

🤣🤣🤣

[@patrickmccutcheon9361]

Can you name another one?!

[@damag3plan]

@@patrickmccutcheon9361 yeh it keeps more English in England

[@Maria-pk7mr]

Interestingly enough, the Brits were allowe to have blue passports when they were still in the EU. It is not a requirement to have the purple-like colour, just a recommendation

[@themajesticmagnificent386]

By jingo sir I am a Englishman and I will completely throw away the economic chances of future generations for MY blue passport.Even though I can’t afford to travel anymore

[@Ruth-wq7lr]

Leadsom being made a Dame after what she and her party have done to the country is utterly disgraceful

[@BarryWaterlow]

*Ah, but she’s a high-priced political “madam.”*

[@danarose6314]

Many pathetic disgraceful people are being made dames and lords. They are everywhere. Seems like a royal buyout to help preserve the crown.

[@barrybritpop]

don't wine, you chose hahahahaha

[@ronvalente65]

I agreed with being in the Common Market, but what it turned into wasn't what we needed, we still need some control of our own destination.

[@RazorMouth]

"I think there are opportunities" Ok, where are they? 🙄

[@mrbearbear83]

He's thinking about them

[@gertjanwissink]

@@mrbearbear83 Yeah! Maybe in 50th years you get an answer. 😂

[@StephaneSeveneant-lj6qk]

Even if the UK wanted to rejoin it would have to convince Europe to accept… One thing is certain the UK will never regain the advantageous position it had when it left.

[@ct5625]

I think in maybe 10-20 years the EU will be ready to welcome the UK back, but we definitely won't be in a position to make any demands. Our economic position has declined dramatically, we're no longer the primary banking and trading hub we were and that's going to decline further in the years to come. By the time we're begging to be let back in the EU could demand all kinds of things and we'll be happy to oblige.

[@karlmylnere5712]

​@@ct5625not entirely sure that we would ever apply to rejoin , nothing is certain in this world , I speak as someone who , all those years ago voted to join , and later voted to remain, I am at an age where I can , with hindsight remember many things that were forecast as certain but ultimately were turned upon their head . The doom merchants may , in fact be proved right , certainly in the short term , as I indicated nothing is certain , Britain along with its people has a long history of overcoming dire adversity, this may or may not be the case in this instance but with the passage of time who knows ? There are rumblings within the EU itself and absolutely nothing lasts forever not even that organisation , nothing is as constant as change that applies to the UK and the EU ,things may ,as has been said get steadily worse or by the same token improve , I would sincerely hope so but , unfortunately I more tha probably will not be around to witness it.

[@jkbonn1]

We don't want the UK back.

[@daijirokatoh3769]

We don't want the UK back because we need to be united, we should make an example of them

[@snorkypigny1]

Doesn’t need to WE LEFT GET OVER IT.

[@jessehatred3667]

As an American, I can see the tree isn't so far from the apple lol

[@annab9994]

Indeed 😏

[@RedmotionGames]

"Naive not to think events wouldn't get in the way of perfect separation". Perfectly poised politician's answer. Decoded: "not my fault it worked out badly (even though I ignorantly clamoured for it)".

[@PEdulis]

"I still have not learned one thing, so I am still passionate about doing the wrong thing and turning the UK into the sick man of Europe again!" Fixed that for you.

[@Felix-rising]

The uk has always been the sick man of Europe. No “again” about it

[@PEdulis]

@@Felix-rising The situation had improved though while it was a member of the EU. Just look at how sick the UK now deals with its sewage which would not be possible under EU regulations - and also how much the UK's GDP lost through Brexit, not only a pound that is worth 20% less but also at least 4% less GDP which results in every Briton being 1000 pounds per year poorer, hence the increased taxation to somehow get a substitute for the lost tax revenue.

[@dnguyen9747]

American here. This is a warning to us that when it is time to step down from being a super power, to not be deluded into thinking that we're still "an empire". I'll be dead by then, but something tells me that Americans will not be any wiser when it is our time to step aside. I see similarity between Brexit and Russia. Both, dreaming of past glory days. Turkey is beginning to show signs of the same as they look back to their Ottoman Empire.

[@frankie_lanaro]

I agree with you, but at the same time there are also deep rooted reasons for the attitude of the English: their policy always had been to fight against a united europe, and they were trying to sabotage it from the inside. Now that they are out, we can have a shot at it, if the French and the Germans keep being on good terms with each other. As the USA influence fades from europe, we will maybe be able to finally be arbiter of our own destiny.

[@COMEINTOMYWORLD]

Maybe if you explain to an American that if your President Biden declared a free trade agreement and freedom of movement agreement with Canada and then twenty years later all 35 countries of the Americas have joined it then come and express an opinion here. Would people in the USA tolerate a new superior parliament in Beunos Aires, headed by unelected presidents, making laws that supplant the Capitol in Washington DC? Would the people of the USA be happy that anyone in the Americas had the legal right to move to the USA and live there and be housed at your expense? Would you be happy for the USA to not be able to have its own foreign policy but only one that the 35 countries of the Americas had ALL agreed on? Would you be happy to ditch the US dollar and accept a universal Peseta that had the same value in the USA and basket economies like Venezula? No, don't think so...

[@lenawagenfuehr53]

It's already happened. USA is cut off from reality. I highly recommend going to a "third world country" and seeing how much more infrastructure, education and healthcare there is than in the US. I went through the US on the way to Nicaragua 6 years ago... don't understand how the US can claim to be a "superpower"

[@dnguyen9747]

@@COMEINTOMYWORLD So, you believe that UK is still a great power compared to the rest of Europe? That's my point. When we're no longer a superpower, I hope we., the USA, recognize it. Currently, we're still the only superpower so we're behaving like a superpower. UK is no longer the Great British Empire. Clearly, you and many others Brits can't accept this reality. That's my point. Yes, one day, America will no longer be a superpower. We will slide down in the ranking. I don't know when or how this will happen. But when it does, these future Americans will most likely behave the same as the Brits do now. Or the same as the Russians do now, or Turks do now. Past glory haunts are peoples who came from Empire.

[@dnguyen9747]

@@lenawagenfuehr53 Definition of a superpower. If your claim that Nicaragua is a higher ranked country than the US, then it would be clear in how other countries treat the US and Nicaragua. Nicaragua domestic and foreign policies would be discussed and followed and studied more than the US because countries would feel that what Nicaragua does will impact them more than what the US does. I'm sure that countries all over the world are closely monitoring events in Nicaragua.

[@mattinterweb]

"we'd take a hit for two years, and then we'd return a rich country". Making it harder to trade with your neighbours and most successful trading block in the world won't make you richer. I'm still amazed how people didn't at least try and learn this (if it wasn't completely obvious in the first place) before voting.

[@garrettleatham7138]

I feel sorry for the youth, that could've gained SO much from travelling abroad and increase their knowledge to help their careers and life. Just like in America these days, the older generations are all about stealing everything they can from the youth. I wish the prospect of creating a better world for the next generation would come back....

[@Al_Camino77]

Leaving the worlds largest free trade market. What could possibly go wrong?

[@jasonkingshott2971]

It was the other bits the democratic majority of the UK didn't like.

[@themajesticmagnificent386]

Who would have thought it could go wrong.?.Well you need to have a half brain and actually think for a moment to see it was going to be a complete mess..But never mind..As long as nasty tories made out of it and Putin got what he payed for that’s ok.?

[@jasonkingshott2971]

@@themajesticmagnificent386 Nothing has gone wrong in terms of getting the hell out of that toxic, anti-democratic, unaccountable organisation.

[@dynamo1796]

What I love the most is the idiot Leavers always say "well we're at least in charge of our democratic process again!!" WRONG. The UK had signed up to so many EU regulations and laws that when we left, nearly all those laws and regulations just got moved over to the domestic statute books with very little parliamentary process. Why? Because A) to trade with the EU, we need to be compliant with those laws and B) we didn't have our own version of them. If you think the government had time to design, research and pass its own legislation on everything from international truck weights to salmonella testing standards for eggs - you are an idiot. So no, we haven't even achieved democratic independence because when we left, all of those EU laws just because British laws almost overnight.

[@Symon_Musician]

I'm not into British politics, but I will never forget the reaction of my English teacher at school, who was a Brit citizen. When we told him the results he started to curse like the last man on the Earth. He told us that polls were opened only in Britain, so several millions of voter were baned from voting as they were living outside Britain during campaing. Otherwise, the result would have been different.

[@ritaharris2372]

He was so right.

[@gaynorhead2325]

Not true, my friends living in Cyprus voted to leave even though they had no intention of living in the UK again!

[@sharknado623]

​@@gaynorhead2325 your friends must be beyond stupid, then

[@ukaszjurys2475]

​@@Xune2000and of course most those votes disappeared in transit.

[@sodium7127]

​​​​@@gaynorhead2325what were their motivations

[@knpark2025]

Hot take: all Brexit aftermath videos on youtube must have that self harm content warning to go through before it starts playing...😊😂😂

[@philipslighting8240]

Better out than in.....

[@bingobingo530]

Well NHS is still waiting for that £350m a week extra cash after the Brexit.

[@Bungle-UK]

The NHS budget has risen by more than that since 2016

[@christianzilla]

@@Bungle-UK Source: trust me bro

[@bradleywilson5641]

Remain said the uk economy would crash if we left that didn’t happen 😅

[@sup5356]

The NHS is Putin

[@christianzilla]

@@bradleywilson5641 yeah, so have you seen the recent IMF report on how Britain is shrinking while all other European countries and even post-sanctions RUSSIA are predicting growth? Other counties: +1-4% UK: -0.5%

[@namevorname1973]

I left the uk after 17 years and Brexit had a huge contribution in my decision making. And now I can clearly see that that was my best decision I ever made. Whilst in the EU , UK was somehow manageable and one could live there. After leaving the EU, it is a hostile peace of land. The EU should be grateful to Brits it has this headache ticked off. And this headache is called the UK.

[@ct5625]

I'm a Brit and I'm inclined to agree with you. Our country is a hostile place thanks to the morons who did this and I don't imagine it's going to get much better any time soon. The EU is much better off without us. My only hope is that the next generation is able to reject the hatred, racism and ignorance of their parents and take the country forward again.

[@Adamsamsm]

You're so deluded "it's a hostile land" what are you even talking about?

[@namevorname1973]

@@Adamsamsm Your Priti Patel, Your Suella Braverman are evil women. Two faced like whole british society never liking to confront anything as cowardness is encrypted in Your British identity. Those 2 hostile, 2 evil women daughters to immigrants now attacking migrants. Thank God the EU is imposing new measures on You wishing to travel to get pissed mainly in Spain.

[@michaelomalley392]

Keep a candle in the window for Scotland which voted to stay in the EU but was overruled by the much larger electorate in England.

[@janeevans5132]

I left the 2015 a i I could see how it was going to go. I am happily living and an E.U country now best thing I could do am so glad I did as looking at the U.K. from outside now it is not recognizable as my country anymore.

[@hareshgill8994]

Please notice the age of the people in the thumbnail celebrating that leave won

[@user-qm2wl9ry9n]

Very balanced report, although we like to hear more , a pro or a con report on anything, because it gives a degree certainty to anything, this report was balanced and probably reflected what the real situation was : one of uncertainty in regards to the subject of it , in other words , the current Brexit .

[@barryryan14]

I'm not British. I do come to these kinds of videos regularly. Divided between laughing at you and feeling sorry for you all. People are talking here that Brexit will still come good. They look like they're lying and act like people in abusive relationships who think it will all be better tomorrow!

[@dr.davidenglish778]

That is an interesting (but disturbing) perspective that I never thought of. The one thing that stuck out to me in the video was all the discussion about how COVID may have changed the outcome of Brexit. It's the kind of thing that makes me want to roll my eyes into the back of my head and just leave them there. lol

[@awtistiaeth4699]

Great analogy!

[@mr_incognito9305]

Do both. We deserve to be laughed at for allowing crooks and liars to convince us of the virtues of brexit. But I think pity is also in order, we fell for the con hook, line and sinker. Just after we began to find ourselves again we lost it and it's a damn shame

[@rb1062]

I agree with you. When you look at what's really happening (check out the Davos/WEF reporting) Brexit is just a cheap bone to get everyone distracted and fighting with each other. Such a small matter in contrast to the threat of a worldwide dystopian future. Still, I enjoy schooling Remoaners, though! 😄

[@LonnieHalouska]

If leaders beat their followers long enough their people begin to like the beating. Look at Russia.