An overwhelming 80% of respondents to the survey said their feelings towards their home country had been ‘a lot’ or ‘a lot’ affected by Brexit. The ‘British Citizens in the EU after Brexit’ survey, which questioned 1,328 British nationals living across Europe, said they felt ’embarrassed to be British’ and that it was ‘ like watching a house on fire.
Other expats interviewed described a feeling of ‘deep shame’, ‘disappointment’ and called Britain ‘shambolic’ and a ‘shit show’ following the UK’s decision to break free from the EU. EU.
The report from the Migzen Research Project, with Lancaster University and the Universities of Birmingham, said: “Brexit and the COVID-19 pandemic have significantly altered the feelings towards the UK of those involved in research. ‘a way that was unambiguously negative.”
The report, which took place between December 2021 and January 2022, also revealed damning comments from respondents, with a British woman, in her 30s, who lives in Denmark, revealing she doesn’t have the same ‘affinity’ for his country of origin.
She said: “Since Brexit I’ve been disappointed with the UK. I’m worried and don’t feel like I have the same affinity for the country anymore. It’s a shame because I like ‘home me,” but the country seems so polarized.
Another British citizen, living in Norway in her 40s, added: “A deep shame. Embarrassed to be British, ashamed that I didn’t try hard enough or appreciate my EU citizenship.
A dual British-Irish national in Austria said she felt “disconnected”, adding: “It’s a completely different country to how I left it.
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When the report looked at the strength of feelings towards different nations, 31% said they felt very or extremely emotionally attached to the UK, compared to 75% who revealed they felt very or extremely emotionally attached to the UK. EU, and 59% who feel the same about their country of residence.
Michaela Benson, study co-lead and professor of sociology at Lancaster University, said the findings showed that while “the public narrative suggests Brexit is over and dusted off, it has brought about profound transformations in the lives of British EU and EEA citizens”.
She added: “The long tail of Brexit is evident in its ongoing impacts both on the way they live their lives and in its lasting importance to their sense of identity and belonging.”
Asked if their past or future migration plans had been affected by Brexit, many reported a significant impact, with 27% saying it had affected them a lot, while 14% said a lot.
Jane Golding, OBE, former co-chair of British in Europe and chair of British in Germany said: “If politicians and the media want to get a glimpse of the British diaspora in the EU in the 21st century, they should read this report, at instead of relying on tired stereotypes.
“They live in all EU countries from Estonia to Greece, family ties are important for emigration and Brexit has strongly affected their relationship with the UK.
“They are also very politically engaged but mostly disenfranchised, some completely.”
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Source: www.express.co.uk
This notice was published: 2022-05-04 10:33:00
