Given the current geopolitics, what is the perception around UK and Brexit? This divorce happened ten years ago, and whilst recent geopolitics have rallied calls for closer integration, every time there are attempts at closer defense cooperation, some blockers still happen – there is still a sense that some would like to punish UK, make the cost of Brexit visible to all.
How do you view the relationship with UK in 2026?
48 comments
I am bitter about Brexit. Years of polls [show most people agree with me](https://www.statista.com/statistics/987347/brexit-opinion-poll/?srsltid=AfmBOoqW9UUwD2PQo72gADHni3k5ppI6hAoIr6HrtuTDJ3I46ewej5vf).
It didn’t deliver what they said it would, and why would it?
We cut ourselves off from a big trade bloc. It was never going to end in anything other than more red tape and costs.
I’d like this government to continue restoring trust with the EU, and for the next government to look towards joining the single market or customs union.
That’s assuming we’re not clowney enough to enable Reform to get into power. 🤡
Bad relations with the EU means we stay poor as a country. That’s just how it is. We’re not America, with a buffer of big territories and abundant natural resources. No, we’re a small import-reliant island with a big population. We need to be friends with our neighbours…
Obviously I fully support closer cooperation between the EU and the UK, as close as possible preferably. But if we only take my personal feelings into account, I am still absolutely pissed off about it and probably always will be.
I’m just glad I moved to Denmark before it happened, so I still have all my pre Brexit “benefits” in their books
Edit: I’m Scottish btw prob should have said that before XD
I’m furious about it. Not just that we left, but that the people who voted to leave did so based on well funded lies for someone else’s greed.
I am, and I am even more bitter on the fact Nigel Farage is steadingly leading the polls for one year now.
If you elect a mini Trump as prime minister be sure brexit won’t be the biggest reason of resentment
I’m quite happy the UK left, and don’t want it back in the Union. Back then, I wasn’t bitter at all, except with regards to how incessantly and shamelessly the British population and politicians lied about the EU, out of sheer nationalistic arrogance. A lot still do. Regardless, I doubt the EU could have moved towards integration as quickly as it did had the UK remained to block every attempt.
not bitter about it
they made their decision, gotta respect that. I wasnt happy with it and I think they should’ve stayed and would gladly welcome them back, but you gotta respect the decision of a Nation
Europeans aren’t bitter, it’s like remember an abusive ex who finally leaves you alone. So long, farewell, auf wiedersehen, goodbye.
I’m from the UK so perhaps somewhat ineligible to answer this question, but I think it’s fair to say the costs of Brexit are pretty darn visible to anyone who cares to look already.
I’d also say that I’m not sure it’s Europe punishing us, but (unbelievably) many of our politicians/countrymen who are not quite finished punishing themselves for god knows what reason.
Even though our current party in power is theoretically pro-Europe they’re rather afraid to show it, and the party leading in the polls for the next election is actively against it.
In my case, I’ve had to move past bitterness to just the occasional sad shake of my head, for my own sanity.
Very bitter, as it massively impacts me and my husband (he’s British, I’m not), affects freedom to move for all UK people as well
In a sense, but brexit isn’t one isolated thing, it should really be considered in the broader picture of the successful Russian campaign of destabilising and fracturing the West through Brexit, Trump and the decade of psychological warfare and disinformation through social media and campaign of hybrid warfare that has been waged against us that has led us to the world being in the dangerous and uncertain time it is today.
Brexit was a tragedy and a disaster, but it was really just one piece of a much larger scheme and narrative that has been playing out for a long while, which in all honesty most people were oblivious too and the reality of which is only really now beginning to be faced up to.
I’m glad they left because all they ever did was try to suck out more exceptions and benefits for themselves. They never believed in the project or solidarity, they just used the whole thing to their own advantage.
They can come back when a super majority of people want it and they accept membership with no more exceptions, which means Schengen and the euro.
Bitter? No. Annoyed by UK folks not owning up to it? Yes.
I don’t know why they keep bringing it up. They got exactly what they wanted, yet they keep talking as if there’s anything else there.
I’m miserable about it, it was voted in before I could vote. I love my friends who live in the Netherlands, Italy and France. I have always wanted to live in the Netherlands but my future has been blocked because of people with short sight and short memories
As someone who lives in the UK (since 1997) from the EU it’s a pain in the backside!! I have settled status but with Fannyrage going up in ratings I’m not safe (again) and it’s frustrating to the max.
I never was bitter about Brexit really. Sure it was disappointing, but if they wanted to leave, whatever the reason and situation, so be it. I’d gladly welcome UK back, though. I want them back.
Keeping the UK out might make the cost of Brexit more visible, but I don’t think the cost of leaving should be a motivating factor to stay anyway, the opportunity cost of not staying should be. And that can be shown with the country in question in the union. I guess this is a pretty small difference in thinking, but it’s the difference between “you’ll lose this much” and “we can benefit each other this much”. The latter kind of thinking is a lot more better of all of us in the EU, I think. Hence, welcome back UK, if you want to come.
Btw it’s crazy that it has been 10 years since the referendum.
why would i want to punish the uk
that would show a message that the eu us held together by threat of repression, which isnt (or shouldnt) be the case.
if they decided to leave the they have the right to.
the only thing that bothers me is they left by such a slim majority, and by the time they left the majority was already for staying (afaik) but politicians apparently were commited to the original referendum results or sth.
i dont think such a small % majority should be enough to leave the eu.
in the end its their country and they are independent and can chose for themselves, and i wish them the best.
My impression is that political marketing worked at its best. And that’s quite disappointing in general.
In several occasions and for some aspects the EU opened the window but from my point of view , the EU should keep the line for some additional time to avoid other countries get inspired and follow the example. Also I am not sure the move payed off for the UK, but it is quite complicated to judge as many things happened in parallel.
Was pretty much the same gang of hooligans that caused Brexit that are now trying to destroy NATO from within the US.
It’s not wanting to punish the British, they are already doing that to themselves.
It’s more, do we want to go through the trouble of getting closer again just for them to elect that Farage idiot and having to go through that whole nonsense again?
I live in Scandinavia, and I do business with several UK spirit brands. They lost most of their export due to brexit. They are screwed.
I would support our friends from the UK returning at any time; we should keep an open mind.
Was I disappointed? Absolutely.
>there is still a sense that some would like to punish the UK
That is a fantasy of the Brexit supporters. They have shot themselves in the foot so badly that they now have to explain it somehow. Ask people in your industry, agriculture or fisheries how great Brexit is going.
I think it’s a shame that the UK left, but I don’t feel bitter at all (EU lad here). That’s what the British people decided, so let it be. I also believe that Brexit has shown many Europeans that “it’s cold outside.”
It’d be nice that the UK rejoined the EU, this time without a gazillion privileges. But with Farage still in politics, I don’t see it happening, so I hope that we can continue to cooperate closely regarding education, security, and so on.
As a EU citizen who was generally happy to live in the UK, I’m still bitter about Brexit. In the end I left for a few reasons, but Brexit was one of the top 3 reasons. In theory I could have stayed (I have Settled Status), but the atmosphere during the negotiations put me off the whole country. I could have applied for British citizenship but out of principle I won’t be doing that. I have no interest whatsoever in ever living in the UK.
I can’t believe that abomination called Farage is still doing the rounds. People are still listening to that “thing”?
I have lots of friends in the UK
Most of them voted against especially the ones in Scotland.
In the beginning, I was definitely a bit bitter about Brexit but since I’ve been visiting my friends on a regular basis all I feel now is compassion because the economy is absolutely absolutely abysmal and so many people people are suffering.
The beauty of Brexit was that it showed everyone that it truly is worse to leave the EU. It has become a cautionary tale and has indeed done us the favour of nipping in the bud all separation movement from the far right in multiple European countries. I cannot thank enough.
For the same reason I do not support the uk returning. There needs to be a case for a country to truly stick to their decisions and taking responsibility as well as the eu block be left alone with the local British drama. It is not our business anymore, quit pulling us in.
I understand you probably mainly ask the EU countries, but as another non-member with a very close relationship with the EU, Norway also recently decided a closer defense cooperation with the UK.
We recently put in our largest ever defence contract – even bigger than our 60 or so F-35. It was for frigates/warships. And 2 years ago, we would most likely buy what the US offered. But this time we chose to buy them from the UK and part of the deal is we can man these frigates together with military personell from both countries on frigates operating in the North Sea and Barents Sea. That is something totally new and I think is great progress among allies.
Well, Russian money and influence, a totally corrupt society with that especially disgustingly hateful media. And this coming from a lifelong Nordic anglophile.
One of the biggest mistakes a country has ever made.
I am angry for political reasons, sad about my personal plans, and frustrated with how the country is developing. Poverty, violence, healthcare… from the outside, it feels like it’s getting worse every year for our fellow Brits.
I don’t understand why some people talk about the UK as a completely homogeneous group. Brexit was ten years ago – there’s now an entire generation of people who weren’t even eligible to vote on the issue, yet they’re tarred with the same brush as those who did vote to leave. Honestly, not everyone wanted to – it was a **very** close vote. There were huge campaigns to stop us leaving, and a very large group of people actively opposed it, myself included, and we’re still here, still part of the collective so many Europeans are bashing.
There are also huge groups of people who simply changed their mind – can’t we allow anyone to make mistakes without pointing and laughing and condemning them for life? Can’t people learn and grow?
At the time, there were a lot of lies and a lot of promises made, and many people fell for them. We’re a country that has been struggling with public services for a long time. I know many people who were swayed by promises to fund and fix the NHS. A significant number of older voters who supported leaving were directly affected by NHS waiting lists and staff shortages, so I can understand why those promises resonated.
I also think it’s quite common for Europeans to bash British people in general, which sours sentiments and makes a lot of people think why bother? They mock us anyway. In this thread alone, Britain is being described as an abusive ex, which is a fucked up thing to say, along with shameless, arrogant, and more.
People are genuinely harsh and disparaging when they talk about the UK, and it’s sad – especially as someone who believes strongly in the EU and in solidarity, and who used to feel proud to be part of it. The way I’ve seen some people talk about my country since then just makes me think, oh, okay, fuck this, then. There’s a real lack of understanding about why Brexit happened, and a lack of sympathy for the voters who **were** misled. We’re a country with a huge class divide, where people who were already suffering were sold false promises.
Yes, congratulations to us all for recognising with hindsight that those promises were false, and haha, how stupid British people must have been to believe them – but honestly, I’m too exhausted to get into all the reasons why older working-class people were so pro-Brexit. They’ve lived through years of austerity and simply bought into a lie.
This isn’t to discredit the fact that there was also a large subsection of openly racist, anti-immigration groups involved – but should we really be throwing stones in glass houses here, Europe? Is that kind of sentiment really unique to Britain?
I suppose to answer the question – I’m still bitter about Brexit and I wish it never happened. However, I’m just as bitter about the fact that it gave the EU a free pass to bash us more than they used to. It’s depressing.
I think Brexit was a silver bullet in the end; the EU needs focus and the UK was always problematic with half its in/out approach. I do not think anyone rebuff security cooperation but in terms of trade, migration, etc.. the EU must be only guided by its self-interest (450 million people) and not whatever the UK wants or needs (65. million people), which is obvious. that is not punishment, it is realpolitik
Bitter, no. Sad and angry? Definitely.
Brits – I am not one – got royally screwed by awful and stupid people, who then doubled down on awfulness and stupidly.
It was so unnecessary.
You don’t seem well informed.
> Are you still bitter about Brexit?
Europeans are not bitter about Brexit, they really don’t think much about it. They recognise it for the shit storm it is, but they are not bitter about it.
British right wing politicians have been lying to you for years that Europeans are bitter about it, but they generally don’t think much about it.
Source: European citizen living in the UK. I have many family members and friends living in the EU with which I talk regularly.
> This divorce happened ten years ago
No, this divorce happened six years ago, Britons chose it ten years ago.
> there is still a sense that some would like to punish UK, make the cost of Brexit visible to all.
Nobody is trying to punish you. You were told by your politicians you could have your cake and eat it too. You then ate your cake and claimed the EU was punishing you for taking it away. You identified yourself as idiots. Many people in the UK are not idiots, but people who still claim this definitely are.
> How do you view the relationship with UK in 2026?
I’d say relations are good. UK has chosen to become poorer, lose their say and still mostly follow the same rules. That’s a choice the UK gets to make. If the UK wants to cooperate with the EU and draft up mutual agreements that is still possible and the EU would happily agree if it were mutually beneficial (or mostly beneficial to the EU when right wing politicians such as Farage decide to screw over their voters again).
Yes. I didn’t speak to my dad for three months after I found out he voted yes. All this time later and he finally admits that it failed .. except that it failed because they didn’t go hard enough. Of course he can’t explain what that actually means or give an example. Man is a giant bell end.
As a half Brit I thought back then it was a terrible idea.
As a half Italian, given the context I would MUCH much rather have UK back
Ofc I’m bitter, it made everyone’s lives so much harder for literally NO reason. Idk why you equate that with wanting the UK to suffer though?? No, I’m bitter because their idiot politians remain stubborn instead of rejoining.
Strange that some Brexit supporters still think that the EU is punishing the British for Brexit. The EU has never done that.
The rules are extremely simple. If the UK wants to sell food to Europe without additional red tape, it must follow EU food standards.
If the British want to be part of the EU’s banking union, they must be part of the Eurozone. If the British want to sell goods to the EU without tariffs, they must be part of the customs union. It is that simple.
The fact that the Conservatives made the British believe that they can get in Brexit all the benefits of the EU without any obligations was stupid, but the fact that some still believe so, is just idiotic.
Still SMH rather than bitter. It’s still daft and caused such an amount of drama, upheaval and disruption. To what end? After a decade, are people in the UK really better off than if they’d stayed a member state, particularly in strong Brexit voting areas in England?
I feel rather sorry for them. At the time, I was a bit bitter because there was a sentiment against slavic immigrants.
Haven’t been to the UK since.
I used to go roughly every year to see a musical in london, but no more.
The UK said “Fuck the EU”, so I respond in kind.
I would love the UK to join back. But without their bullshit exceptions. They need to participate in € and in Schengen. And of couse pay their full share
as long as they are not, they are the same as e.g. Togo
Very much so, many of us never got the chance to get a say on it. Majority of the leavers were the older generation and they remembered the time when we wasn’t in the EU, many in that generation have now passed away since the decision was made to leave.
Plus not to mention the lies of the fucking Tories were spewing during the coming of the vote.
If we are able to rejoin back in, even on EU’s terms I’m more than happy to vote.
well, brits voted to exit, i respect their vote. but i am quite sure they was manipulated to think will be better alone.
for me they are an anomaly anyway, imperial units, driving on other side, their banks and currency rates. not really compatible with rest of the world. they are outdated in some fields, in rest, they are in Europe, they are ok, i hope all the best for them and a bright future
Extremely. Sometimes more so than before because the sheer fucking idiocy of the people who still think it was a good idea, that the only reason it has been a shitshow is that it wasn’t “true Brexit” and want to vote for that horrible little twat Farage to finish the country off is somewhat hard to stomach.
I’m not bitter. At the time when Brexit was hot news I was annoyed by the arrogance and hostility that some pro-Brexit people showed toward the rest of Europe.
I’d like to highlight a positive side of Brexit. Before it happened we had a bunch of annoying populists constantly telling us how the EU was the root of all our problems and that we should leave it ASAP. No matter what the problem was EU was always the devil behind it. Now after the Brits accepted being the guinea pig in this shitshow we call Brexit those populists have been oddly quiet. These days, hardly anyone is advocating for leaving the EU. Feels like brexit made EU more popular, at least here.
I never was bitter, people are free to choose what they feel is best.
But damnit the stoopidity[sic!] following Brexit, thinking the EU applying normal rules to non-WU members being perceived as … I don’t even know what … that still gives me a good laugh.
So, thanks for that, I guess.
I realise the following makes me sound like someone shouting on a street corner at anyone who’ll make eye contact but this is my red button.
—
Bitter? No. I’m fucking fuming, veritably frothing at the mouth. Watching people get led, like cattle to the slaughterhouse, by politicians and businesspeople who had nothing but their self-interest at heart, as if they had one between them.
You’d have thought, given the entire thing was based on “sovereignty” (whatever that means considering the US Coast Guard essentially kidnapped someone recently from Scottish soil and Farage barely blinked), that Covid would’ve raised an eyebrow when EU countries started closing borders. Wait a minute? They can control their borders? But I thought…
No, not a whisper. And that’s the cherry on the tip of the iceberg. Everything has slid into purgatory since. Paddling to stay afloat. Somehow – some-bloody-how – people are buying Farage’s rancid breath again. Even though, week after week, we’re given yet another example of why the putrid slug should be nowhere near any decision that affects this country.
This country shot itself in the foot, wondered where all the blood was coming from, and will inevitably refuse to hobble back when the EU demands we adopt the Euro.
I was raging ten years ago. I’ll be raging still in another ten.
As a Brit I’m extremely bitter about Brexit. I’m bitter towards all of those like Farage or have become like him in politics – scapegoating anything they saw as negative as a result of being an EU member. The villification of Brussels etc. It has made things so complicated for so many, reduced people’s ability to live, love, learn and work in the EEA – reciprocal freedom of movement is one of the greatest things about being a member of the EU and EFTA. Businesses have suffered and tax we would have previously had income for is no longer there due to the drop in trading of goods and services. I have friends that came from the EU that went back to their home countries (some stayed) but those that went back can’t come back to live here again without qualifying for a visa now. It angers the hell out of me that we left.
I’m a full re-join supporter – no matter hard that might be to see my aspirations shared and be fulfilled.
I am pro-EU membership, pro-€urozone, pro-Schengen (the UK+IE Common Travel Area should be succeeded by membership of the Schengen Area for the UK and ROI in full in my option), and I am for zero special treatment. Also, we really need to continue with metrification instead of using a jumble of Imperial and metric units.