A major study of British citizens living in the EU has uncovered profound and lasting impacts of Brexit on their lives, with many expressing shame, disappointment, and a strong sense of European identity. The survey of 1,328 UK nationals across the continent, conducted between December 2021 and January 2022, found that 80% said Brexit and the UK government's handling of the pandemic had strongly affected their feelings towards Britain.
Participants used phrases such as 'deep shame', 'embarrassed to be British', and 'like watching a house on fire' to describe their sentiments. Only 30% still felt very or extremely emotionally attached to the UK, compared with 75% who felt the same attachment to the EU. The study, led by Lancaster and Birmingham universities, highlights the 'deep transformations' Brexit has brought to citizens' lives, including loss of free movement and voting rights.
Nearly half of respondents reported that they did not share the same legal status as some or all of their close family members, causing significant concern about future migration and settlement rights. One British citizen in Italy noted that his wife's residency rights depended entirely on his status under the withdrawal agreement. Another, living in the Netherlands for 10 years, said he was selling his UK house because his Dutch wife could not easily relocate there.
The loss of free movement was a major grievance, with 27% saying Brexit had affected their migration plans 'a great deal'. A respondent in Belgium said: 'Loss of rights like freedom of movement around the EU and to the UK... Family now cannot move back to Britain. Uncertainty.' The study also found that 46% could no longer vote in European or local elections, and 42% were unable to vote in UK elections due to living abroad for over 15 years.
Michaela Benson, co-lead of the study, said: 'The long tail of Brexit is evident in its continuing impacts both on the way they live their lives, and in its lasting significance for their sense of identity and belonging.' She added that the survey revealed a 'really quite pronounced expression of European identity' among respondents.
