The British expats facing an uncertain Brexit future

“You want to keep your own freedom of movement, so that you can come back and forth between here and the UK?”Hundreds of thousands of Britons have settled in Spain. What do they make of a possible no-deal Brexit?

Geplaatst door Channel 4 News op Zondag 10 februari 2019

BRITISH expat Brexiters who appeared on Channel 4 news and said they would now vote to remain have received harsh backlash from compatriots online. 

It comes after the broadcaster visited the Costa Blanca to interview Brits living there about their opinions on the UK’s divorce from the EU.

In the segment, one woman tells the interviewer: “I don’t think the Spanish would turn the English away.

“They’re quite a big thing for their economy.”

The clip then speaks to Brit ‘Dave’, who bought a holiday home in the expat favourite in south-eastern Spain after voting to leave in the 2016 referendum.

He told Channel 4 that he wanted to keep the freedom of movement for ‘proper Europeans’ and regretted voting to leave because it could undermine his ability to move back and forth between Spain and the UK.

“I know it might be selfish,” he said, “but I think on reflection if we had another referendum now we’d vote the other way.”

Another part-time expat, named Bill, then reveals he regrets wanting to leave as their pet dog Beano’s passport may now be in jeopardy.

The clip has been shared thousands of times on social media and fellow Brits did not hold back on their views.

“Speechless,” wrote one, “How bloody arrogant. So foreign people are not beneficial to UK economy but they are to Spain’s?…”

Another said: “The absolute arrogance and stupidity of these people.”

“Sums it all up,” chimed in another, “their pet is a bigger priority for them than millions of working Britons.”

Others blasted the segment for not representing the full range of expats living in Europe.

“Pretty badly balanced representation of British people in Europe,” one expat said, “some of us work hard, not just sitting on the Costa Blanca with our dog.”

Another added: “What about focusing on people who live and work in Spain like myself not just retired people? I feel sure the majority of us feel European and see Brexit as a road to catastrophe!”

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