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Politics

Why do Remainers support being in the EU when Brits are not compatible with Europeans?

192 replies

molanasulfi · 22/03/2026 08:29

Think of Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
These are all former British colonies in which people of British descent have long been socially, culturally, politically, economically dominant.

Because of the fact that the dominant social group in those countries was of British descent that meant that they spoke English, had similar political and judicial traditions to the UK, viewed British history like the Tudors and the Stuarts as "their history", and felt loyalty and amity with the UK.

But, when non-British European migration started happening to those countries post-WW2 and later Asian, African and Middle Eastern migration, things started to change.
Greek, Polish, Norwegian, Italian, Hungarian, German immigrants and their kids in Canada in the 1950s/60s etc didn't feel the same way about Britain that people of British descent did. They were more invested in their own homelands. They may have spoken English, but they wouldn't call the UK the "mother country" or feel loyalty towards it or view British history as "theirs"; rather they'd have been likely to transmit historical grievances against Britain from their ethnic homeland to Canada. An example is how many Italian and Ukrainian-Canadians in the 1960s were demanding that Canada change its national flag from the old Red Ensign flag which had the Union Jack in the corner because they didn't identify with the UK whereas most British-origin Canadians supported the old flag because they did.

Similarly, French-Canadians were demanding bilingualism in Canada and conducing terrorist actions like blowing up mailboxes which had the word "Royal" on as well as demanding the abolition of the monarchy in Canada since they didn't identify with Britain.

In Australia and New Zealand, people of Irish descent have long been the most ardent republicans since they don't feel an attachment to the UK. And, white people of non-British descent like those of Dutch and Greek descent have also been republicans, tend to be the ones most strongly in favour of Australia changing its national flag to remove the Union Jack, and tend to have little care for the UK. This is because they are not of British descent so feel no attachment to it.

This fundamentally goes to show that blood is thicker than water.
Australia, Canada and New Zealand were only loyal to Britain and only strongly identified with it because people of British descent dominated those societies and because they are "blood" relations of British people. By contrast, continental Europeans are generally indifferent to, if not hostile to Britain, since they are not "blood" as proven by the actions of their diasporas like Greek-Australians demanding Britain gives the Elgin Marbles to Greece, thus showing a pro-Greek not pro-British stance whereas an Anglo-Australian would likely favour Britain; or a Cypriot-Canadian demanding that Britain evacuate its bases on Cyprus, thus favouring the Cypriot/Greek position rather than the British one as an Anglo-Canadian may be inclined to do.

Think also about the Dutch settlers in Soutb Africa causing issues. Their disdain for Britain led them to fight the Boer Wars and push for a South African Republic in 1961.

So, given all of that, why would you want to be part of the EU, which is not just a "trade zone" but an attempt to forge a European superstate? Continental Europeans, as demonstrated by the behaviour of their diasporas in Anglosphere nations, are not "blood" or loyal to Britain in the way people of British ancestry are? They are inclined to follow their own biases and cultures and traditions, which often are opposed to the UK, because they are not "us".
They are and their diasporas are either indifferent, or hostile; but they are definitely not loyal.

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MrsTerryPratchett · 03/05/2026 18:43

MyFellowScroller · 03/05/2026 17:48

@MrsTerryPratchett Thank you for the info on Canada. In criminal trials in the two areas do they have juries in a similar way to UK?
In my defence I would say that Quebec is a small population.

All federal law in Canada has to be compatible with both systems so it’s not just Quebec.

MyFellowScroller · 03/05/2026 17:48

@MrsTerryPratchett Thank you for the info on Canada. In criminal trials in the two areas do they have juries in a similar way to UK?
In my defence I would say that Quebec is a small population.

MrsTerryPratchett · 03/05/2026 15:29

MyFellowScroller · 03/05/2026 11:12

A bit of a ramble OP, once or twice I thought you had a real fact or two but then you lost it. One of those was about the judicial system, Commonwealth Countries and USA use Common Law not the coded system of most Europeans. The two systems are incompatible. Our Religious heritage and instinctive Folk memory is also different.
I voted for Brexit and was horrified at the appalling standards of negotiations that followed. Our team was incompetent. Their were quite good. Do I want to re-join NO.

Canada is a commonwealth country and uses bijualism. British common law, and French civil systems in Quebec. Clunky maybe, but not incompatible. Not uncommon for Brexiteers to speak confidently and erroneously about the commonwealth.

MyFellowScroller · 03/05/2026 11:12

A bit of a ramble OP, once or twice I thought you had a real fact or two but then you lost it. One of those was about the judicial system, Commonwealth Countries and USA use Common Law not the coded system of most Europeans. The two systems are incompatible. Our Religious heritage and instinctive Folk memory is also different.
I voted for Brexit and was horrified at the appalling standards of negotiations that followed. Our team was incompetent. Their were quite good. Do I want to re-join NO.

cotswoldsgal1234 · 02/05/2026 23:02

EspanaPorfavor · 22/03/2026 08:43

I feel culturally European in the present, you are looking at history. British history is ugly too. The places you have mentioned are far away and expensive to visit, with (especially the US) a very different culture to my own as a Brit (guns, politics, education system…)

I speak other languages, I travel Europe as it’s in my backyard, I have friends from all over the continent.

It isn’t a popular opinion but I honestly think closer union in Europe is a good thing. European values are much more compatible with each other and there is strength in numbers. Look at Trump threatening to ruin Spain financially because they had the balls to say “no to war” but not being able to follow through because Spains in the EU. Starmer on the other hand has a very uncomfortable tightrope to straddle. I’m obviously a remainer.

Modern European History is even uglier.

Aur0raAustralis · 25/03/2026 03:16

Australia has just signed a free trade agreement with the EU. Apologies to OP for not rising up against them and instead acting in our own interests.

ScienceDragon · 23/03/2026 09:22

I am an "Anglo-Australian". UK is simply not as relevant to our country in the modern world. BTW, Australia has trade treaties with the EU.

Thankfully, Australia does not recognise the UK as our masters/overlords/mother country. It is an ally, and we do have trade agreements with you, just as we have with a number of other countries. Geographically, it makes more sense for us to be focused on nations within the Pacific and South-East Asia.

I am not pro-republican per se, but I am not happy with someone from halfway around the world, being our nominal head of state., I do wish we would change our flag. Drop the Union Jack, and replace it with a symbol recognising First Australia people.

Modern Australia is a multi-cultural country, and not ashamed of that. Yes, we have racists and bigots, sadly but they are a minority.

If the OP is keen on history, they should look up Gallipoli and Maralinga - our then UK masters did us no favours in either case.

I think Greece should get the Elgin marbles back.

Weeverbeaver · 23/03/2026 09:05

This thread title made me chuckle. Because it's bononkers which is twice as silly as bonkers

RayonSunrise · 23/03/2026 09:04

pointythings · 23/03/2026 08:24

It was a bit too 'Blut und Boden', wasn't it?

Ugh, it was just sad. You can’t get the trolls these days.

OchonAgusOchonOh · 23/03/2026 08:57

NervesofSteel · 23/03/2026 08:55

Well, Edward VIII appears to have been….

And was there not a video of the last queen doing a nazi salute?

NervesofSteel · 23/03/2026 08:55

OchonAgusOchonOh · 23/03/2026 08:45

What I find particularly amusing about the op’s “argument” is that by their logic, the British royal family, who are German by descent, must be loyal to their mother country of Germany.

Well, Edward VIII appears to have been….

OchonAgusOchonOh · 23/03/2026 08:45

What I find particularly amusing about the op’s “argument” is that by their logic, the British royal family, who are German by descent, must be loyal to their mother country of Germany.

chewcheweewww · 23/03/2026 08:37

Oh yes OP! But don't forget the US! I think we should join up with them and be one happy family under Trump. He could be our supreme leader because I'm sure he understands us so well what with being descended from us (or something).

DisplayPurposesOnly · 23/03/2026 08:32

OP is massively unreasonable (and nonsensical).

NervesofSteel · 23/03/2026 08:25

pointythings · 23/03/2026 08:24

It was a bit too 'Blut und Boden', wasn't it?

😀

pointythings · 23/03/2026 08:24

LilyCanna · 23/03/2026 07:24

I assumed the OP was a plop and run one off post just to stir people up. But I see they’ve come back to expand on their view that the rightful role of Canada, Australia and NZ is as loyal vassals of ‘the mother country’, “fully supporting Britain in its struggle against the EU and ganging up on it [the EU] with boycotts, travel bans and trade sanctions”, in revenge for God knows what imagined slight - not being British? The EU not being humble enough in Brexit negotiations?
And apparently it’s only because of non-British immigration that these countries aren’t all thrilled to play this subservient role. That and they have been “indoctrinated by anti British nationalism” teaching the peasants ideas above their station since the 1960s.
Good trolling but try and make it less insane next time and people might believe it.

Edited

It was a bit too 'Blut und Boden', wasn't it?

Notonthestairs · 23/03/2026 08:03

LilyCanna · 23/03/2026 07:24

I assumed the OP was a plop and run one off post just to stir people up. But I see they’ve come back to expand on their view that the rightful role of Canada, Australia and NZ is as loyal vassals of ‘the mother country’, “fully supporting Britain in its struggle against the EU and ganging up on it [the EU] with boycotts, travel bans and trade sanctions”, in revenge for God knows what imagined slight - not being British? The EU not being humble enough in Brexit negotiations?
And apparently it’s only because of non-British immigration that these countries aren’t all thrilled to play this subservient role. That and they have been “indoctrinated by anti British nationalism” teaching the peasants ideas above their station since the 1960s.
Good trolling but try and make it less insane next time and people might believe it.

Edited

MN had to delete their rather more openly racist thread.

LilyCanna · 23/03/2026 07:24

I assumed the OP was a plop and run one off post just to stir people up. But I see they’ve come back to expand on their view that the rightful role of Canada, Australia and NZ is as loyal vassals of ‘the mother country’, “fully supporting Britain in its struggle against the EU and ganging up on it [the EU] with boycotts, travel bans and trade sanctions”, in revenge for God knows what imagined slight - not being British? The EU not being humble enough in Brexit negotiations?
And apparently it’s only because of non-British immigration that these countries aren’t all thrilled to play this subservient role. That and they have been “indoctrinated by anti British nationalism” teaching the peasants ideas above their station since the 1960s.
Good trolling but try and make it less insane next time and people might believe it.

TooManyCupsAndMugs · 23/03/2026 06:52

Culturally and politically, the British have far more in common than Europeans than the Americans (no guns, shared ideas on healthcare, social security and work). And ethnically, we are a mixture of German, French, Scandinavian etc due to immigration over many years.

Sunshineandgrapefruit · 23/03/2026 06:50

Yup. British, Irish and European here. Not culturally different at all. Never felt only culturally British and never will. If anything Brexit made me feel more European.

EwwPeople · 23/03/2026 06:45

MrsTerryPratchett · 23/03/2026 00:38

Why is that a problem?

Unless you’re a xenophobe or racist.

Not enough Brit descendants to defend the mother country. Or something .

MrsBennetsPoorNervesAreBack · 23/03/2026 06:39

molanasulfi · 22/03/2026 21:37

That's the whole problem.

But most people don't see it as a problem. Because most people don't look at the world through your warped perspective.

MrsBennetsPoorNervesAreBack · 23/03/2026 06:38

molanasulfi · 22/03/2026 21:36

You just contradicted yourself.

Criticising British craving for the colonial past while recognising America is powerful and so self-sufficient because of its size and internal market.

Well, guess what?

America is only so large because it conquered and stole and colonised that land and wasn't filled with self-hating, guardian-reading leftists who demanded decolonisation and expected the USA to give away all that land.

China is only so powerful due it size, which is due to it annexing land like Tibet and never giving it up.

So, leftists simultaneously decry British colonialism and want to give all the colonies away, and also want to give any overseas territories that currently exist away too like Chagos as 'colonial relics' then act shocked that Britain is now 'too small to go it alone' when they were advocating for it to be stripped of its strength in the first place and not similarly demanding, say, Russia give all land it colonised like Siberia or America give away Texas and California or China give up Tibet etc.

There is no contradiction.

Recognising that the US exists because of the legacy of colonialism, and acknowledging its power, doesn't mean that anyone is craving our colonial past.

Many of us are quite happy to accept that Britain is a small island that does best when it works collaboratively with its neighbours. Yes, the old empire was economically advantageous as it allowed us to exploit and rob other nations, but not everyone is motivated simply by greed and self interest. Colonialism was morally repugnant and most people recognise that now.

I can recognise that stealing from other people might make me very wealthy while also understanding that it would be morally wrong for me to do that and choosing instead to live a more modest lifestyle that I can provide for myself.

And if that makes me a self-hating guardian-reading leftist, so be it. Better that than a jingoistic twat with no moral compass and an ill-informed hankering for our colonial past.

Bewareofstepfords · 23/03/2026 03:09

MrTiddlesTheCat · 22/03/2026 08:52

I'm British and think the Elgin marbles should be returned.

Same here, twice over.

Aur0raAustralis · 23/03/2026 03:00

molanasulfi · 22/03/2026 09:55

I like to imagine the Anglosphere (Americans, Canadians and Australians of British ancestry) fully supporting Britain in its struggle against the EU and ganging up on it with boycotts, travel bans and trade sanctions to show that Britain's family will defeat the EU if they dare to try it. Then how would the EU feel?

And risk losing our place in Eurovision? Never!

(Australian here.)