Many EU countries have made applying for citizenship far easier than the UK has, and already sorted out permanent residence for those not in the country long enough for citizenship on more favourable, clear terms than the UK.
Something that annoys me a bit and I can also understand the PP’s annoyance with the remain crowd tbf.
Why them and not others? I can think of a few more categories that need it more; and are probably more deserving. And they get treated more harshly. For EU officials it makes sense, but for Lavinia the freelancer that is complaining that she’ll now have to go through more paperwork if she wants to move and work across the EU I have little sympathy. For a lot of them the second nationality is just a tool. So that they/their children don’t have to pay full price when they wish to study at a university etc…
Especially for the many that haven’t bothered in the slightest to somewhat make an effort in their ‘new’ countries. They fully expect to be tended to in English, people often placate them. Fair enough if you’re only there for a short time but after a year you’d reckon you’d at least speak the language(s) somewhat. I’m not only talking about the overseas pensioners supporting Brexit; the types you’ll find in places like the French countryside vehemently supporting Brexit and at the same time ‘offering someone out’ because you referred to them as an immigrant and not an expat. Exceptionalism.
Oh or the ultimate let’s have our cake and eat it idea. Let’s pay a token membership fee (the equivalent of what the EU costs an inhabitant of the UK/year) so that it’s possible to maintain the advantages of my EU citizenship.
For full citizenship, they should qualify under the normal procedures. Same for a visa; already quite easy in many EU countries if you’re an academic, shortage occupation etc…
As I said much earlier on in this thread, the class system is alive and well in many other countries but manifests itself purely in terms of wealth (as opposed to some people thinking they are better because they have "breeding"). But rich people think they are better than poorer people the world over. Calling it class is a British thing, but looking down on people with less money or education is categorically not.
Like Brittlejoys said. Inequality in general. Love for inequality, or tame acceptance- still working out what it is. The high income inequality, the unsuccessful regeneration of the post-industrial towns up north (one of my favourite topics), the place of unions in the society - and how they are treated by the public etc ... I see things that would be unthinkable in many other North-Western European states.