How is Great Britain looking from abroad?

[longwayoff]

I've seen various remarks that other countries are confused by our current situation, although surely Ukraine's running it close. Any comments from outside UK mumsnetters?

I’m in the UK but friends, family and work colleagues abroad swing between sending me funny memes and asking me what the heck is going on. There’s naff all I can do about the situation, other than the usual petition / writing to MP / lobbying MEP stuff, so I’m with them. This was my favourite.

I’m in a country that was a former UK colony, and suffered very badly because of it.

Most people pity the UK and are wondering how the fuck it got to this stage.

There’s definitely a lot of people that think it couldn’t happen to a nicer bunch, though.

Check out the Queen of Europe moniker on Twitter ...

In Rome and here they think we are courageous and fabulous! We are getting lots of support from waiters to the porter. Everyone here is watching with keen interest.

It looks as if the UK is trying to saw itself to death, excruciatingly slowly, with a plastic teaspoon.

Most people pity the UK and are wondering how the fuck it got to this stage.

Tbf most of us here are thinking the same.

But I am not surprised at any of the responses, the glee, shaking of heads, the anger and the general WTAF?

Germany is very confused but are trying to be helpful to us by putting things in place for various scenarios.

Sorry I can't tell you what Brexit is, or what it should be. Nobody knows but if any Brexit fans spot this thread they will pile in and tell you we want sovereignty - we have it already but they only want it when it supports their views - they want 'foreigners ' to go home and leave British homes and jobs for British workers, goodbye to the German and Japanese car industries waving goodbye and taking their thousands of jobs with them - and generally every right wing trope trotted out over the years is on their agenda. Oh it's so depressing. Oh yes. Vote Leave campaign still under criminal investigation. Yet this government wants to press ahead.

It's a basket case. Quite worried about it.

Brit here, immigrant to the Netherlands going on 8 years. No-one here can believe the shit-show going on back home. They're confused and worried and kind of sad and a bit ticked-off (and I'm getting constant ribbing about it - it's pretty humiliating) - Brexit affects everyone in the EU, but particularly the Netherlands who do a lot of trade with us. NL considers the UK a good friend, they don't understand why we're sabotaging ourselves. It looks utterly bizarre from over here.

My brother lives and works in Europe. His company are trying to devise and implement Brexit contingency plans for many other companies. It’s like trying to plait fog as there are still so many scenarios that they have to provide for. It’s costing people so much money and time and they still don’t know what will happen. I think it’s fair to say they are baffled by what’s happening.

DB is in Netherlands too and reports the same things as n0ne.

I moved back to Ireland in February. Generally the people of Ireland and of Northern Ireland are swinging between worried and annoyed. Lots of 800yrs jokes. Although this pic was trending on my social media

Irish living in the USA (used to live in the UK which is how I became a mumsnetter!) and I get asked about Brexit quite a bit. I tell people it’s the last dying gasp of British imperialism, the UK trying to prove to itself and all of us that it is still more important than any of these shithole countries (to use a Trump term) in Europe and can still throw its weight around to get what it wants. If i’m feeling generous, I will clarify that it was mostly older Britons who voted for it and most people my age in the UK are mortified by the whole thing. Americans mostly seem to be relieved that someone else is embarrassing themselves on the world stage other than their current president.

In Ireland, based on what family tell me, there is a lot of anger at UK disregard for NI and the border. ‘Britannia waives the rules, not Britannia rules the waves’ was the phrase my father quoted to me. ‘And sure were they ever any other way, the British?

He is very nationalist though. Other Irish people might be more charitable.

Sweetbabycheezits, how we laughed when USA elected Trump. Now look at us, he's like an elder statesman compared to the our ship of fools. Feel as much schadenfreude as you feel entitled to.

In Ireland we're pretty pissed off. Also bewildered about how such a stupid idea was put to a vote in the first place, and how it has been entertained for three years when it's quite clear it will damage the country.

Also, what InionEile said. The empire seems to have left behind quite the superiority complex in some British people (but I don't believe it's a majority, and certainly not here on MN).

It's so fucked up. 2016 - Trump & Brexit. It's like people had a massive smelly brain fart when they went to the polling stations.

I’m in Ireland.

Incredulity at just how ineptly it’s all been handled. I only realised in the aftermath of brexit that the UK was well respected (if not necessarily liked) here. Not any more.

Frustration at the general shitshow and disregard for other country’s time and energy.

Real anger at fhe dishonesty of some of the main players, the cavalier attitude to the GFA and the fact that Ireland will have to clean up a lot of this mess despite having no control over where it’s going.

Everyone’s pretty fucked off. I’d say that sums it up.

Put it this way. No one's calling it Great Britain, and people are hesitating before they call it the United Kingdom.

Been in Belgium and Spain recently. Bemused and vaguely contemptuous would be my description of the view from both places. I think we have well and truly lost our reputation for prudent moderation, and whatever happens next, that will cost us dear

Here in Australia, the home of fucked-up politics, everyone I know was amazed and horrified at the vote in the first place. Now it's a jaw-dropping shit show. Still regularly on the news and in the papers, so still of interest.

My brother is in Rome and must have been speaking to different people, Spring.

Because from what he’s heard and seen there is incredulity and a bit of sniggering at the foolishness!

Bemused and confused... even our media coverage the journalists are confused and a bit like we are not sure what's going on... I'm living in Denmark btw
Moved back just shortly after the vote...

In Ireland we're pretty pissed off. Also bewildered about how such a stupid idea was put to a vote in the first place, and how it has been entertained for three years when it's quite clear it will damage the country.

I think that's summing up how I feel. I'm in England and the only good thing I can see coming out of all this is there have been some pretty funny (if the whole situation wasn't so depressing) memes.

We're being pretty polite about the situation in Westminster as far as I can see and tutting gently while drinking tea (don't like the stuff myself) In 50 years when the economy still is showing no signs of recovering my great- grandchildren will be studying it history and wondering how we got into such a stupid situation in the first place.
Anyone got a spare time machine?