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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

How do you feel about people who regret voting for Brexit?

74 replies

Tobythecat · 31/01/2020 22:01

I voted for brexit not realising what i was voting for- I just listened to all the lies. I'm older now (29) and I regret my vote. How do leaver voters feels about people are regret voting brexit?

OP posts:
NoSquirrels · 01/02/2020 00:09

In abstract, I feel sorry for someone who voted to leave and now regrets it. Regret is tough.

Personally, I don’t know anyone who admits to this, so it’s hard to say if my opinion holds. If I knew them other stuff would feed I to how I felt, I’m sure.

Be vocal about it though. Please. You need to help other people stop and think about politics, propaganda and consequences of lack of balanced or critical thinking.

It’s hard because I actually genuinely can’t conceive why anyone could vote that way in the first place.

Deadsouls · 01/02/2020 00:12

I haven't met anyone who admits to regretting voting leave.
I don't really know what to think anymore.
Wish the referendum had never happened.

DillBaby · 01/02/2020 00:12

I’ve spoken to a number of people who voted for Brexit but aren’t getting what they thought they were voting for. For example:

-Wanted our fishing waters back but it looks like we’ll have to hand them over in a trade deal
-Wanted immigrants to go home but that won’t necessarily happen
-Wanted reduced immigration but we’re likely to have to accept a quota of immigrants as part of a trade deal
-Wanted money for the NHS but that was a lie
-Wanted an end to stupid EU regulations but we’re likely to keep most of them
-Wanted to keep economic migrants at bay (this comes up a lot). Frightened by media coverage of migrants at Calais trying to enter the UK, worried by threats the EU was making to force us to accept a quota of people, feeling let down by the EU who had let them travel freely across Europe to our border instead of stopping them in any one of the countries they passed through.

I’m willing to bet most of those people would have changed their vote if they knew they weren’t getting what they expected.

fligglepige · 01/02/2020 00:16

I think they were misled and I'm disappointed that they didn't get the chance to change their mind when they became aware of all the facts.

AlexaShutUp · 01/02/2020 00:18

I know one person who voted leave and she regrets it bitterly. She doesn't usually "do" politics and didn't really have strong views about Europe either way, but disliked David Cameron so voted the opposite of what he said. She has admitted that she didn't give it much thought, and she didn't think for a minute that leave would actually win.

It was only when her adult children pointed out how it would affect them that she realised she had made a terrible mistake.

I guess I'm just frustrated that she didn't think it through before casting her vote. I understand that some people aren't interested in politics, but I'd far rather they don't vote at all, rather than vote so irresponsibly.

victoriashleigh · 01/02/2020 00:24

I’m engaged to someone from the EU. My personal (and very flippant) opinion is... too little too late. Luckily I meet the requirements to get nationality in his home country so will do that. We have secure jobs and options in other countries but hopefully the housing market will crash and we can buy a cheap house. shrug

sadeyedladyofthelowlandsea · 01/02/2020 00:26

I find it very hard to be kind to people who now regret voting leave because all I want to ask them is 'what the hell did you think was going to happen?' That said, I do at least have respect for people who admit their opinion has changed.

It's the stubborn leavers I really have a problem with. None of them have been able to give me one single benefit to leaving beyond vague 'taking back control' bollocks.

The thing that really makes me furious is that is was all so unnecessary, and it was presented with no real information as to what it would actually mean, if you don't really follow politics or understand how it would impact on day to day life. A lot of people just thought 'don't like all them forrins' or 'yeah, what has the EU ever done, other than take our money?' And now we are totally fucked.

YouTheCat · 01/02/2020 00:28

Anyone who voted leave and now regrets is at least being honest. I can see why people fell for the lies.

Deadsouls · 01/02/2020 00:28

I'm hoping for BRINO

DontMakeMeShushYou · 01/02/2020 00:30

SchrodingersBox
I voted remain and regret it. We cancel each other out.

I call bollocks. No-one ever regrets voting for the losing position because there is nothing to regret - your actions had no relevance to the outcome. Unless you are 4 years old and can't bear the thought of accidentally choosing the losing side.

ForestDad · 01/02/2020 00:33

I know one guy who voted leave because they thought remain would win.
One who voted leave then got themselves an Irish passport.
Two voted leave and still believe in it (but can't explain any benefits obviously).
Maybe one family member who voted leave world now vote remain.
I don't know any remain voters who regret their choice.
Not many people have changed their minds.
I'd rather people had minds open to change.

CharlotteMD · 01/02/2020 00:37

Haven't met anybody who regretted voting leave. Quite the opposite.

DioneTheDiabolist · 01/02/2020 00:37

I voted remain and regret it. We cancel each other out.

Why do you regret it @SchrodingersBox?

Sossadtoday · 01/02/2020 00:41

I know 5 people who regret voting leave, I admire their honesty tbh but feel very frustrated and sad nonetheless.

SwedishEdith · 01/02/2020 00:42

No-one ever regrets voting for the losing position because there is nothing to regret - your actions had no relevance to the outcome.

Exactly.

I know one Leaver who voted because that's what his dad said to vote for and one Leaver whose since buggered off to live in Ireland.

Mintjulia · 01/02/2020 00:45

All the leave voters at work are having a party tonight. No sign of any regrets as far as I can see.

Deadsouls · 01/02/2020 00:47

I know one couple and one person who voted leave and then emigrated to France. That really pisses me off, at least stick around for the consequences of your vote.

Chloemol · 01/02/2020 00:49

I know a number of Remainers who have changed their minds and would not vote leave so guess it all cancels itself out.

Now let’s focus on moving forward

DioneTheDiabolist · 01/02/2020 00:50

OP, when and why did you begin to regret your vote?

Itinerary · 01/02/2020 00:52

Some people who've pretended to regret voting leave were remainers all along.

ByAppointmentTo · 01/02/2020 00:52

I know several people who voted for Brexit and now regret it. I feel very bloody angry with them and have lost respect for them. I can't believe that seemingly intelligent people would not do some research before voting for something so important.

Abracad · 01/02/2020 00:52

Depends what you do now. Use your voice, volunteer, donate to food banks etc - ok. Do nothing? I’m contemptuous.

Derbee · 01/02/2020 00:55

I think they’re ignorant twats, hiding behind a “regret” so that if it all goes tits up they can cry that they didn’t know what they were voting for, and were lied to etc etc.

HTH

Derbee · 01/02/2020 00:57

Although not strictly the audience you wanted to answer, as I didn’t vote Brexit in the first place.

HeIenaDove · 01/02/2020 01:05

I suspect some of the Leave voters who are showing regret (not that ive seen this in RL) regret it because its dawned on them that the outcome is going to affect them personally.