Do Europeans hate the Brits?

[Floofydawg]

We're in Spain at the minute and have encountered some pretty hostile behaviour. Not so much from the Spanish, as we speak the language, but from other Europeans. We've been coming here many years and I've never before encountered such hostility. It got me thinking, do many Europeans dislike the Brits?

That's complete and utter nonsense. Our neutralilty was certainly biased. However, it was very much biased in favour of the allies.

Irish people are pretty popular everywhere tbf!

I don’t necessarily think people dislike the English but maybe see us either lout or haughty/reserved.

From an Irish/French background but brought up here I do think Englishness is more of an outlier vs other Euro countries.

This is just an accident of physical geography. IMHO the OP's question is more to do with culture. If it's true that Europeans (who by many of the examples given are from EU countries) are sometimes less pleasant to "English" people, this seems to me to have to do with culture and values

But the same also happens if you say "London" rather than England. Often people start speaking like someone from Only Fools and Horses and being all jokey and friendly. It's because they've identified WHERE you're from. Surely? In the same way if someone said to me "French" id probably be less friendly and personable than if they said Marseille. Just because now I know where and can speak about local places!

What about the US anthem?.. lyrics written by a slaver owner (francis scott key), with the 3rd verse (no longer sung) which excoriated the slaves who fled their plantations (including 18 slaves of George Washington's) to join the British inorder to gain their freedom.

Its effectively a pro slavery anthem (the cheek of these slaves to flee from their masters, HOW DARE THEY!). It is mental that a black person, a descendant of these slaves, would sing that anthem.

Point is most anthems are silly.

That minimises real abuse

I agreed that Irish people are not hated anywhere as they are a non threatening small country and have not invaded anywhere in the past.

Is that since independence from Britain? If you want to go further back, they were pretty active invading Scotland at one time. Nobody is perfect.

Do a search on Ireland’s contribution to the British Empire. There are several good (Irish) sources.

For example

”Ireland was England’s first colony. We lived as part of the English, and then British, Empire for over 700 years. The Normans first conquered Ireland in 1169 and aside from a brief decade of independence during the 1640s Ireland formed an integral part of the English imperial system, until 1922 and the foundation of modern state. As well as being colonised the Irish operated as active colonists in the empires of Britain and other European powers.”

Ireland has yet to come to terms with its imperial past

I love this 😂

Speaking about the French perspective here. I go there every year, my mum was half french so I have french cousins and close french friends, so I get their honest opinions and they know a lot of their countrymen don’t like the British , specifically the English. Reasons vary and are affected by current affairs but on the whole (slightly stereotyping here), their view is our culture is rampantly capitalist and we don’t value the important things in life such as leisure, food, family. We are untrustworthy and hypocritical ( as if the french can’t be hypocritical). We unquestioningly follow America no matter how dubious the campaign eg invasion of Iraq. Some of the beliefs are erroneous ie many are astonished to find out we have free healthcare. I don’t think the U.K. colonialising the world thing applies that much in France as they have their own very real and present issues to do with former colonies and immigration. And yes, they are sentimental about the Irish and the Scots, they see them as having been oppressed by a common historical enemy.

I have never encountered this in Europe but I don’t go to places where there are badly behaved British tourists because I don’t like badly behaved British tourists. I’m a bit surprised people differentiate between Scottish, Irish and English as much as people say they do. When I lived abroad most people thought they were basically much the same thing. But then most people thought I was German because that is where most of their foreign visitors came from.

Just back from Stockholm. Noticed no hostility, people were friendly.

Well as someone who spends a lot of time in France, where I have had a home for nearly 15 years and spend a quarter and a third of the year, I can't say that I have experienced this either at a professional or personal level either in France or elsewhere in Europe. In fact I am generally surprised just how welcoming and friendly most people are.

But, I do think that there are generally two sides to everything, and if one is constantly receiving a hostile response then perhaps, inadvertently, you have done / are doing something to get their backs up. And if you are a tourist in a touristy area at the end of the season it could be no more than tourist fatigue!!

No, I don't think Europeans hate the brits
However in tourist destinations there is a stereotype of British tourists which unfortunately is somewhat deserved that Europeans don't like. Average swede encountering a brit in Stockholm won't have a negative reaction compared to a Spanish local in Ibiza. A dislike for British tourist is very different from disliking brits. Rhete are tons of anglophiles in Europe and tons are really excited to meet a brit.

Also British tourists are not the only ones with negative stereotypes. There just seems to be a lot of them 😃

OP. British people are also European

I live in the EU (Holland) and no one has ever been mean about me / towards me being British. They think we’re very funny (which puts a lot of pressure on my ability to tell jokes).

Good point
We don't go to places where you generally find a lot of English people and we often get taken for other nationalities - in Italy last year everyone thought we were German

Yes @Alectoishome - the sweet cuddly Irish who locked up thousands of their own girls and women and sold or buried their babies. Thankfully my grandma escaped their clutches and got on a boat to England. I suspect many of us with Irish ancestry don't buy into the BS tbh.

As pps have said there are good and bad people everywhere. If someone judges you purely on the basis of where you come from they don't deserve my respect.

Someone who’s Irish isn’t necessarily British though as I’m sure you know.

Not sure what reason the man on the street in Spain would have to resent the entire population of either England or all the UK 🤔

I've travelled to many countries in Europe and the only place which sticks in my mind for giving me an obviously 'cold' reception is Ireland, specifically the Southern areas.
If other nationalities dislike the English I would put that down to our colonial history, our close relationship with the US, Brexit shitshow and turds like Boris Johnson representing our country.
I do hate the stag/hen/hooligan/booze groups from the UK though. Loud and embarrassing.

I feel a bit embarrassed to be English on the global stage tbh, what with Brexit, colonialism, our support of the Israeli regime, our constant sucking up to America.

I’ve never experienced hostility, but my heritage isn’t English.

I think those who are stating that the Irish and Scots are nearly as awful as the English are, and that no one should like them, are perhaps not making the strong case for respecting English superiority that they think they are.

I don’t think Britain is the only European country that has a colonial history..

@Stewandsocks - I wasn't making the case for English superiority just suggesting that every country has it's skeletons (either in or out of the cupboard).

I'm not doubting what you're saying.
India is a large country after all!

Irish are still liked more than the English - the history of having to choose between starvation or risking an uncertain and possibly deadly journey to the Americas - most people are aware of this and can relate to that, that their ancestors faced similar fates.

Unfortunately, people don't realise English poor people weren't having a great time during those times either.

I think there is a big difference between hating a country and what it stands for and hating a person from that country. For historical reasons many people 'hate' their former oppressor and that is understandable but bringing it to an individual is just racism isn't it. I think on that basis many people dislike England but anyone open minded enough have met any English people should be able to move on from that. I have only ever had positive experiences of English, despite being from a former colony and most people I know feel the same.