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?

Yes, the English started it but the Scots then enthusiastically got into the same game.

I expect there are people who don't like the British (or maybe the English specifically), just like there are people who are prejudiced against other groups for one reason or another.

We definitely do abroad.

Yes, a lot don’t like English people.

I live abroad, I’m English, we’re liked, but friends say in general the thought is the English are either drunkards, arrogant or rich

They adore the Irish, this is pointed out frequently. My neighbours tell me it’s because they are very friendly and Scots too and English are more to themselves (in their opinion) they also said that our diet is really poor in England and all we eat there is chips (they’ve never been!) These neighbours are so annoying

This is true.
But the most important factor has been Brexit. Even though it was supported only by slightly over 50 per cent of voters. Don't be surprised people don't welcome you in Europe when you voted to be out. And also getting rid of many EU people working in the UK. Its not difficult to see how people see this outside the UK.

Exactly. Everyone who is xenophobic or racist always thinks they have a valid excuse for it. Doesn't make it ok. Just makes them a dickhead for judging people on where they were born or their colour.
Anyway, I'm looking forward to pretending to be Irish and enjoying the star treatment 😁

Yes, there are 4 countries in the UK, but one country is "dominant". England. Abroad, England is the face of the UK. The almost-always-English Prime Minister is seen as the leader of the UK. London is seen as the centre of it all and the English parliament is the decision-maker. Britain's closeness to America is also part of it because America is disliked by many, many people in the world. The "English" PM and "English" parliament openly supported the USA and joined them in wars with Afghanistan and then Iraq. Those two wars were unbelievably damaging for PR. The UK was seen as the President's lapdog and people lost all like and respect after that.

Britain has never really recovered. Now every little thing just adds to the dislike. Obnoxious Brits abroad. Arrogance around football. But Brexit is a major one. A country that is already disliked choosing to leave everyone else? How rude. How arrogant. Just more reasons to dislike them.

The media and social media plays a big part too. The UK/Britain isn't portrayed favorably. It's all the negative shit that makes it on TV. All of it just adds to the bad feeling.

Automatically Irish, yes - but not really on paper. Only UK birth certificates for example are given, it isn’t as 50/50 as it should be. Compared to British passports we’ve found the Irish a lot of hassle, especially when it comes to witness checks which often prolong things, extra documentation being requested etc. We’re not the only ones, there’s 1000s on the Irish passport application Facebook group that have also found it quite tedious and time consuming in comparison. Even though DD’s original birth certificate and UK passport were provided to them they still wanted further proof of name which I found a bit mad.

The problem here is the British government are contravening the GFA, despite having signed it. Mind you, their respect (or lack thereof) for the GFA was very evident during the whole brexit negotiations.

I don’t give a crap what Europeans or anyone else think of the English, I’m very happy to be English born and bred.

Not sure why as in reality the British government couldn’t care less about us and would love rid!

The Britts are European too..

Real bug bear of mine..

I guess that depends on how you interpret the meaning of the song…it means different things to different people, and always has done…in 1740 when it was written the major colonial powers were France and Spain who’s navies were dominating the global seas and colonial expansion. In that context, it referenced Britains resistance to enslavement by colonial invaders during Saxon times as an exaltation to the new King to ensure the nation (and its beleaguered Navy) would survive and thrive despite the odds not being in its favour…

God save our gracious King,
long live our noble King,
save the King!
Send him victorious,
happy and glorious,
long to reign over us,
God save the King.

O Lord our God arise,
scatter our enemies,
and make them fall!
Confound their politics,
frustrate their knavish tricks,
on Thee our hopes we fix,
God save us all.

Not in this land alone,
but be God's mercies known,
from shore to shore.
Lord make the nations see,
that men should brothers be,
and form one family,
the wide world over.

From every latent foe,
from the assassins blow,
God save the King.
O'er his thine arm extend,
For Britain's sake defend,
our Father, prince, and friend,
God save the King.

Thy choicest gifts in store,
on him be pleased to pour,
long may he reign.
May he defend our laws,
and ever give us cause,
to sing with heart and voice,
God save the King.

Lord grant that Marshal Wade,
may by thy mighty aid,
victory bring.
May he sedition hush,
and like a torrent rush,
rebellious Scots to crush.
God save the King!

It was widely understood to be a hymn to protestantism, and a paean to the Glorious Revolution and the protestant Hanoverian Succession, which at the time were considered to be the essence of the British state, the emerging national identity, and the only guarantor of freedom. It has murky origins but possibly was penned in the 17th century (maybe in response to the Gunpowder Plot) and really took off as a popular anthem (though not official) at the time of the Jacobite Rebellion. It has nothing whatsoever to do with the Saxons.

Fwiw, France was pretty much edged out of global power politics by the end of the War of the Spanish Succession, in 1714. Britain was able to defeat the French in India throughout the 1740s, at the same time that the Mughal imperial power was weakening, leaving the door open for the rise and rise and rise of the East India Company, and the consolidation of British domination of India. At the same time, the triangular trade brought to Britain the capital that financed the industrial revolution; this was well under way by 1740. Britain and the British Caribbean had been the principal operator of the ships carrying enslaved people since the defeat of the Dutch in 1651 allowed them the freedom of the waves.

I do always make sure to emphasise I am Scottish, and do find people tend to be more friendly in response. That doesn't make it right though. I do find the behaviour of many British people abroad absolutely awful. And I haven't noticed a great deal of difference based on the part of the UK someone happens to be from.

I've not lived in Scotland or the UK for years now and when I visited briefly earlier this month, I definitely didn't feel any connection or love for it any more, so probably not the best person to comment on this!

Nope. All but 4 European countries visited, and plenty of popular ones too, many visited more than once. Reasonable behaviour and being able to utter a few words in the language makes a difference, even if it is only hello and thank you. Don't mistake blunt customer service for a dislike of your nation - and they cannot always distinguish accents. They are like this to everyone. The Hungarians take some beating on this front admittedly (been 5 times) but I suspect they treat all the same. The only time I have ever heard ANYONE having a right moan about the Brits or those speaking the English language (and note that most Europeans do), was in Riga, taxi driver, sick to death of "english speaking" stag parties. But he was fine with us. All that said, the Brits abroad stereotype is alive and kicking, and embarrassing for it, but most people judge the book by the cover.

I think your feelings are accurate & very possibly unfair as a whole &'definitely unfair on individual English people, however the minute i make clear I'm Scottish and not british I am absolutely treated better.
Reasons

Colonialism
Entitlement
History
Brexit
Not learning other languages
Drink culture

Have all contributed to this situation. I am Scottish but work in England and i genuinely cannot believe rhe entitled behaviour and attitude of a majority of the English people I work with. It's jaw dropping.

My late first husband was English and fabulous & I reiterate that it's a systemic problem & not individual but a lot of people don't help the situation.

Well, personally I love the UK. I can see why you guys might not be popular in some places though.
I should start a youtube channel - "how to fake an Australian accent".
Yes I know, I know there are some yobbos ( generally in Bali) but we are one of the top 10 travelling populations in the world ( amazing as there are only 27 million of us) and as an Aussie I am yet to meet someone who isn't friendly and kind to me , the same with all of my extended family when they have travelled overseas. ( the "is every animal trying to kill you" thing gets a bit old,) but that's about the worst of it and that's usually from Scots!

I live in Europe, there is a reason for the hostility. Many brits come on holiday and just expect to be able to have Sunday lunch somewhere or that everyone else should speak English etc. Many aren't interested in the local cultures or mixing with locals. I can understand it to an extent but not all of us are like that

We've never encountered any anti-British (or specifically anti-English) feeling in Spain, France, Germany or anywhere else in Europe. Nor have I noticed any favouring of Scottish, Welsh or Irish over English visitors. People in Europe seem generally polite and friendly, especially if you make a little effort to speak the language, though obviously drunken bad behaviour isn't welcome from visitors of any nationality.

But there is a growing resentment about over-tourism, especially in places where Airbnb and similar organisations have taken housing out of the local market, forcing local people out of their home towns and neighbourhoods. Which is understandable. The same thing is happening in places in the UK like Cornwall and the Lake District.

The "Brits abroad" thing is absolutely not more English than it is Scottish / Welsh / Irish as far as I can see. You go to a popular "party" town (which I generally don't) and you'll see all those nationals behaving just as badly. I guess there are probably more English but that will be proportional to the bigger population of England.

Ireland isn't part of Britian though is it ?

Is Scotland not part of Britain ? i am so confused I had thought:
Britain = England, Scotland, Wales
UK= as above + Northern Ireland
ROI/ Eire is itself a European country and I suggest it's people have perhaps more reason to hate the British than the rest of Europe.....

It is but a lot of Scottish people insist that it isn't 🤣

"I am Scottish but work in England and i genuinely cannot believe rhe entitled behaviour and attitude of a majority of the English people I work with. It's jaw dropping."

What "entitled behaviour and attitude" have you experienced from the "majority" of English people you work with?
I work (in London) with English obviously but also German, Welsh, Israeli, Scottish, Greek, Czech and Hungarian in my office. Genuinely haven't seen any difference in the behaviour of or to any of them.

Many of our European neighbours would struggle to judge us on colonialism. The Scottish and Irish are famous for their drink culture. Most ‘English’ people I know are a mixture of various combinations of English, Scottish, Irish and Welsh. I am half Irish but I speak with an English accent and have a French name, I doubt any of my work colleagues know I’m half Irish. My friend is half Scottish but most people don’t know that either. You might be unwittingly judging some of your fellow countrymen there!