To think this was selfish?

[Fancycrab]

I’m not still ruminating on this years later! Just curious really. A friend & I got talking about Brexit recently and I mentioned that my mum and her husband had voted leave, rolling my eyes as usual. Myself and everyone I knew were firmly remain, especially because my partner was from an EU country and I was pregnant with his child at the time of Brexit. My friend mentioned she thought it was “incredibly selfish” of my mum to have voted leave when her daughter was about to have a baby with someone who may not be allowed to stay in the country. I’d never really considered this. I’m used to my mum doing everything her latest husband tells her to and taking on all their opinions and values as her own, so it was down to this she voted leave. I doubt she would have if she’d been with the previous husband. Would you find this selfish if it were you?

I don’t think it was that for everyone, but I think some people.

There were plenty who did it from racism (also wrongly thinking it would reduce immigration - from non EU countries!)

I do know some people who did it “just to shake things up a bit” - but of course it was the wrong referendum to put in any kind of protest vote!

Were the ones who voted leave actually expecting sympathy I wonder?

No but if her mum ever moans about passport queues or if she's not able to retire to an EU country then OP is within her rights to tell her to suck it up.

To talk back control. Obvs 🙄

It doesn’t necessarily have to be about being “clever” enough. You can be very clever in some areas and totally ignorant in others. But the basic requirement should be that you understand the potential consequences of what you’re voting for. I think there should be a test before anyone gets to vote. A test that measures how informed you are about both sides of the issue you’re voting for, no matter what your opinion is. If you can’t be arsed learning about the issue you’re voting for you shouldn’t get to vote for it. Simple as

My ils voted to leave. Their reasoning for voting leave, 'they keep hearing people speaking in their own languages in our nearby town'. Makes me sick. Two of their grandchildren have European partners. They didn't care about them. Blinded by their own bigotry.

Yes, on my FB and in the articles I read. A few were starting a campaign for compensation, which of course got nowhere.

Stupid is a more accurate word than selfish.
my mum voted for it too, heavily influenced by her racist twat of a husband. I think significantly less of everyone I know who voted for Brexit, including her. It makes no difference how long ago it was.

Came here to say this!

I know several people who at the time voted leave (without fully understanding the implications) who would now vote remain. Maybe it wasn’t communicated clearly enough at the time, maybe they didn’t or didn’t want to understand it, who knows!

But as others have said, it was a long time ago so what would be the point in dragging it up / getting worked up about it now? Can’t change what she voted at the time!

My Irish family who all moved to England as kids all voted to leave. I never considered how utterly stupid they all were till then. Of course they have never seen themselves as immigrants despite overwhelmingly telling everyone with ears they are Irish, born there, raised there for many years. I was actually surprised they were able to vote anyway.

Everytime I hear a MAGA supporter and think of brexiteers.

Time to get over it. We left and there’s no going back. What good will ruminating over it do?