how can so many British immigrants in the EU have voted for Brexit?

I agree with lemon's post yesterday evening. The british people we knew in France were still involved with their UK families, as we were. And got news from them about attitudes to the EU. And planning to return, as we did.
We didn't have a vote, as we'd been there more than 15 years.
I'm still ambivalent about it, as is my husband.
Those british people we knew who have chosen to stay in France are remainers, as far as I know.

Well, one way or another, it does look a bit, doesn't it, as if people may have voted LEAVE for all sorts of reasons, some more emotional than others

Oh dear - so sorry Jura 2.

Looks as though I got the wrong end of the stick. You were saying that it was the BRITS who chose to move to the rest of the EU who voted LEAVE in large numbers?

Am puzzled too. Turkeys voting and all that ?

I really, really hate to admit it but I share your feeling, jura2.

I am not aware of any statistics, but I just have this feeling that many non-EU migrants resented the EU migrants' right to freedom of movement, forgetting that it was mutual. We could travel to other countries in Europe, work or study there or retire there - in a way we are not free to settle in third countries from which some migrants are descended.

This is all the sadder - to me at any rate - because the majority of migrants here are non-EU migrants who have come to this country for a much longer period of time. Whatever other reasons they might have - quite legitimate - for supporting Leave, I can't help feeling that for some there was an element of resentment.

Of course, that is not true of all non-EU migrants and maybe even generalising is dangerous.

I don't get it, how people who enjoy the holiday maker lifestyle ( and why shouldn't they?) and so keen to protect our country from any connection with Europe?

Resident/holidaymaker sums it up for me - I live in north Wales and have a lot of holidays at our home in Spain.

What is the correct terminology for somebody who is fortunate enough to have a foot in both camps?

Semi ex?

Wadesnan an EU citizen didn't need to become British because they were free to live and work here. Now that has all changed and when we went to a citizenship ceremony 2 years ago most of them were from the EU.

Grammaretto Tue 03-Sep-19 17:02:19 your Polish neighbours seem to be following a trend. Poles came here to work hard and send money home. EU helped Poland to improve its economy and the value of the £ fell so it became less attractive to work in the UK. Many of them have now gone home to a much better life than they had before they left. That means we can sell more to them so a win, win.

Yes, Joelsnan I do realise that! Why do they not call themselves immigrants when they are in whichever country or why don't our immigrants call themselves ex-pats from wherever they come from?

varian why would someone live, work and pay taxes in a country for 30 years and not apply for citizenship.

I have no problem with immigrants voting - as long as they have shown their commitment to the country (any country) by becoming a citizen.

Not at all surprised by this I have a few migrant friends and they are the first to say no more immigrants, they are in, that’s it shut the door!.

varian if your German friend applied for British citizenship then surely he would be allowed to vote.

wadesnan I think that too. If you don’t live here why should you get a say. Others say they want a vote for their families but surely their family’s get to vote for themselves.

A polish man was in charge of my brothers dementia care. He was brilliant. A polish man built my sons extensions he was fantastic. A polish group of men took over a couples house while they were away and instead of the building work they were supposed to do they slept in their bed, ate them out of house and home, used their Sky network and ruined their home leaving them £17,000 out of pocket. So, as in all walks of life and and in all cultures, some good some bad.

As far as I am aware there is no hard evidence at all of how many migrant Brits in the EU voted for Brexit. There are innumerable TV and newspaper reports from journalists taking a quick trip to a bar on the Spanish Costas, but never any attempt to do any serious research. As a remain voting migrant pensioner in France, I am fed up with the stereotyping of the popular press.
I don't spend a lot of time with other British migrants, but I have never met anyone who voted for Brexit. The people I know speak the language, are part of their local communities and are trying to get on with their lives whilst dealing with the huge administrative and financial worries that Brexit has brought us over the last three years.
Lazy journalism, lazy thinking.

There is another question we should ask "Why should anyone who does live here, working and paying taxes, and has done for many years, like my German friend who has been here thirty years, not be allowed to vote in a referendum on our EU membership which affects them, more than most voters? "

jura2 perhaps they voted to leave the EU because they are
Intending to return to the UK at some point in the future and their families are there and likely they voted to leave too.
Perhaps they think ( many of us do) that the UK will do a lot better out of the EU than in it.

Perhaps we should ask the question - why should anyone who doesn't live here have the right to vote on something which affects the future of this country?

Will now put away my wooden spoon, put on my tin hat and duck behind the sofa

The biggest migrant group in Scotland are the Poles. I was even told in our local haggis factory that at one time their workforce was entirely Polish because the Scots didn't want to work there . Another irony

I had a lovely Polish friend, She was an excellent cook, although I never experienced strange fish. She very rarely drank alcohol .
She has gone back now and I miss her so much.

hmm yes, interesting. But the point re British expats in France and Spain - voting against their own future?

Our Polish builders and decorators (we employed them a few years ago) said their original intention was to come to Britain, work hard, send money home (earnings were SO much better in the UK) and do that for about seven or eight years. One even built a house in Poland for his wife who was homesick when she first arrived. The plan was to go back.

He laughed as he told us his wife now preferred the UK, he was happily settled with lovely neighbours, his children were doing well at school - and they have now sold their newly build house in Poland!

He says he saw a time when many eastern Europeans (in particular) came to the UK in droves. Some worked, others were here under the radar, and he feared that the balance, especially in UK building trades would take a knock. He saw wages fall in the space of a few years because there were too many builders chasing too few jobs.

He hoped the UK would vote to Leave the UK. Yes, I found that strange. He said there was the same unrest in Poland about the EU and a migrant workforce. He felt his future was secure here. I imagine it will be.

He and his team worked like Trojans. They didn't understand the need for frequent tea breaks. (How strange! I am a tea addict.) I offered, they never accepted. However, they did crack open cans of strong beer late in the afternoon before the van came to collect them. It didn't affect their performance and we found it quite amusing. My youngest son gave them work too and on completion of the job they gave him a case of their 'special' beer. Happy memories. Lovely men.

No problem at all with immigrant communities making an effort to keep their identity, language and culture - the difference is when that is opposed to integration, sharing in the culture of where you have chosen to live, learn the language and history - as well as ...

Just too many British expats in communities in France and Spain never make an effort to integrate, learn the language, etc. Many order on line from Tesco's etc, and have stuff delivered regularly from UK, have unregistered plumbers and electricians driving over with white goods, etc, and have the work done on the black and often without following local regs, etc. There are many notable exceptions indeed - and neither side is limited by 'class' either. Many of the ones who behave as above are very well to do ...

lemon : 'It was their right to vote in any way that they wished,'... that is not in question -

what is in question is how, in any way, it even begins to make any sense- as they themselves will be massively affected - and .. their families back home to boot.

It would be funny if it wasn't so tragic.

But you have described the vest-wearing, lager-swilling, stereotype paddyann which is grossly unfair on those ex pats who DO go abroad to experience life as its lived in other countries. Many who settle do all they can to integrate.

Like always finds like, even in the UK. There is a thriving Polish community not far from where I live now. Shops cater for their needs, they eat strange fish and love spicy sausages, consume lots of vodka and they run community events to bring the Polish together. I have no problem with that. Is that not a case of lack of integration too - or at least people doing what vest-man does abroad?

I'd say not - it's people forming groups for social needs and for identity, just as many (not all) who go to Spain will want beer, football and a Sunday roast. If the indigenous population are happy to provide it, and it helps the economy, what's the problem?