Brexit migrants long for benefits of EU membership | International

London, with its small and big surprises. Flower pots hanging on lampposts, diversity of races and cultures, parks maintained as if they were inaugurated yesterday, black taxis, which are now electric, free swings to enjoy in front of a giant screen in Regent’s Place, Euro Cup and Wimbledon matches, endless cultural offer… all that is still there. Despite the stagnation of the economy, despite the decline of the nation, despite Brexit… but who said Brexit? None of the main candidates in the general election this Thursday, July 4, has praised or criticized the most relevant decision adopted in the country so far this century, the exit from the European Union. Labour’s Keir Starmer, the favorite in all surveys after 14 years of Conservative governments, has raised his profile on the matter. However, for many EU immigrants, nothing will be the same. Thousands of them left. But those who stayed on the island have the perspective of four years since Brexit took effect. And they assess the impact of the elephant in the room that the candidates avoid mentioning.

Spanish businessman Daniel Juliá has lived in the United Kingdom for 30 of his 54 years. His company supplies hospitality ingredients to London restaurants. He is doing well. But he believes the country has become less attractive. “I may already have British nationality now, but I resist it. I have what they call Systematic positionindefinite residence permit. But before we were all EU citizens. And now we don’t have the same rights as the British.”

Julia talks about the little and big nuances she has noticed since then. The little ones: “Before Brexit you wanted to buy something in Germany, they sent you an invoice, you paid them and that was it. Now, although things have gotten a little better since the first months of Brexit, you already have to do the paperwork, have a customs agent. It’s not very expensive, but here it’s £50, there it’s £60…” And the big changes: “Before the labour market became more flexible, it was easier to find people to work. Now, to bring in a cook from Italy or Spain you have to pay around 30,000 pounds (35,370 euros) up front.

The businessman uses a phrase that most of those consulted would repeat with slight variations: “Brexit is a blow to the United Kingdom.” And he explains: “Seeing the problem caused by Conservative governments’ cuts, they blamed irregular immigration. ‘Why don’t you have a home? Because there’s immigration. Why are healthcare waiting lists so long? Because of immigration’. That was the Brexit mantra. And, now, (extremist and populist candidate Nigel) Farage continues with the same notion.

Eight years have passed since June 23, 2016, when David Cameron’s Conservative government held a referendum. 52% of the British people approved Brexit and four years later, in January 2020, the exit from the EU became effective. It was the biggest setback in the history of the European project.

Italian computer scientist Matteo Dughiero, 34, had been living in London for eight years when the breakup happened. A few days before the referendum he experienced a situation that has haunted him ever since. “I went to an association to get legal advice because I was having problems with the owner of the house I rented. The woman who helped me, British and white, started telling me that we have to stop all the foreigners who come to take their jobs. And instead of getting angry or arguing, I agreed with her. I am ashamed to this day that I did that.”

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“Damn Alien”

Dughiero believes he reacted this way to integrate, so that he would not be seen as “too exotic”. “I said to myself, ‘If I can’t beat you, I have to join you.’ I believe Brexit has stopped some people from speaking out against immigrants. Before the referendum, no one would have openly said to me ‘I don’t want you here.’ But the truth is that I came to work as a waiter and the British don’t want that kind of job. There were only two or three British people in the whole hotel. The rest were Italian, Slovenian, Spanish, French…”

The Italian immigrant says that, despite all his regrets, he has chosen to stay in London “because of the opportunities” the country offers him. “I came without any studies, beyond basic education. And after self-training as a computer scientist and starting with small jobs, I now have a good contract at takeaway company Just Eat. I started in 2017 and in just five years I was promoted four times. I went from earning 30,000 pounds to 100,000 (117,000 euros). If I hadn’t left Italy, I would probably still be a waiter and probably receiving a black salary, without a legal contract.

Dughiero believes the United Kingdom no longer offers Europeans the opportunities he once had and now enjoys. And he wants his daughter to grow up in Norway, his wife’s country. “Here, if things go well for you, like they do for me, you won’t have problems: I have private health care and good services. But I want her to grow up in a place where, if she doesn’t succeed in her job, it won’t be so bad. A place where there is a public infrastructure, a network of services to take care of her. A network that everyone pays for with their taxes.”

Cypriot Georgios believes the main change that Brexit brought to the country was xenophobia. “I fear though,” he says, “that with the rise of the extreme right, this phenomenon is now also occurring in other European countries.” Both Georgios and his Italian wife, Sandra, request that those names be used, not their real names.

Georgios is 34 years old and a researcher big Databig data analysis. “In the case of the United Kingdom, this feeling of xenophobia is very hypocritical. Because immigrants are the ones who support the country. Most of the waiters are foreigners. And the same happens with doctors and nurses in hospitals.” For this engineer, the consequence of Brexit is that the Conservative government’s promises regarding the reduction of the number of immigrants were not fulfilled. “Because the country continues to need foreign workers. And, in addition, its importance in international politics has decreased.”

A great opportunity despite everything

Despite all the drawbacks, it also praises Cyprus job opportunities. “If I don’t like my job, I can change companies in a matter of days. Whereas if I went back to Cyprus, despite my experience, I would have to know someone who knows someone who can lead me to talk to the person who will ultimately decide whether to hire me or not.

Sandra, 34, Georgios’ wife, has been in London for 15 years. She is a transport engineer, a specialist in mobility. And she believes that hardly anything has changed in daily life. “It is a more intimate question. Politicians talk about immigrants as if we are something negative. They don’t explain what we contribute to the country. I have had two babies in public hospitals and the nurses were Italian and Greek.

Sandra says she sees the impact of Brexit most strongly on her company. “We do pedestrian planning in London. We have about 50 people on staff. And except for four or five, who are the oldest in the company, everyone else is European. But since Brexit we have had a lot of difficulty finding people to hire.” Sandra also values ​​the material benefits: “Here we invest in planning tasks, which is what I do. And flexible schedules and teleworking are very respected.

Ulises, the figurative name of a Spaniard who has lived in the country for 20 years (he also asks not to use his), believes that Brexit meant no changes in his life, both physical and psychological. “I am privileged because I have a good salary. Others have fared much worse. But I experienced Brexit as a rejection, a betrayal,” he admits. “We all have a friend who feels special and who is a bit lonely. It was good when Britain was in the EU and they felt they were very different. But when you need that friend and he turns his back on you, things change.

Ulysses is 40 and directs artificial intelligence projects for multinational companies. “Most of my relations here are British. But being European in a country that doesn’t want to be European makes you think that the relationship is just an economic transaction. They granted me permanent residence without any problems because I pay a lot of taxes. Just for that. So, it’s sad to say, but I don’t feel loyalty to this country anymore.”

Everything that smells of advanced civilization is still there, like the flower pots hanging from the street lights. But when the rug is pulled away that hides the debate on Brexit, it is easy to find testimonials from Europeans who denounce growing xenophobia, distrust of foreigners. “The British promise of multiculturalism is broken,” Ulysses laments. “And, besides, they are privatizing many things. The beauty of famous parks is that they are for everyone. “When they are privatized, gardens lose their essence.”

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