Britain after Brexit: an Uncertain Future Ahead

Ever since the inception of the modern day European Union at Brussels, there had been calls by Eurosceptics for another vote to be taken, considering that the membership represented what many considered an unacceptable transfer of powers from member countries’ Parliaments to the EU. Criticism of Britain’s membership in the EU had fluctuated over the years for many reasons. It was believed that since the early 1990s, the British population had been opposing the country’s EU membership. This number further increased during the late 1990s when there was a rapid rise in EU immigration. By the end of the 20th century, immigration increased markedly and remained exceptionally high as many Europeans took advantage of the rules allowing free movement within member states.

Britain’s public gradually became aware of the increasing immigration rate and attributed it to the country’s membership of the EU. From 2004 onward, EU immigration formed a major component of the total immigration into Britain. It was found that people in some parts of Britain felt that the influx was putting pressure on various sectors such as schools, healthcare, and housing in the country. Studies showed that the relationship between anti-immigration attitudes of the Britons and opposition to the EU had strengthened greatly after a dramatic growth in immigration from 2004 onward..