We make fun of US citizens who lack geographic knowledge and yet many people from different European countries now believe that the UK has left Europe.
Let's make this clear: Europe is a continent and the UK remains in Europe. Even part of Turkey is in Europe.
The British did instead leave the European Union, which is a group of member States agreeing to a common legislation and free movement of people and merchandise (no tax, no visas).
@s1m0n4 Geologists would never suggest that the UK somehow left Europe, that’s true. But for every practical l perspective I don’t think it’s unfair to say “the UK left Europe” in everyday speech. It wasn’t just about leaving the EU but of denouncing any kind of cooperation, big and small, with European supranational organizations (except the UK itself). #Brexit
@denspier absolutely not. There are many agreements already in place between the UK and France, Ireland, etc.
They didn't cut all ties. It's impossible to do so given that the UK relies on imports more than exports for many categories of products.
Also Europe includes countries that are not in the EU like Switzerland, Ukraine, etc.
@s1m0n4 Bilateral agreements are politically correct in the UK, but much more limited. The UK has been quite clear they’re going it alone. No other country in Europe aren’t already in, on its way into, or in very close cooperation with the EU/EES. The UK alone is heading in the opposite direction. Which of course is a valid option. My assumption is just that the geology of Europe or maps arbitrarily dividing the earth into continents is perhaps not how most people tend to think about it.
@denspier some people don't believe in evolution either, but that doesn't make their beliefs correct 😂
I understand that you approach the issue from a political POV, but imho science and even taxonomy is more important here. UK is still in the European continent. Its land didn't magically detach. Moreover it still has to solve immigration issues by dealing with France, which is part of the EU and reflects its policies. So the British are very much European even if they don't feel it!
@s1m0n4 I agree the British are much more European than they like to admit. Just look at the EU today: after all this time is it anything the French first envisioned? No. Is it everything the British made it become? Yes, very much so.
Absolutely no one claims the UK or even the GB has drifted away from the European continent. And yet, for all practical purposes it’s not incorrect to express in general speech that “the UK left Europe”.
@denspier then let me ask you. Is Poland Central Europe or Eastern Europe?
From a Russian standpoint it's Eastern Europe and it isn't entirely incorrect to think so for historical reasons.
From the Polish and the EU perspectives it's Central Europe.
Understand that I'm being provocative to mark my point.
We choose to side with geography and cultural affinity in that case.
Why is it different for the UK? No one dares to think Iceland isn't in Europe and there would be enough reasons to do so.
@s1m0n4 From a time zone perspective Poland is Central Europe, while Finland is East Europe. Historically, at least after WWII, Poland was seen as Eastern European, at least by others. But I also think that the reasons we used to divide Europe in east and west have diminished since the Cold War ended.
The Iceland and the UK, together with Ireland, are good examples that geography doesn’t determine in people’s minds whether a country is “European”. Whether it wants to be part matters more.
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