How Will Brits Remember Brexit Day?
Britain’s exit from the European Union is being treated by some as an “independence day.” Could it actually become one?
By Yasmeen Serhan
Britain’s final days of European Union membership have mirrored much of the divisiveness and rancor that dominated the Brexit saga. Throughout that ordeal, Britons sparred over what to do, how to do it, and whether it was the right course of action at all. This time, the argument isn’t about Brexit, but about how the country’s first few moments outside the bloc, which begin tonight at 11 p.m. local time, should play out.
While Brexiteers have lobbied (unsuccessfully) for Big Ben to “bong for Brexit,” those opposed to Britain’s departure have called for protests and vigils to mark the occasion. Now that the day has arrived, though, these arguments have largely subsided. For those who would have preferred that Britain remain in the EU, today is a day of national mourning that marks the official defeat of their years-long struggle. For fervent supporters of Brexit, it’s a day of celebration — the culmination of years of waiting for Britain’s “independence day.”
But it’s not entirely clear if January 31 will be remembered as such a year from now, a decade from now, or even at all. Besides the…
