Why do people in the UK often pretend they're not in Europe?

[Tallgeese101]

NJ5 said:

I know many British people hate the EU, but Europe is not the same thing as EU. So what's up with that?

Wake up already. You're part of Europe.

 

Thank you for telling me where I live!

Its purely a historical thing.  For hundreds of years between being kicked out of France, England (and later Britain) has always attempted to distance istelf from 'European' matters, prefering to concentrate on trade, colonies and the Empire.  Old habits die hard.

 

And it will be a cold day in hell before I refer to myself as European instead of English and British.