They told us their worries about the prospect of Brexit, now the UK has voted for it Britain’s workers share their reaction

Europeans living in the UK have expressed alarm about their future after Britons voted to leave the EU. There are 3 million EU citizens living in the UK, and although their status will not change immediately, many are deeply concerned about the implication of EU withdrawal on their right to continue living and working in Britain.

Before the vote we asked some of Britain’s EU workers how they would feel about a possible Brexit. Now that the country has voted to leave, we returned to them for their reaction.



Facebook Twitter Pinterest Michael Tyser Photograph: Michael Tyser EU voices

The lorry driver

Michael Tyser, 37 (above) is Czech and lives in Derbyshire.

This is all David Cameron’s fault.



Tyser, who has a two-year-old daughter Maya, previously worked as a teacher in the Czech Republic. He believes there is one person to blame for the result. “I think this is all David Cameron’s fault,” he says. “A year ago he tried to stay in politics by promising a referendum to the people. Now he is surprised that people like Nigel Farage grabbed the chance to play on the divide among people.



“Every day I think about Jo Cox, who lost her life and fought so hard for the remain campaign. I am deeply sad because her two children will never see their mum again and her husband will never see his wife.”

For Tyser, the vote to leave won’t change his life as much as it may for others. “I worry more about what will happen to the sterling,” he says. “Big companies will move to Europe because it will be easier for them there. People will probably start losing jobs, and I think there is big risk Scotland will say goodbye to UK.

“I hope European leaders will do something so that they don’t lose any more members. Because what I hear, a lot of Czech people would be happy to follow in the footsteps of the UK. The British people have decided and I deeply respect their decision. I am just not sure if it is the right step for the future.”

The freelance writer

Seamas O’Reilly, 30, is Irish and lives in London.

Britain awoke today a poorer, crueller and more dangerous country.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Seamas O’Reilly, freelance writer.

Originally from Derry, which is on the border of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, O’Reilly is saddened by the result. “It represents a shameful retreat to a smaller mindset, unshackled from empathy, decency or even just intellectual engagement with complex issues,” he says.

“I am disgusted by this result and the mandate it gives to the most loathsome political elements of this nation. I am saddened by what it says about the British people, what it means for the protection of essential services and workers’ rights, and the truly horrifying implications that the reimposition of military borders could have on the streets of Northern Ireland.”

He feels the result would have been easier to accept if the leave campaign had not caused so much unease among voters. “Their utter contempt for the intelligence of the British public has been evident from day one,” he says.



“In their repeated utterance of statements they knew to be false, in their craven misrepresentation of facts and personal endorsements to their own ends, and in their ugly, disingenuous insistence on focusing on EU immigrants, who they know have repeatedly been proven a net gain to the country and whose numbers are not really reducible by any deal a future British state may seek to strike within the outer EU anyway. This might be why they reverted to simply showing images of huddled non-European people or referring to them as if they were an airborne disease.

“Britain awoke today a poorer, crueller and more dangerous country, and could remain so for decades to come.”

The social worker

Uta Schmidtblaicher, 35, is German and lives in Portsmouth.

I’m not sure the UK is the kind of country I want to bring my children up in.



With two young children, Schmidtblaicher worries about their future in the UK. “I feel shocked and disappointed,” she says. “Yesterday evening was quite positive with the polls saying that remain was ahead. I went to bed and thought it would be OK in the end. This morning I couldn’t believe that it actually happened. I’m not sure the UK is the kind of country I want to bring up my children in now. I don’t want them to feel isolated now that we will leave Europe.

“I feel the tabloid newspapers have not helped. The vote to leave doesn’t seem to be one based on reason.”



She feels the result may have been down to people who came out to vote who had not done previously. “I think this whole thing about taking back control has been quite powerful for people,” she says. “It’s captured the sentiment of people and their disillusionment within the country and this has been projected on to the European Union.

“For our family it’s quite sad. Things are up in the air. We had a Spanish and English family over last night. We were quite positive. I think things will be difficult now for families like us. I should probably get a British passport but I’m not sure I want to sign up for one.”

The financial services company owner



Mario Van Poppel, 36, is Belgian and lives in Berkshire.

I feel sorry that the British are not able to move back to the EU like I can.



Facebook Twitter Pinterest Mario Van Poppel.

Running his own financial services business, Van Poppel is sad that the UK will leave. “I’m angry that the few people who were abusive while I was out campaigning for the remain camp now have their sweet victory,” he says. “I’m also disappointed that people believed the leave camp’s half-truths and lies.

“I was a count agent for remain in Slough last night. With the night progressing it became clear that Slough was voting to leave, and this was happening all over the country. By 2am we had a suspicion that it wasn’t going to end well. The remain campaigners I have been campaigning with all day felt devastated. Especially because we started the night thinking we were going to win.”



Despite the unexpected result, he is not afraid. “I feel better this morning than I did yesterday,” he says. “At least now we know. My family and I will be all right. Things won’t change overnight [I think]. And we have the option to go back to the EU to live, work and travel there freely. I feel sorry for the British that they are not in my position.”



The barrister



Fernando Del Canto, 49, is Spanish and lives in London.

The decision shows that this issue is not just limited to the UK.



Facebook Twitter Pinterest Fernando Del Canto. Photograph: Jordi Serra Mañosa

Del Canto, a Spanish barrister living and working in UK, is shocked but not entirely surprised. “This decision shows that there is an issue here, not just in the UK but within the European Union. I think there is a lot dissatisfaction and this vote is like a wake up call to reality,” he says.

“It has been a hard night. Europe was seen as a model but now that’s not the case with the way it has responded to issues like immigration.”

He is disappointed, but thinks there is a lot to learn from the way the UK has voted. “I’m disappointed but also hope that this result will open debate around the future of the EU. I don’t think Brexit will happen in the way people expect but I do think other countries could call for a referendum. People in Brussels will have to think and we need to listen.”

The bartender



Loredana Cobzaru, 31, is Romanian and lives in London.

I feel like this is my home. When I go back to Romania it’s like being on holiday.

Working as a bartender in London, Cobzaru was surprised by the result. “What can I say? I’m disappointed and sad,” she says. “I wasn’t expecting it. I was 99% sure that the UK wouldn’t vote to leave. It’s weird because last night the polls seemed to suggest that remain would win.



“I think we should wait for the worst to happen. For the UK I think the economy will be really bad. Look at the pound at the moment. For us Europeans it’s easy. We can go back to our home countries or live somewhere else in Europe.”

She is more concerned about her friends who feel as if their lives in the UK have been for nothing. “Some of my friends have been here for 20 years and they are so disappointed by the result,” she says. ‘They spent so many years working and living here for nothing. For my friends who have businesses here, I can’t imagine what will happen to them.



“For me? It won’t affect me that much as I’m a resident here so I can come and go at any time, but I wanted the UK to remain as a member of the union. I feel like this is my home. When I go back to Romania it’s like being on holiday.”