William Cook

Why most Brexiteers actually love the Germans

‘We didn’t win two world wars to be pushed around by a Kraut.’

Do you find this statement:

a) Funny, and rather pertinent

b) Unfunny, and a bit embarrassing

c) Conclusive proof that Brexiteers are reactionary xenophobes, whose desire to leave the EU is driven by hatred of Germany

If you answered c) you may well be one of the many people who took to Twitter to denounce this Leave.EU tweet, which was accompanied by a photo of Angela Merkel with one arm held aloft:

Leave.EU’s Arron Banks subsequently issued a tepid apology, but the damage was already done. At a time when reasonable Britons on both sides are searching for some common ground, this tweet (and the angry reaction to it) made the Brexit chasm even wider.

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