Is this due to the 17th century coronation of William III of Orange – King billy For friends – that Dutch excel in reporting specifically from the United Kingdom?

Patrick van IJzendoorn (° 1971) has belonged to the UK for the Dutch daily newspaper since 2003 De volcracant. His pen also serves it Historical newspaper, The green amsterdam in South wind. His book was published in 2017 Cool uk. Crack Contacted the journalist and asked him some questions.

Personal relationship with the British

Breakthrough: How did you end up in Britain?

Patrick van IJzendoorn: ‘My wife, who is from Malaysia, did not get residency permission in the Netherlands for a strict policy regarding family reunification. Then we settled in England in 2003. ‘

How do you experience your personal relationship with England?

“It has a deep connection, with sports (cricket, football, rugby), humor, politics, history and the Anglican Church.”

As a Dutch journalist, do you find it easy to penetrate the British ‘soul’?

‘After a while, yes. If you have lived there for a long time, you start seeing and understanding things, just as we were in contact with our English neighbors after five or six years. ‘

Have you experienced negative things yourself as a foreigner since Brexit?

‘No, nothing personal, though I think of getting a British passport. Certainly I see that there is a great division. Every first Sunday night of the month I go to the pub with two dads from school, Alistair and Andy, a Brexiteer and a Reminer. Many tease, but never speak bad words. I have no urge to return from the Netherlands, on the contrary. I would love to live here. London is still a better city for foreigners than anywhere else in mainland Europe.

Business interests dominate political interests

How can you rate the actions of Theresa May?

‘I think he is totally unsuitable for the Prime Minister. He is not just virtue for that and certainly not for these impossible times … ‘

Have Brexiters ruined their chance of Brexit by voting against Theresa May’s deal?

‘Yes, they risk losing Brexit, but I suspect some will have no problem with this. Getting to the place is the end of the fun, isn’t it? ‘

Million Dollar Question: How do you see it ending?

‘If it’s been delayed for a long time, I sometimes see a cancellation. The question is whether Europe The British still want to. The best Norway option would be. ‘

Suppose it becomes a ‘no deal’ after all? How do you think the UK fare?

‘Bad at first, but soon business interests will dominate political interests. Both for and for the adversaries enhance the results for their own benefit. ‘

You often hear that the British still love their past very much and it chose them for Brexit. Do you think this is correct?

‘Very little. The past is still very much alive here. An incomplete past. Look at the Brexit debate with all references to James I, Henry VIII, Charles II and Churchill … ‘

How did British politics emerge from this saga? Will two major parties survive this?

‘Ultimately yes, but with a lot of damage. The Tories are half taken by UKIP, Labor by Corbin Cabal. A new party is a possibility for new Whigs. ‘

Do you still see the issue of Scottish independence at stake?

‘Only with’ no-deal ‘, but not yet.’