Get Ready for Brexit

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Part of a series on United Kingdom Withdrawal From the European Union / Brexit. [View Related Entries]

BREXIT 31 OCTOBER HM Government Basically, we just need to thin out the population a bit Prepare for Brexit at gov.uk/brexit

Joe @MrJoeGooch Well, do you? #GetReadyForBrexit GOV.UK Brexit> How to get ready Home Do you plan to eat food after 31 October 2019? Yes No Next 7:08 AM Sep 2, 2019 Twitter Web App

Richard Littler @richard_littler scarfelk Zooming in on #Brexit The devil is in the detail #GetReadyForBrexit #GetReady Get ready for Bruegel piry r rge 1:33 PM Sep 1, 2019 Twitter Web App

KEIR @KGravil Why not #GetReadyForBrexit by purchasing a fabulous Louis Vuitton Ration Book Cover? What better way to assert your place in line? aPARE sPANE aPARE 1 SPARE XX MINISTRY OF FOOD VUITION RATION BOOK (JUNIOR) 1944-45 Surname. Other Names Address s on ldewty Cerd Date of birth (Day) Manti) -(Year) enrSATIOe NA JUNIGR FOOD OFFICE CODE No. J M.F. 8.17 I FOUND pe 2:27 PM Sep 1, 2019 Twitter for Android yoag uanty M 115029

Beaubodor @beaubodor So the firts of Gove's posters are up. #GetReadyForBrexit HM Government Get ready for Brexit Prepare for Brexit at gov.uk/brexit 7:41 AM Sep 1, 2019 Twitter Web App SOYLENT GREEN

sarah murphy @13sarahmurphy How the hell can anyone, ANYONE.... still think that... Brexit is worth it? .Johnson is anything but a lying bully? A deal without a backstop or a border is possible? No-deal is anything but total failure and settles NOTHING? Seriously, get your heads out of your arses. 11:52 PM Sep 2, 2019 Twitter for iPhone

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About

Get Ready for Brexit refers to a series of parodies mocking an advertisement for Great Britain's withdrawal from the European Union colloquially known as Brexit.

Origin

In late August and early September 2019, the British government released a series of advertisement with the catchphrase "Get ready for Brexit." For example, on September 1st, 2019, Twitter ^[1] user @SebastianEPayne tweeted a photograph of the meme and the caption, "Coming to a shopping centre near you." Within two days, the tweet received more than 650 likes and 220 retweets (shown below).

Sebastian Payne @SebastianEPayne Coming to a shopping centre near you Get ready for Brexit HM Govenment or at Get ready for Prepare for Brexit at gov.uk/brexit YOU ARE LEAVING THE NO SMOKING AREA 6:02 AM Sep 1, 2019 Twitter for iPhone

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Following the release of the advertisements, people online began mocking the slogan, editing images of the advertisement and criticizing the exit plan. For example, Twitter^[2] user @Aidan4Europe tweeted the image with the word "to collapse." The post received more than 795 likes and 250 retweets in two days (shown below, left).

Throughout the day, the hashtag "GetReadyForBrexit" trended on Twitter. For example, Twitter^[3] user @Femi_Sorry tweeted a series of statistics that refute some promises made by the pro-Brexit campagin. They wrote, "50% UK cars are sold to other EU countries. 50% UK fish is exported to EU countries. 1/3 Welsh lamb is sold to EU countries. No Deal forces the EU to put tariffs on all of it. How exactly do UK factory workers, fishermen & farmers 'get ready' for that? Smile?" The tweet received more than 8,600 likes and 2,700 retweets in two days (shown below, center). Twitter^[4] user @w11eyh tweeted a photograph of a "ration book," indicating that they expect food shortages under Brexit. The post received more than 1,400 likes and 590 retweets in two days (shown below, right).

Several media outlets covered the hashtag and memes, including The Daily Dot, ^[5] Yahoo,^[6] Indy100^[7] and more.