Euroscepticism, Anti‐Nostalgic Nostalgia and the Past Perfect Post‐Brexit Future

While extant work on British Euroscepticism has highlighted vestiges of historical empire imaginaries in discourses opposing EU integration, the emotional dynamics such frames remain curiously underexplored. The diluted quality these Eurosceptic histories, with their distinctive interplay past and future, led some to reject nostalgic credentials altogether. This article challenges assumptions absence through a qualitative discourse analysis 2016 referendum Vote Leave campaign's materials, interviews 13 former campaigners. By unpacking Leave's preference for an anti-nostalgic form nostalgia, central its vision perfect post-Brexit this contributes primarily literatures Brexit, revealing counterintuitive politics persistent cultural appeal ostensibly forward-looking discursive stances. also broader relevance, particularly advocates ‘emotional turn’ Studies scholars investigating escalating nationalisms beyond Britain.