The UK’s online community continues to be captivated by the fallout of Brexit and the ongoing challenges facing the NHS, even three years after the nation’s departure from the EU. A comprehensive study by AI-driven European tech firm SentiOne delved into the heart of British online discourse, analyzing 9.75 million posts over the past year. The findings were clear: Brexit and the NHS dominated the conversation, accounting for a whopping 80% of all posts analyzed.
SentiOne‘s cutting-edge AI algorithms sifted through social media, message boards, blog comments, and other online sources to uncover the pulse of the UK’s digital landscape. With 96% accuracy in discerning the intention and emotion behind a text, the firm shed light on the pressing concerns of a nation still grappling with the consequences of its seismic political and economic shifts.
Brexit: A Costly Divorce or Johnson’s Lasting Legacy?
Remarkably, Brexit remains the most frequently mentioned topic in online discussions, with over 4.28 million mentions and a reach of 11 billion views. Opinions on the matter are notably polarized. Many describe the UK’s withdrawal from the EU as a “costly divorce,” lamenting the economic and political disruption that could have been averted. Others argue that it marks Boris Johnson’s indelible “legacy” as the nation’s former Prime Minister.
Two significant surges in the Brexit discourse occurred in 2022: first in July when Johnson stepped down as Prime Minister, and again in the autumn when a political and economic crisis coincided with a YouGov poll revealing that 56% of Britons believed leaving the EU was a mistake. Hashtags like #bbcqt, #generalelectionnow, #partygate, and #brexitreality encapsulate the ongoing divisiveness surrounding the issue.
A Nation Rallies Behind its NHS Amidst Economic Woes
The NHS featured prominently as the second most-discussed subject, with 3.57 million mentions and a staggering 17 billion views. Public sentiment was overwhelmingly supportive, particularly in January 2023, when failed pay negotiations led to a wave of strikes among nurses and other NHS staff. Hashtags like #sosNHS, #saveournhs, and #prayingfornursing demonstrated the outpouring of solidarity for the embattled healthcare workers.
The UK’s economic struggles, exacerbated by Russia’s attack on Ukraine, also featured prominently in online debates. Conversations touched on rising food prices, inflation, strikes, the recession, and housing costs. Interestingly, knife violence was the only crime-related subject to spark significant discussion, driven in part by the tragic stabbing of a London teenager in March 2023 and the ensuing police efforts to combat knife crime.
SentiOne‘s analysis provides a fascinating snapshot of a nation’s digital consciousness, revealing the issues that continue to resonate with the British public. As the UK forges ahead in a post-Brexit world, its citizens’ conversations, opinions, and concerns will no doubt evolve, with AI-driven analytics poised to chronicle these shifts in real-time.
Established in 2011, SentiOne is a European AI-driven enterprise dedicated to assisting clients in automating their business processes through a diverse array of AI-powered tools. These include internet monitoring services, communication platforms, and advanced conversational chatbots and voicebots. SentiOne‘s clientele boasts renowned brands such as Procter & Gamble, McDonald’s, Nike, Unilever, Beiersdorf, Tesco, Starcom, Mindshare, Mediacom, Saatchi & Saatchi, and more. With a global presence, the company operates offices in cities like London, Warsaw, Gdansk, Ostrava, Budapest, Munich, Eindhoven, Mexico, and Dubai, catering to over 400 clients across Europe, the USA, Canada, Mexico, Columbia, and Brazil.