I don't think any of the expats were saying that, absent. Just countering the implication that we had fled the UK and had no right to have any opinions about it. I very much mind how my taxes are spent though and anything that goes to say, free schools, makes me very angry. Of course people resident in the UK below tax thresholds have every right to comment on the UK. As does anyone anywhere really, though better if it is informed comment.
The pension we pay tax on in the UK is government or local government. State pension is taxable in France (in our case). These are the rules of the EU taxation treaty.
BTW the discussion about pubs with food kind of proves my point about how different bits of the UK are er different, don't you think?
Is there such a thing as delicious ready meals?