They must be doing something right!

You don’t get banged up/beaten up for saying Boris Johnson is a corrupt, adulterous liar.
Funny to think how in so many countries, quite a few GNers would be languishing in stinking jails for voicing their opinions. Or facts, if you like.

Good to know some facts obsu.

We're a comparatively safe country too.

Harrigran, I personally know someone who has been trying to get a visa to bring their spouse into the UK. This is taking years (longer due to Covid) and the resident has to provide in-depth details of their finances to prove they can support their spouse. Also, upfront, even before the visa is granted, they’ve had to pay 2 years contributions to the NHS.

That said, wherever I've been in the world people have fallen over themselves to help, but I've only been a visitor !

We're probably the most helpful country in the world, in every way. No language difficulties or problems in understanding another language as help is invariably at hand.

Police aren't armed---except in special circumstances.

We're free ! As the late John Inman used to say.

I think what Urmston said would be top of the list Tolerance.

Tolerance.
An ability to laugh at ourselves (still, thankfully).
Religious freedoms.
Government instructions given in a whole multitude of languages (doesn’t happen in other countries anything like).
Translators provided for NHS appointments on request (ditto).
Inclusivity.
Temperate climate so no extremes.
Freedom of speech.

Without a doubt the benefits system and being able to access free medical treatment the minute you enter the country. Nowhere else in the world allows you this level of medical care.
If I wanted to live in the USA, Australia or New Zealand I would have to prove that I could support myself and would not be a burden on the state. In the UK people are welcomed and then allowed to bring in their extended families.

Of course compared to many third world countries the UK is paradise, a great many countries teach English in schools, even rural villages have satellite TV. They see what comparative luxury we live in and want what we have, add to that war, tribal or religious conflict, and lack of opportunities for work many move if they can.
At least half of Africa would move to the UK if they could. I was staying in a hotel, after breakfast the young man who had been serving us for a couple of days, said “take me back to the UK I will be your houseboy”. In that country it is normal for a house to have a maid or houseboy, even a guard, who will work just for food or a bed.
I had to explain that we do not normally have houseboys or maids in the UK and he would never get a visa to travel.

Would you risk the overland journey from Afghanistan or Africa, entirely at the hands of gangs of criminals not knowing whether you will even live to see England, walking across the Sahara to be arrested by Libyan renegades, put in prison, starved, raped, beaten then months living in the open in France hoping to get on a lorry or a small boat and hoping you would survive the journey, just for free health care and very meagre benefits the other end,

The reason these refugees and economic migrants come here is the legacy of empire, that despite the woke and their elite supporters tearing their hair out about the iniquities of colonisation, for many people Britain is a Paradise of fairness, justice and safety, where children can get education. There is still a belief that our streets our streets are paved with gold and that anyone who is prepared to work hard can earn enough money to send home to support their families living in poverty, of trapped in war torn areas and possibly rescue them as well.

Lemsip I was so sad to read what you wrote, I had a lot of respect for you and used to think your contributions often shed a sensible and considered light on topics.

GagaJo

Good lord. If anyone comes to the UK for the benefits system they are in for a very nasty shock.

Every child gets a free education and the NHS will treat everyone.

We are an extremely tolerant country. Everyone's religious beliefs are respected. I'm sure there are a few individuals who are racist bigots but they are a tiny minority.

We have a climate with every few extremes, and our wildlife is like the people, mostly harmless.

The ‘free’ NHS is being paid for with national insurance contributions, nothing is ‘free’.

Unless you have never contributed, but still benefit.

If you come from a country where you have nothing or next to nothing then our benefits system is a very welcome plus.

Also freedom from persecution and war is up there as number 1 or 2, despite the moans and groans about the U.K. we are a very free society.

As for the weather, some welcome the respite from searing hot or freezing your bum off weather. We have a family member who has returned to the U.K. and they get up every morning delighted with the changing weather and apparently the different smells that go with it.

Good lord. If anyone comes to the UK for the benefits system they are in for a very nasty shock.

Yes I wish we had the NHS. Wonderful thing.

Could be the weather despite the joke - we don’t have any extremes either in summer or winter, it is generally gentle.
The country is beautiful in a pocket sized way, culture is excellent. The benefit system although flawed is good as is the free NHS.
I wasn’t born here but my family come originally from both France and UK, but UK has been more welcoming.

The Benefit allowances system.