Gransnet forums

News & politics

Cry, our beloved country

(117 Posts)
Whitewavemark2 Sun 16-Jun-19 08:14:28

Headline in the Observer today based on a survey by Britainthinks, says,

Divided, pessimistic, angry.

It reveals a country torn apart by social class, geography and Brexit.
There is it says an astonishing lack of faith in the political class. Something I think that is reflected in this forum.
Less than 6% think politicians understand their situation.
75% think politics is unfit for purpose
21% think the next PM will be up for the job.

The rhetoric is filled with words like broken, sad, worried, and angry. Negatives tumble out as do the long list of grievances.
75% believe that the grievances will deepen between the leavers and remainers
73% believe that we are a n international laughing stock and that our values are in decline.

There are some signs of optimism but these are rooted in the positive feelings people have towards their home, family and relationships.

Whitewavemark2 Sun 16-Jun-19 08:16:35

next PM unfit for the job

MawBroonsback Sun 16-Jun-19 08:19:19

Yes, yes, yes.
How did we get like this? But is it uniquely in the UK or have our woes blinded us to a similar Zeitgeist elsewhere in Europe and further afield? (rhetorical question perhaps)

Whitewavemark2 Sun 16-Jun-19 08:21:05

maw could be to a degree but they haven’t got Brexit it tearing them apart.

sodapop Sun 16-Jun-19 08:44:59

The person on the street has lost faith in the UK political system as it stands and rightly so it would seem. As Maw said several other countries have similar problems but without the added complication of Brexit. I can't see anyone who is currently in the running for Leader of the Tories having the statesmanship to pull things together.

Sara65 Sun 16-Jun-19 09:04:40

I despair at the thought of Boris Johnson as prime minister, I find it almost impossible to imagine such an untrustworthy, lying, joke to run our country

But I think it goes much deeper than that, as a lifelong Tory, I now think they are rotten to the core and will never vote for them again, Jeremy Corbyn is also a joke, who else?

I agree, we all seem to have lost faith in the political system in this country

Callistemon Sun 16-Jun-19 09:19:11

Mawbroonsback
I used to think that the UK was a shining beacon of democracy and civility in a crazy, troubled world. That was probably a naive view, judging by the history of the last 70 years.
Now we seem to be no different than so many other countries in Europe and beyond and I think we are in danger of being introverted, so engrossed in the fallout from the referendum, the political infighting, that we are failing to take notice of much that is happening in the rest of the world.

In the meantime, Assad is still bombing his people.
Did anyone know?
Does anyone care?

Perhaps t

Callistemon Sun 16-Jun-19 09:20:31

I don't know where the ^ perhaps t^ came from confused please ignore

Luckygirl Sun 16-Jun-19 09:24:38

It is indeed rather depressing. The worst thing from my point of view is the fact that such pathetic apologies for politicians seem to have crawled their way to the top of the pile.

I have no means of beginning to understand how it is that anyone of sane mind could vote for BJ as PM - it is beyond credence.

Teetime Sun 16-Jun-19 09:35:59

Sadly I think its all to true and too depressing - even the sky cant stop crying.

Bathsheba Sun 16-Jun-19 09:40:06

The worst thing from my point of view is the fact that such pathetic apologies for politicians seem to have crawled their way to the top of the pile

The worst thing? I'm not so sure - I think the worst thing is what is at the bottom of that pile. And it'll be their votes in the HoC that will count.

NotSpaghetti Sun 16-Jun-19 09:43:29

I’m not sure it’s really something new. Maybe we were united during the world wars but I remember division and anger in my adult lifetime - over cruise missiles, the Iraq war, during the apartheid years and plenty more.
Maybe with Brexit it’s worse - but life has often felt unfair with massive gaps between the “haves” and “have nots”.

EllanVannin Sun 16-Jun-19 09:49:16

I despair at the lack of " multi-tasking " that any of the politicians have proved that they can't master.
These years wasted on this idiotic idea of severing ties with the EU has kept them solidly within the confines of a sheltered life in Westminster---------away from the turmoils that are going on outside of their bubble, where a country is slowly crumbling in every way.
No Minister or PM has bothered to venture out to their constituencies or their specific fields of interest to oversee how things are running.
Health---Jeremy Hunt ( shambles )
Prisons/crime------Rory Stewart ( increased crime/murder )
DWP/Pensions---Justin Tomlinson ? ( another shambles )

So the list goes on, is Penny Mordaunt still the secretary of state for defence ? God help us if Iran hots up its grievances !

They're all as much use as an ashtray on a motor-bike !

janeainsworth Sun 16-Jun-19 09:53:20

I think the country was more divided in the past. In the 1880’s William Morris and others were advocating violent overthrow of the ruling classes. As far as I know, Momentum hasn’t gone quite that far, though perhaps these days the danger is more from the far right.

That’s not to say I’m not worried about the situation now.
But both Kenneth Clarke and Dominic Grieve have said they would bring down any government that tried to deliver a no-deal Brexit without the approval of Parliament.
There are still some people of integrity in politics but unless people actually vote for them the future is grim indeed.

GabriellaG54 Sun 16-Jun-19 09:53:40

I do agree with most of what has been said by previous posters but other countries too have deep divides between classes and the rich/poor plus political allegiances. France has turmoil on the streets, Politics in Germany are rocky, Greece went into meltdown, Spain hasn't been a beacon of hope and there are many other instances around the world.
Yes, Brexit adds to our woes and I blame the wholly unedifying scenes of verbal in-fighting in the HoC and the tug-o-war of those idiots trying to derail a majority vote to leave.
Never mind saying that it was a 1.33m difference. It was and is a significant number.
I hope that we, the public, can shake off the shackles of argument and division and make this thing work gor all our sakes...unless you want to prop up failing EU member states ad infinitum and let the EU gravy train rumble on without ever being called to account.

GabriellaG54 Sun 16-Jun-19 09:54:48

gor for

luluaugust Sun 16-Jun-19 09:58:02

Class divisions, political divisions it has always been that way but I think there was a feeling after World War 11 that the inequalities could be ironed out a bit. That generation of MPs was more mixed had done war service. This has turned out not to be true and we have had our eyes opened.

EllanVannin Sun 16-Jun-19 10:00:58

This is a different type of division since the days of William Morris. It's a more dangerous and insidious one.

EllanVannin Sun 16-Jun-19 10:02:50

One thing I wouldn't do is vote for a woman who held the post as defence secretary !

EllanVannin Sun 16-Jun-19 10:08:29

So if Iran, Russia and China decide to raise a hand to war, will Europe be as friendly towards us as allies as they were in WWII ?
Or will it be a case of Europe saying that we didn't want a union with them so " you're on your own ?"

EllanVannin Sun 16-Jun-19 10:11:58

Unity, if there was ever such a thing as another war, is a vital ingredient to have between countries so this division/hostility has to stop ! Both in this country as well as the present EU. Scrap Brexit altogether and be done with and leave things as they were.

Gonegirl Sun 16-Jun-19 10:34:42

They didn't ask me! I think we're a darn sight better off than we were a hundred years ago.

Luckygirl Sun 16-Jun-19 10:35:45

Europe was friendly to us in WW2 without the EU existing. I am sure they would be again in the event of conflict. No reason to suppose otherwise.

Gonegirl Sun 16-Jun-19 10:37:24

I think we've probably got too much internet. That could account for silly surveys like this. 2,000 people in London and Leicester! How about the rest of us?

Whitewavemark2 Sun 16-Jun-19 10:44:43

You are clearly one of the small minority gonegirl congratulations on your ability to ignore it all.