Not everybody hates us!

Us, who is 'us'.

The people on the Continent are very aware that it is our Government, our lying, incompetent, nationalistic Governement, led by the very rich represented by ERG- who want to avoid the European Tax Directive, are the ones responsible, not 'the people'.

Although they do see the front covers of the Daily Mail, the Express, etc - and the comments from some- which are anti-Eu, Nationalistic in the extreme, à la jingoistic- and some extremely racist. So they also know SOME people in the UK are responsible and truly nasty too.

And yes, he is describing the UK I fell in love with, all those years ago- just over 50 in fact. The tolerance, the openess, the acceptation and joy of differences, the great SOH - and so much more.

Destroyed in a couple of years - just like that. So so sad, much more than sad

The UK was tolerant 50 years ago?
Don’t think so.

‘ No blacks, Irish, or dogs’ - these signs regularly seen in the windows of houses renting rooms.

People do love to put on their rose tinted glasses when it suits them.

Oh, but the British despise Europeans...

biba70

And yes, he is describing the UK I fell in love with, all those years ago- just over 50 in fact. The tolerance, the openess, the acceptation and joy of differences, the great SOH - and so much more.

Destroyed in a couple of years - just like that. So so sad, much more than sad

Crikey, that’s not the UK I remember from 50 years ago. Where homosexuality had been legalised but was still disapproved of, where women had little agency of their own, where unmarried mothers and their children were stigmatised, where housing conditions were appalling for many.

Things are not perfect today and they never will be, anywhere in the world, but given the choice between going back to the grey era of the 70’s or living in today, I know which my choice would be.

You get nice and nasty everywhere though, don't you?

Loved the link with views of my beloved Nottingham which has sadly been described as a place where there is a lot of deprivation. Again, that's universal. I love Paris but its suburbs are not as salubrious as the 'golden triangle' of the centre,

Well I have to say I am not too chuffed with the Europeans at the present. This debacle at the ports is not of our government's making. Closing the air traffic between the Netherlands and Britain is ridiculous when the Dutch already have the new strain. I am an ardent European but they are being so petty.

I can't really blame Macron for not allowing lorries through----we've let everyone through, from flights throughout, without testing.

I love Europe and have spent many happy holidays in various parts and have a lovely family friend in Holland.

EllanVannin

I can't really blame Macron for not allowing lorries through----we've let everyone through, from flights throughout, without testing.

There have been times recently when neither the Welch nor the Scots wanted to know their neighbour.
Belgium is now putting up barriers for French shoppers.

I lived in London in the early 70s - and yes, this is out it felt. Perhaps it was different in the deepest Shires.

And yes, very insular when I moved to Stoke-on-Trent. At the Engineering Works where I worked, I was considered very 'exotic and different' - but always warmly welcome. Welcome by colleagues into their own homes, and to join in. But I suppose my best memories of the above- was when we moved to Leicester. Yes, we moved in at the same time as the Ugandan Asians- and I remember the awful comments, and all the vitriol when kids were bussed to County schools, etc. I remember how some people went berserk when the Park next to the Prison was renamed Mandela Park- how it was shameful we were naming a Park after a terrorist, and a black one at that. The racism was dreadful. But then it all settled, and people learnt to live together, and it was heart warming and so impressive. There was something so special about Leicester in those days- which was rare and almost unknown anywhere else, not just in the UK, but in the world.

And I shall always, always, have a part of my heart there- even though my daughters and grandchildren now live in very different parts of England.

Same here SueDonim.

How rude to make that comment about the deepest Shires as though people in such areas were unreconstructed cave dwellers.

As it happens, my Dh and I were working and studying in London in the early-to-mid 70’s. I don’t recognise the utopia being described here.

biba70
www.swissinfo.ch/eng/is-racism-a-problem-in-switzerland--a-look-at-the-2019-statistics/45824452

The 1970's was the decade of strikes, electricity shortages and piles of rotting rubbish on the street. The industrial unrest had a huge impact on society. news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/6729683.stm
The passing of time has not rose tinted my specs.

Not just in the UK!

Does that include *Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland*or have you just insulted those three countries?

Central Manchester,(so not a backwater or "shire")" 1970s:
I can clearly remember walking past pubs and boarding houses that had signs up saying "No Irish, No Blacks, NoDogs".
I remember being told not to speak, even to say hello, to the black man that walked past out house on his way to work.
Unmarried mother's were looked on as girls of easy virtue, "no better than they should have been" and were ostracised from their families, usually for the rest of their lives.
Children of unmarried mother's were referred to as bastards.
Whilst homosexuality was legal, they lived a subdued life, not drawing attention to themselves for fear of attack. The man that I worked with in 1975 refused to open his front door at night for fear of getting beaten up by his neighbours.
Trade Unions had such a grip on the country that they brought it to its knees with strikes; wreaking poverty, food shortages and job losses nationwide.

Yep biba the 1970s were halcyon days weren't they?

My parents - who came over to England in the 1950’s from Ireland - were regularly faced with those signs whilst looking for accommodation in Hammersmith London.
I personally remember so much racial tension back in the 1970’s whilst growing up in London ( the Southall riots against the NF in particular in 1979 )

I wish people would actually read up on recent history before posting utter crap.

Europe and the EU are not the same thing.

It never ceases to amaze me that people who don't live in this country subject us who do to a never ending barrage on a daily basis of how appalling this country is and most of the people who live in it are. I remember the 1970's as a deeply unpleasant decade and as described! No, we who lived in the 'Shires' as the countryside has sneeringly been described, were not all racist bumpkins chewing on straw and shouting Rule Britannia, most of of us could read AND write even going to university!!!! These islands are a great place to live, full of great people whoever they are.

How rude to make that comment about the deepest Shires as though people in such areas were unreconstructed cave dwellers.

Why do I now have the theme tune from 'Deliverance' on my brain?

Do put a sock in it, biba.

Be careful Jaberwok. I was accused of being xenophobic on a recent thread when I questioned why those who do not live in the UK continually point out everything that is so terribly wrong with it!

Britain joined the EU in 1973, and some of us hoped that the bigoted attitudes had reduced enough by that point for tolerance to ‘difference’ in culture and race to begin to be accepted by more people.

When I read some of the posts on gransnet, and the intolerance displayed to different points of view, I honestly wonder if some of you want to head back to the 1950s.

Thanks Kalu. I had made I my mind not to join in all this Britain bashing, but it just makes me so cross at the constant barrage of insults. Yes there is a lot wrong with most countrys,(downtown Marseilles anyone?) and the UK is no different from most, but to have it endlessly shoved down out throats when no one on here reciprocates just gets too much. We get the message, we don't have to be endlessly reminded!