Little Britain - the state of England today

GrannyGravy13

Exactly Callistemon

Has the OP posted what she would do if they were residing in England?

If you bothered to read this topic properly you will see that I mentioned some voluntary work that I did in England.

Luckygirl

Oh we do care - believe me.

I have just been watching some sort of fly-on-the-wall police documentary which focussed on homelessness, multi-occupancy dwellings and addictions. I was once a social worker and it brought it all back - that sense of being powerless in the face of malign forces and uncaring government. Nothing has changed - it has all got worse.

The crunch question is what can we do?

Vote for a government that has some sense of morality and compassion; and a real grasp of what life is like for those at the bottom of the heap?......been there, tried that and watched the little Englanders vote in what they thought was their own self-interest, forgetting that we are all brothers/sisters and we are all affected by the misery of those at the bottom by way of increased crime etc.

I try not to think too hard about it all - I have more than enough to be depressed about - and I recognise my total impotence here.

I try to do what I can in the small sphere of influence that I do have.

I feel for you Lucky girl.your heartfelt comment says it all really. I too can get so angry and frustrated with the state of us here sometimes I weep. I vote every single election for the people I feel have a handle on what real life is about, but fear (and am proven) that I'm always in minority. People are not basically"good" they're basically selfish! The "good" bit only comes out when they feel "safe" and able to let go a little generosity, if any sort of fear or instability enters their lives, the doors are slammed shut on those less fortunate. It's human nature but I feel only for the weak in society who are prepared to let others do all the shouting!. We can do the best we can when we can and never give up seeking equality for all even if it means we lose a little too?

Granny1810

It does annoy me when someone can sit in another country and criticise their homeland. You ask why we are not doing anything, well who is to say we are not. We are not a revelutionary nation. However you are unaware of grassroots. Things will change.

What on earth do you mean by me being unaware of grassroots?

The media is to blame for a lot of silly things in the UK. One of our sons, an engineer, is currently working on a big project, but a famous activist found an issue he was concerned about, went on Twitter, campaigned and got a petition going so now everything has stopped. That's millions of pounds of EU funding down the drain and the whole project was designed to improve the environment in the first place!
The media just wants to have people up in arms complaining and then moves on to the next topical issue

Ellianne, of course doing things within your own community isn't less valuable. I don't feel that way.

I have become apathetic though. I have stopped signing petitions and I never write to my MP any more as nothing ever comes of it. I feel resentful that volunteers are relied upon to do complex jobs that should be paid too

Lemongrove it was still a promise on which organisations built their budgets, a promise we made and which others relied upon.
Look at the wastage if you want to talk of money spent through the pandemic . I'm not going into it as it has been covered. Jane Judge you are right. We could and should do better . We should surely be aiming high and not put up with low standards in government as in elsewhere. this is where lowering standards leads

It does annoy me when someone can sit in another country and criticise their homeland. You ask why we are not doing anything, well who is to say we are not. We are not a revelutionary nation. However you are unaware of grassroots. Things will change.

The OP posted her opinion on what the English news was given out , and mentioned the word France.
Most of the replies read like a pack of wolves attacking the OP and France, very few concentrate on the actual subject.

Callistemon

Dinahmo

GoldenAge I realise that I slightly misread your post.

Actually, a lot of you have said that you do care but you haven't said about what.

You totally misread Goldenage's post and turned it against her.

Well that makes a change doesn't it. Compared with the numbers of you have have misread my posts and turned them against me. All because I have criticised my home country from a few miles away.

JaneJudge

MayBee70, if people start listing things they'll get accused of virtue signaling

That's sad. I for one have picked up several excellent suggestions on GN how to improve things for others. Just because these caring actions take place within my own community doesn't mean they are any less valuable.
Being accused of being a Pollyanna or comments about wanting a medal are silly.

Chewbacca

I think OPs reading matter and choice of t.v. programmes feeds in to her confirmation bias.

What do you think my reading matter is? You don't know my choice of tv either apart from Channel 4 news.

lemongrove

Good post Maggs ??

Yes Ellianne you are correct, this thread is political.The OP won’t turn out to be a fan of the Conservative Party ( that’s putting it mildly am sure.) Starting a contentious thread about the ‘state’ of England and not the UK was the first clue.
Hardly worth bothering to debate this subject really, but heartening to see so many posts rebutting it.
As stated, the OP doesn’t know who does what to question or help in their own small way, from giving to charities, food banks to writing to MP’s. Am hoping Dinahmo does the same things in France.... when not cleaning the three bathrooms and weeding the massive garden.

My garden is not massive. The plot is quite large, but not by the standards of many people, of whatever nationality who live in France. Most of it is given over to wildlife and what is meadow is mown once a year. And, for your information, it cost 39,000 euros back in 2006/2007 when the exchange rate was very good. Compared with a plot of land I looked at in Suffolk (less than 1/3 acre which was eventually sold for £106,000) with overhead power lines coming from Sizewell in the next door field.

Believe me, many people do think about it and care but with all the things you mentioned, there's not a lot we can do as so few are not listening. It seems that the minority who are causing such chaos in our dear country, individual people as well as companies, are too selfish to think of the future. I dread it for my great grandchildren when they arrive.

Exactly Callistemon

Has the OP posted what she would do if they were residing in England?

Devongirl4

Did you eventually buy your council house?

If this question is aimed at me, I lived in the council house in the fifties. And nor did my parents.

I suppose the point is we should be striving to live in a good and fair country, we shouldn't accept that because another country is bad, everything is ok. It is a bit like the argument about free schools meals being compared to starving children in third world countries. The point is we are NOT a third world country, we should be doing better for the people who live here and we shouldn't be blaming people for being poor. People generally cannot help being poor.

It is too easy to blame 'people' and not look at probable causes and short and long term solutions

It is a bit like some of the comments about racism on this thread. We are not that racist not compared to <insert country of choice> That isn't the point, the point is we could and can try better. It wasn't a huge leap that the rhetoric around brexit and closing our borders would manifest itself into something bigger or something else , especially when you have dedicated organisations and their hooligan following.

JaneJudge

MayBee70, if people start listing things they'll get accused of virtue signaling

Quite right.
When I suggested that posters might like to support a small charity I've supported for years, I was shredded on here and told in no uncertain terms I was a virtue signaller.
I've never mentioned it or anything we do since.

I was under the impression that the reduction in Foreign Aid was a temporary measure?

westendgirl

I think that the point of outrage at cutting the Aid Budget was to do with the fact that the government had broken a promise. That is what Theresa May said so strongly in her speech.
It is pointless comparing what we have failed to deliver with what other countries do or did.
We reneged on a promise .That is what is unforgiveable.

After what it has cost this country in terms of money (Covid )
I think a cut to the level of what France is paying ( and has been paying) is reasonable.
The promise was made in ‘good times’.

Dinahmo

GoldenAge I realise that I slightly misread your post.

Actually, a lot of you have said that you do care but you haven't said about what.

You totally misread Goldenage's post and turned it against her.

Good comment by west end girl I mean.

Actually, a lot of you have said that you do care but you haven't said about what.

Today my house has 3 bedrooms and 3 bath/shower rooms. And at the same time there are tens of thousands of families living in sub standard housing. WHY?

Actions speak louder than words - could you offer a home to a family with a child or children who are at present living in a shanty town slum in Paris?

Good comment

Agree Gillycats... I too am English and proud of it.

I think that the point of outrage at cutting the Aid Budget was to do with the fact that the government had broken a promise. That is what Theresa May said so strongly in her speech.
It is pointless comparing what we have failed to deliver with what other countries do or did.
We reneged on a promise .That is what is unforgiveable.