Little Britain - the state of England today

MerylStreep

MayBee70
By your own admittance you’ve hardly left the house for the past 14 months.
So perhaps you could tell us what practical help you have been to anyone /organisation/ charity.

Does letter writing etc not bring about social change? And we’re not actually just talking about what people have done over the past 14 months but throughout our lives. My neighbour is very old, partially sighted and suffering from Parkinson’s. We arrange shopping deliveries for her: I have been to her house fully masked etc to help her find things she’s lost occasionally. My daughter set up a covid support group for the local villages even though she admitted that, pre vaccine she was afraid of catching the virus. She wanted me to protect myself as much as possible. I’ve made a stand against racism having decided that not picking up on people’s racists comments is giving them carte blanche to continue saying such things. I think that, over the past 18 months the best thing most of us can do for the country as a whole has been to do everything possible to avoid catching the virus to protect the NHS and I’ve done that to the best of my ability.

Lilyflower

Anyone who takes their world view from the ultra biased Channel Four, and from overseas, to boot, is receiving a distorted view of a generally happy, successful and prosperous country.

I suggest the OP reads rather than watches the news, moreover, reads from a variety of perspectives and seeks out primary rather than secondary sources. A person doing this will quickly see that actual numbers,statistics, graphs and primary research are constantly distorted by single agenda opinion formers.

The British public is being ‘nudged’ to death by those who seek to push their own agenda.

In the country most citizens are able to see this for themselves which is why the last few elections and referenda have gone in the opposite direction from that which the media were pushing. Outside of the country there would be no chance a person could see for themselves the realities of daily life and the added blinkers of a biased media outlet would compound the distortion.

I would entreat every single person to keep themselves properly well informed, to eschew the emotive and rely on sense, not sensibility.

If you had read my OP thoroughly you would have realised that it was in response to the Channel 4 news that day.

Regarding the media, most of the newspapers were supporting the Tories, with a few honorable exceptions.

You have no idea what read or watch so kindly refrain from making personal comments.

lemongrove

‘Many of you are doing as much as you can but many aren’t’ you say Dinah ...Yet another angry remark.

You were obviously a Labour voter when you used to live in the UK and wish for another Labour government ( when all wrongs will be put right!) as you fondly imagine.

Look, it’s already been pointed out to you that any ills in society in the UK are certainly present in France where you currently live, yet you have chosen to become a French citizen.

The media have a lot to answer for and they concentrate on negatives. Life here in England ( and the rest of the UK!) is good generally, just as it’s good generally in France.

Before social media existed the electorate accepted that results at General Elections or referendums and just got on with it, now....not so much ( understatement of the year there.)
People are often permanently angry or upset or worried, by things they have no control over now.
Ask yourself this ( to everyone) did you get all riled up all the time over politics and the ills of society ( under any government) as you do now that you are old? It’s having so much time to watch news and brood on things that causes problems.We can all do some small good in the world by our acts, but the maxim ‘do your best and leave the rest’ is actually quite a good one.
No matter what some may say about the UK...it’s still a good and tolerant society and material things are much better generally as are attitudes, than at some mythical time past.

I am not a French citizen. I have never said I was. In fact at some point, possibly this thread, I have said that when some of our French friends asked if we were going for citizenship we told them no because we are British. So we are resident, with a carte de sejour which lasts for 10 years.

Please get your facts right.

Also I have not made any comments bout whether France is better or worse than England. I deliberately steered clear of that.

Finally, yes I have got extremely over politics. In fact when Mrs T mad a speech in which she said, amongst other things, "we are a grandmother" I was suffering from bronchitis and was so angry I had a sever asthma attack and had to go to hospital. I have got angry over politics since I was in my early 20s, although not often as angry as I am right now responding to some of the silly, personal comments on here.

Callistemon

Mamie

I am quite intrigued by the posters saying "you shouldn't criticise the UK if you don't live there", given that they quite often then seem to go on to criticise other countries.
Does that mean that only those us who lived somewhere for decades then moved away, can't say anything about a country we are not living in or does it apply to everybody? In which case I am not sure why people on here would post criticisms of France (for example), especially as the source often seems to be entirely based on UK media.
Can anyone enlighten me?

I don't think that is the point, though, Mamie.
We've got family living in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, America and France.
It's only the ones in France who seem to keep a foot in both camps, so to speak, a home in France and a flat here as do several posters on here.
So they don't seem properly settled in either country, and I wonder why.

I think also that the reason posters are answering as they are on here is:

I care about these things and yet I don't live in the UK at the moment. Why aren't you all caring about the wrongs? And, if you do, why aren't you doing something about it?

You can tell me that it's always been like this but I've been on this earth for 74 years and it's about times things changed.

It was based on one TV news report on the undoubtedly biased Channel 4.
It made assumptions about other posters and was, in fact, extremely rude. That is probably why posters became defensive.

Lot of people have homes in both countries. We don't. But remember the name of this forum - Gransnet - that's one reason why many do have 2 homes and/or move back - because of their GCs.

There are many people on other threads who ask whether they should move nearer to their children. Others are worried about their old age. I sometimes worry about Alzheimers. Did you know that when you develop that illness you can often lose your second language?

Whitewavemark2

Kandinsky

Makes you wonder why 1000’s of migrants risk their lives every year trying to enter this country from France.

And your point?

Why ask- we know what her point is- she has made it so often before.

Callimston 'It's only the ones in France who seem to keep a foot in both camps, so to speak, a home in France and a flat here as do several posters on here.
So they don't seem properly settled in either country, and I wonder why.''

Goodness, did you have the same geography teacher as Dominic Raab, perhaps?

Some people moved to France for the very reason they wanted to keep a foot in each camp. be close to family and grandchildren, and visit the country where they grew up, worked and loved... until they retired. And know they can jump in the car, a train or plane, to be home in a few hours if needed or desired.

Who would never ever xonsidered going to NZ or OZ, or even USA, for the very reason mentionned.

OK, as this is now Good Deed Bingo, I'm going to throw in: I mow my neighbour's lawns, even though she could pay someone to do it but won't because "they might have COVID". I collect same neighbour's prescriptions from the pharmacy because she doesnt drive and public transport "might have COVID". I put my neighbour's wheelie bins back for her (because she'd leave them out all bloody week if I didn't). I collect bread, twice a week, for 3 neighbours because none of them drive, they all think that COVID is on the bus and I'm going anyway.

First one to top that shouts I CLAIM GOOD DEED BINGO! and runs around waving a flag of their choice.

I forgot to add that I've contacted my local council - Independent/Labour controlled, to ask them to reconsider their plans to charge vulnerable people, and over 85 year olds who live alone, at least £260 a year for their alarm pendants and other telecare devices.

Perhaps you are on the wrong thread Chewb???

Nope

Well you people need to make up your mind what it is you want from us.
A list of good deeds, dignified silence, or a bloody good argument.

Kali2

Perhaps you are on the wrong thread Chewb???

If you had read the whole thread you would see that your wrong.

We need to educate more people

www.theguardian.com/science/2021/feb/22/people-with-extremist-views-less-able-to-do-complex-mental-tasks-research-suggests

Read the full thread Meryl? Good heaven's above, why? If they'd read the full thread they wouldn't be able to nip in, 3 days after the thread began, with an ever so amusing, smart arsed comment!

Ellianne '' I think if you are moving abroad you should be prepared to go the whole hog and not keep a home back at home. It's almost like you're hanging on to it as a possible future escape route let alone as an investment. ''

what an incredible statement! Surely it is about individual circumstances! It is totally possible to speak two languages fluently, and a few more too, and be totally integrated and knowledgeable about local conditions, laws, and all aspects of culture! And legally too, all above board.

Why is that 'worse' than those who do move lock, stock and barrel, and never integrate, stay part of a closed expat community, speaking English louder and louder, and having stuff delivered by vans from the UK (well, no longer thanks to B...) and having UK workers in white vans coming o work on the black and by-pass local artisans, etc.?

Many Brits have holiday homes abroad where they have no connections- why would it be wrong to keep a small place in the UK for regular visits and in case they ever need to return, for health reasons, or because widowed to be near children, etc, and not become a burden to the UK? Blimey!

I did breed cats many many yonks ago which the offspring must have kept many people company in recent times. Will that count?

mokryna

I did breed cats many many yonks ago which the offspring must have kept many people company in recent times. Will that count?

Not if it’s the British shorthair I had that wee’d and poo’d everywhere and exuded huge balls of fur everywhere she moved. And killed every bird that set foot in the garden.

Certainly does count mokryna! Counts as Services To The Community. Collect your flag of choice please!

Kali2

Perhaps you are on the wrong thread Chewb???

No, I don't think so.
Apparently everyone has to virtue signal and outdo each other.

Along the lines of 'What did you do in the war, Granny?'
Knitting socks is taboo as is the black market.

mokryna purrfect!

?? thank you merci thank you

Well I am glad my grandchildren will always know I thought all I can, and will continue to do so- to stop this stupid, destructive Brexit.

As for other good deeds- the list is so long, so I will keep quiet ;)

Chewbacca well done!
I don't mow anyone's lawns, not even my own
However, I do pay someone to mow ours so I am keeping the plebs in employment.

Kali2 IF as Chewbacca said you had entered this discussion 3 days ago, and IF you had read my comments, you would have understood that in my job in France I was responsible for resettling British families. This involved discussion of financial matters, employment, French law, the education of their children etc. That is why I said, I think if you are moving abroad you should be prepared to go the whole hog and not keep a home back at home. Meaning total commitment and total immersion. A clean break. Most young families I resettled would not be in a position to run a home in both countries, unless their work company were funding it.

MayBee70

mokryna

I did breed cats many many yonks ago which the offspring must have kept many people company in recent times. Will that count?

Not if it’s the British shorthair I had that wee’d and poo’d everywhere and exuded huge balls of fur everywhere she moved. And killed every bird that set foot in the garden.

Late 60s Lynx Point Siamese and short haired colour point. Lovely cats, they really talk to you and tell you off if some is not to their liking.

I always wanted a Siamese. I did have Burmese for many years though. We switched to Shorthairs as they had more road sense.