Little Britain - the state of England today

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? Because you are very priveliged? Maggiemaybe I can beat you, brought up four children in our 3 bedroom house with one bathroom that contains the only toilet. I didn't realise I was living in substandard housing, I thought it was a happy family home.

How many of you have only been able to access your GP (if you have one, as we did in times gone by, who knew oneself) by video calls or Zoom or whatever?

There's this virus called Covid19 doing the rounds. All health care situations have been doing as many consultations as possible by telephone and zoom. If you needed a face to face appointment you got one. You are actually denigrating all our GPs with this blanket criticism, which has nothing to do with privatisation which I would absolutely resist.

Of course there's plenty wrong in the UK today, and yes many care about the wrongs and many of us are doing what we can to help. We don't all trumpet it from the rooftops. The derogatory tagline Little Britainl Little England/er does nothing to help, and more likely does harm as it creates resentment.

Strange that some of the very people that disagree with the OP are the very same ones that support this government and the country it has created. As for the people trying to make this country a better place they do exist but they are swimming upstream. According to the news the majority of people in the U.K. agree with cutting overseas aid. It starts from the top and the top is corrupt and uncaring.imo

Surely there are plenty of expat sites where where people can bash Britain.

My sister has lived in Spain for forty years and it's always interesting to hear about the scandals, poor government and level of racism etc She still sees the UK as a model of good government in comparison despite regularly listening to British news. I read a couple of American newspapers and am often shocked by what is written about the UK, it's often very biased so I tend to take the views of people living abroad with a pinch of salt!
However, I think our current govt is morally bankrupt and inept but IMHO they are in power and able to behave as they do because there is weak opposition. Our FPTP democracy depends on there being a strong second party that challenges and holds the govt to account. We have not had that for years and we have increasingly polarised politics both within and outside the main parties. Interestingly this mirrors what is happening in other European countries and the USA. The problems that we have in the UK are not unique

One of the things I like about this country is freedom to speak.

MerylStreep

Surely there are plenty of expat sites where where people can bash Britain.

Angloinfo is a good one if anyone wants to dip into comments from ex pats living in France.
Lots of rose coloured spectacles regarding La Belle France, which in itself is a sarcastic tagline, as bad as Little Britain.

Mamardoit

Sorry I was mistaken about the channel 4 interview. This has move too far from the OP I admit that. But my views are as relevant as others who are equally as forceful. You are no shrinking violet yourself. That's good it's called debate.

No, no-ones every called me a shrinking violet. ?

Debate means speaking or writing, listening to other people's views and reviewing ones initial ideas based on that discussion.

We're not going to get far with a position that relies on calling ex-politicians failed PMs who can't keep it in their trousers.

Maybe take a look at what is happening in South Africa at the moment, shopping malls burnt to the ground, widespread looting, white folks dragged from their vehicles and whipped.

No mention on mainstream news that I have seen?

Thank you for your comment lemon. As I said earlier this country isn’t perfect by any means but I do get really frustrated with the people who continually criticise the UK when a lot of good work is being done by many people. People in the UK are also the most generous in their contributions to charities. You have only got to look at the generous amounts that are donated to Children in Need and other worthy causes. If you choose to live in another country how can you really know about what goes on here apart from reading often incorrect or exaggerated comments in the media.

I am often surprised that ex PM’s , MP’s and SPAD’s are somewhat sanctified ?

There words/statements applauded, hindsight is a very special gift.

The complaints being discussed here are timeless and universal. We recognise them all.
France itself lurches from crisis to crisis and has always had its own political turmoils. I am just wondering whether the OP has studied the writings of Rousseau and others to understand this? Or looked into the Algerian war.

I dont sanctify them, I am able to understand that people who I disagree with on many issues may have something worthwhile to say on a different issue.

Not sanctified. I don't trust Blair as far as I could throw him. And I basically thought Thatcher was the anti-Christ. But if anyone who used to be in government says something sensible, then I'll listen. Even if its Major.

BTW - South Africa was on the ITV news last night, I think. I certainly saw it somewhere.

Gwyneth

Thank you for your comment lemon. As I said earlier this country isn’t perfect by any means but I do get really frustrated with the people who continually criticise the UK when a lot of good work is being done by many people. People in the UK are also the most generous in their contributions to charities. You have only got to look at the generous amounts that are donated to Children in Need and other worthy causes. If you choose to live in another country how can you really know about what goes on here apart from reading often incorrect or exaggerated comments in the media.

The media has to have inflammatory headlines to sell copy/get people to subscribe on-line.

Some people only read the headlines, which in a lot of cases are totally mis-leading and have little to do with the actual article.

Some of the news programs content is little more than guesswork and yes I am going to use the much maligned word whataboutery

Yes there are many people doing wonderful things to help people in this country. Unfortunately there are also many people who think that "Boris is doing his best" and will continue to vote for him and his cohorts.

whataboutery

You mean like "France isn't any better" or "what about Greece?"

Alegrias1 I must have missed it, I was on granny duty and flipping through the internet to look for hobbies once I fully step back from the business next week.

(I cannot take Mr.Major seriously, due to an extended family connection several years ago)

Maybe it's an age thing, with things being better in the good old days. My mum used to say that things were better when she was young. I did say to her that one day these will be the good old days too.

Henning Wehn, famous German , on charities

“We don’t do charity in Germany. We pay taxes. Charity is a failure of governments’ responsibilities.”

Alegrias1

whataboutery

You mean like "France isn't any better" or "what about Greece?"

I haven’t posted that about France or Greece?

I just feel that in the not so distance past the news was just that news, not supposition and guess work on behalf of the editors to fill their allotted time.

Oh sorry Marmardoit I had't realised. Macron's comments were not broadcast here so I haven't seen it live, but from reading the transcript in French, I thought it differed quite a bit from what was reported in the UK?
Anyway, water under the bridge, didn't influence events here and countered in practice by the senior French politicians having AZ vaccines.
The refusal to accept our vaccination certificates is stopping many of us coming to see our families.
To answer my own question there is no clear explanation about why the certificates are not accepted. France accepts QR codes or paper versions.
Sorry to go off topic.

MayBee70

Strange that some of the very people that disagree with the OP are the very same ones that support this government and the country it has created. As for the people trying to make this country a better place they do exist but they are swimming upstream. According to the news the majority of people in the U.K. agree with cutting overseas aid. It starts from the top and the top is corrupt and uncaring.imo

Well observed, MayBee

It must be really annoying them that they can't trot out the standard response of 'If you don''t like it why don't you go and live somewhere else', because Dinahmoh already does...

It's very sad that people who voted for the government can detail all their caring credentials and not see that it is the government they voted for that is putting so much of the population into the situation where they need so much support. And that the government has no intention of improving things...

We're not going to get far with a position that relies on calling ex-politicians failed PMs who can't keep it in their trousers.

That's what most people would call the truth Alegrais1.

JM did fail because the great British voting public didn't re elect him. That's what happens PM get voted out or stabbed in the back by their own. We nearly got a different option recently of course but Boris survived.

And it is sad that so many powerful men can't keep it in their pants. Sorry if that offends anyone. Would love to stay and chat/debate more but I have stuff to do.

Something just occurred to me. When people leave other countries to live in another one it seems to be acceptable for them to still regard themselves as Irish or Scottish or Australian etc etc And still have a love for that country and take an interest in its well being and that of it’s inhabitants. Except for England where it seems to be case of, well, you left so it’s none of your business now.

Mamardoit

*We're not going to get far with a position that relies on calling ex-politicians failed PMs who can't keep it in their trousers.*

That's what most people would call the truth Alegrais1.

JM did fail because the great British voting public didn't re elect him. That's what happens PM get voted out or stabbed in the back by their own. We nearly got a different option recently of course but Boris survived.

And it is sad that so many powerful men can't keep it in their pants. Sorry if that offends anyone. Would love to stay and chat/debate more but I have stuff to do.

Boris has been PM for 19 months, Come back in a year or two and we can debate if he's "failed", by your metric.

Blair eventually resigned after 3 terms. Do you count him a success?

Glad to hear you're keeping busy.