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One word to describe the U.K.

(243 Posts)
Whitewavemark2 Wed 03-Jul-24 07:49:02

Newsnight last night a focus group bod “more in common” said that the word most used when asked to describe the U.K. it was

BROKEN

What is yours?

Mine would be broken.

Tuskanini Thu 04-Jul-24 11:44:31

Doing-pretty-well-considering.
For most of us, it’s mostly been shouting and numbers on a page. Are YOU hungry?

nemo3 Thu 04-Jul-24 11:49:15

Confused. Lots of good things here but we have a sector of troublemakers that want to divide all aspects of society unfortunately.

growstuff Thu 04-Jul-24 11:56:35

Baggs

Juicylucy

Sinking 😳

This literally true - due to isostatic rebound - in the south-east.

It's always good to have facts grin

Lilyflower Thu 04-Jul-24 12:03:03

Gorgeous!

4allweknow Thu 04-Jul-24 12:15:58

Notspaghetti
Would have to say I lived in Denmark and Netherlands and loved both. One very basic part of life I really noticed moving to UK was children's behaviour or rather adults attitude to children in that they don't seem to understand children have an effect on the community. In eg cafés, restaurants, outside play areas, children are left to run amuck at all hours. Very rarely saw young children ( under 12) outside after 7 pm as they were part of a family and as such they were inside being part of a family or at least accompanied by the family if outside. People worked hard there too, it isn't all peaches and cream. UK just seems to keep making excuses for those taking lack of responsibility and that goes for Scotland too where I now live.

sazz1 Thu 04-Jul-24 12:16:00

The UK has many good things that other countries don't have. France is heading for the far right and even babies pay to see a Dr.
USA cost son £100 for a simple mouth infection where its available over the counter here for approximately £8. Then there's the gun crime and schools being attacked.
South Africa never know if your child will come home from school or be shot, or car will be hijacked
Australia full of poisonous snakes and spiders
Most don't have a benefits system either
Our country has a lot of problems but we have a lot of good things too.
Seen the Smile train ads. It wouldn't happen here

pen50 Thu 04-Jul-24 12:16:00

I stand with the WONDERFUL's.

For all its faults, it's still a lot better than most of the alternatives.

Could do with better weather though.

LadyO Thu 04-Jul-24 12:20:00

Well said! Despite everything, I wouldn’t live anywhere else!

NotSpaghetti Thu 04-Jul-24 12:23:53

4allweknow I think we are a bit of an outlier in Europe regarding children and families.
😕

Witzend Thu 04-Jul-24 12:28:47

I for one would at least describe our voting system as highly civilised. No police with guns outside the polling station, nobody trying to intimidate you.
And a simple pencil cross on a piece of paper.

I fervently hope we never go over to electronic voting - hackers can get into anything nowadays, and I dare say will only get cleverer. I’m not altogether surprised that many Republicans thought their presidential election was rigged.

Diplomat Thu 04-Jul-24 12:30:33

Home. I love my country.

Milest0ne Thu 04-Jul-24 12:36:39

Grandmabatty

I no longer consider myself part of a UK. My country (Scotland) in the main part, voted to stay in Europe and were taken out against our wishes. Conservatives haven't been in power here for decades but we had to watch while horrible decisions were made which affected us. I wasn't a Scottish national voter. I voted to stay part of the union in the referendum, however the poor decisions and corrupt behaviour have made me change my mind. I'm not alone, I'm sure. There is no UK any more.

I have got a trowel. I will come and help you move Hadrian"s wall down to the M62 grin

Livey Thu 04-Jul-24 12:39:52

Beautiful

After 4 years in Spain, trust me, England is beautiful

Lyndie Thu 04-Jul-24 12:44:19

Overpopulated

marta74 Thu 04-Jul-24 12:45:01

I would say full up.

lilydily9 Thu 04-Jul-24 12:46:44

Battered!

Cocomac Thu 04-Jul-24 12:51:22

I would say “over populated” There are crowds everywhere and roads are so full of traffic.

Dillonsgranma Thu 04-Jul-24 12:54:18

Hopeless
Too many illegal immigrants here now. And far too many fat cats at the top everywhere too , which is why the nhs is broken 😢

Plunger Thu 04-Jul-24 12:59:50

Grandmabatty

I no longer consider myself part of a UK. My country (Scotland) in the main part, voted to stay in Europe and were taken out against our wishes. Conservatives haven't been in power here for decades but we had to watch while horrible decisions were made which affected us. I wasn't a Scottish national voter. I voted to stay part of the union in the referendum, however the poor decisions and corrupt behaviour have made me change my mind. I'm not alone, I'm sure. There is no UK any more.

Millions of voters today will not get the result they want be it Green, Reform, LD or even Tories. Get over it .

springishere Thu 04-Jul-24 13:09:20

Why are all the illegal immigrants so anxious to come then? I haven't noticed them trying to get into Kuwait, Russia or Iran.

Cateq Thu 04-Jul-24 13:17:38

Grandma Batty I have to disagree with your statement that the other parties are worse than the snp- they can’t even manage their own finances how on earth could the run the country. In my opinion the only thing the son is good for is wasting money, think ferries, the Queen Elizabeth University hospital, to name but 2.

Granto1 Thu 04-Jul-24 13:38:33

As a fellow Scot , who voted for Independence in 2014 , I agree.I lost faith in WM after Tony Blair(always a Labour voter until then ).I then voted Lib Dem in WM elections until they got into bed with the Tories. I am now an avid supporter of Scottish Independence, the UK is broken and does not represent me and my views whatsoever

Freya5 Thu 04-Jul-24 13:52:04

dragonfly46

NotSpaghetti

The UK may still be a good place to live, grandMattie.. but it's not the happiest!
Not according to the 2024 William Russell happiness report. This considers lots of evidence such as perceptions of the environment, friendliness, safety, and inclusion.

Here's the list of the top 20 in order:

Finland
Denmark
Iceland
Sweden
Israel
Netherlands
Norway
Luxembourg
Switzerland
Australia
New Zealand
Costa Rica
Kuwait
Austria
Canada
Belgium
Ireland
Czechia
Lithuania
United Kingdom

I second that. Living in the Netherlands was wonderful. The Dutch seem to have got their work/life balance much better than over here and they are intensely patriotic - they never run their country down as we do. I often wish I had been born Dutch.

Yes they are not ashamed to be patriotic, neither am I. My family, naturalised Dutch now, have no qualms about standing up for their culture and customs. Although they too are having their problems with people that won't integrate.

Freya5 Thu 04-Jul-24 13:53:58

Grandmabatty

I no longer consider myself part of a UK. My country (Scotland) in the main part, voted to stay in Europe and were taken out against our wishes. Conservatives haven't been in power here for decades but we had to watch while horrible decisions were made which affected us. I wasn't a Scottish national voter. I voted to stay part of the union in the referendum, however the poor decisions and corrupt behaviour have made me change my mind. I'm not alone, I'm sure. There is no UK any more.

You have obviously turned a blind eye to the shennigans of the SNP then.
Friends up in Glasgow, and their families, won't give them the time of day, let alone their vote.

Sakura4 Thu 04-Jul-24 13:54:45

I prefer the word TROUBLED to broken because that’s what I think we are.