Molly Coddle

No it's lovely where I live Chris, but 15 miles either way and it's a completely different story.
So are you actually saying that the majority of England, Britain even is OK, not in mess? Where abouts are you from, if you don't mind me asking?

Well, I'm well aware these 'issues' are world wide, except of course in the sticks.
I'm also aware that wherever I go in Australia won't be perfect but it also won't hurt me as much to see the problems in Australia, yes it will piss me off, yes I will vote for the person there who I think might make a difference. But it won't hurt me because I am not a born and bred Aussie.

My ancestors have lived in Northern England and Scotland since the beginning of records. I have traced them, ( well my parents have ) right back to the 16th century.
I have learnt what jobs/ trades some of them had, I have learnt what they have been through, how they dealt with it. Happy times, sad times. I have war records, diary's, all sorts to piece together who I am and where I have come from. I am very proud of my ancestors and what they achieved and did for this country, what they did for their family's. I am a proud person from what was once a proud country but is no more, and how anybody with two working eyes and ears can possibly deny that Britain is a cess pitt of a mess ( minus the Yorkshire Dales ) is beyond my reasoning.

chris955

Certainly from what we see yes the majority of the UK is definitely OK and not in a mess. Believe me I would not have bought my family here if it even remotely resembled what you describe. We live in Herefordshire, a beautiful county. Fortunately I dont see this country the way you do and I feel sorry that you do see it the way you do. There is an enormous amount to be proud of in this country. I fully understand you want to go somewhere else in the world that is fine but its a shame you will leave with such a jaundiced view of this country.

paulry

I'm sure life in the UK feels more reassuring with an Aussie passport in you and your family's back pockets

BadgeIsBack

I think Chris like many migrants has bought into a lifestyle.
I think the majority of people in the Uk live quite ordinary lives, neither on benefits or in luxury.

I think people have a tendency to confuse macroeconomics with the day to day lives of people...and use macroeconomics to politicise their grumbles.

I think it is easy for people to take the cost of living, which has risen in the Uk, a sense that things aren't quite what they were in some of the regions and bigger cities and paint a negative picture. I know that the prettiest parts of Herefordshire is not the Midlands.

bcworld

Because it's just your hyperbole laden opinion. Does the country have issues? Sure it does. Is it a 'cess pit of a mess' and 'finished'...not in my opinion.

Nor is anything like this true of Australia, but I could still find people making exaggerated statements about its demise like yours in the comments sections of trash media.

chris955

Absolutely, I can escape to paradise when it all goes tits up

chris955

The thing I find about Brits is they will make these throwaway comments without really thinking about just how accurate the comments are. In this instance of course the UK isnt a cesspit, it probably is for some individuals but that is true of individuals anywhere in the world in any country.
I have seen a couple of the Benefits Street shows, the thing that strikes me is that they complain about lack of money but somehow manage to buy cigarettes and beer. Most of them are their own worst enemies and are in no way representative of the average Brit or even the average welfare recipient.

Bud the Wiser

Most of these 'reality' documentaries, have to find the extremes to make them interesting. I wouldn't say the folks on 'Benefit Street' are typical of people on benefits, but areas such as this are quite common throughout many a run down area in the UK.
The council estate I grew up in, in the '60's & 70's you could come across one or two families that would fit in well with the programmes agenda. Going back to that same estate today and you'll find many, many more people of that ilk. What was once a thriving community of working class people has become colloquially known as a 'sink hole' estate.

How areas and streets like 'Benefit Street', got into that state, is a problem that needs addressing.

Lorna at Vicenza

What about the attitude of some of the people on the street though? I never grew up thinking it was my right to have anything and as for benefits in other countries ...... you want a kid? You pay for it. You want another one or two or three, pay for them. I get nothing in Italy compared to the UK, for my kids or myself. No free prescriptions, no free school books or school bus, no national health dentist or specs. No family benefit or job seeker's etc.

Molly Coddle

Chris

I am actually speaking from experience, my comments aren't ‘throwaway’, not one bit.

I’m not the type of person to slate my country of origin ‘just for the sake it’. It’s just not me. Nor am I the type to live in denial. I mean I know, ignorance is bliss, but the trouble with being blissfully ignorant is, it can only last for so long.

I have traveled the UK extensively over the past ten years, or so to all its little nooks and crannies, from North to South, East to West and so has my husband and we have both seen the dramatic changes to a lot of its towns and even some of its villages, including the village I was brought up in.

Yes I agree there are some fantastic places in Britain,of course there are and there are little bolt holes of loveliness still around, I live in one, so do you Chris and when you live in a nice, safe area, surrounded by friendly people, all living within a civilized society it’s sometimes hard to imagine life any other way. BUT. Unfortunately for a large chunk of Britain it’s a different story all together.

Towns that were once thriving , I don’t know, let’s say 8-10 years ago, are now run-down, shops bordered up, crime rate the highest it’s been, failing schools, teen pregnancies, muggings, murders, rapes, I’m sure you get the picture. Whilst these problems have always been around, they've been limited, that’s the difference here.
Things are getting worse; these problems are growing and going through into areas that once upon a time would have never been known to have them.


The Government have made significant mistakes in the past and letting far too many people into our small country is one of them. I don’t begrudge ANYONE the chance to a better life, a safer life but they has to be a limit, a cap. And there wasn't, there isn't.
There’s no going back now. No Government will announce to the immigrants in the UK that they have to move back to their country of birth, it just won’t happen, it wouldn't be in the Governments best interest to do so. Governments want to be popular, that’s why they tell lies, and tell people what they want to hear. And that is why the UK is in dire straits and will continue to get worse.

So yeah, I stand by exactly what I said before, the country is in a mess

Like it or not, agree with me or not, it’s a fact!

Molly Coddle

Yes it is my opinion, based on fact.

You are also entitled to your opinion and I don't have a problem with that.

If you think my statement was exaggerated, that's fine, that's your opinion.

If you read trash media, thats your choice and nothing to do with me.

chris955

Molly, its not fact it is your opinion. If many people including myself arent seeing all the horrors you are how can your view be fact?
I also travel all over the country and most of it most definitely isnt a mess. I really am sorry you see the country the way you do, its a shame.
You say crime rates the highest they have been, wrong, crime rates have been dropping for years.
The majority of the country is still wonderful, thats a fact

bcworld

No disagreement at all about run down towns. The country, in common with many others, is slowly emerging from a long drawn out recession...with regard to shops I did read the other day that:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-25709457

...although it will still take a long time for the high street to recover.

As far what you say about crime...which you claim as fact...I just see a classic case of 'in my day you could leave your front door open'!

Plenty of facts here:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukne...as-fallen.html

and here:

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2...level-32-years

Yes, yes...we know, the statistics are made up...whereas in the 'good old days' they were never massaged.

If crime is your determinant of cess pit then you might want to select a country other than Australia to move to as past threads have always dug out stats that suggest crime levels in the UK and Australia are very similar, with each outdoing the other in particular categories.

paulry

Looks like Iain Duncan Smith has plans to release them from their "slavery"

paulry

I wasn't lucky enough to live in a bolthole of loveliness like you and Molly. The place where I lived (in west London) was the overpopulated multicultural mess that Labour transformed it to. A big relief that I was able to take my family away from it but I feel sorry for those who have no choice but to grin and bear it.