With All Due Respect...

The media back here in the UK has been rather busy stirring up the fervour of just about everyone. Yes, this is a relatively usual state of affairs, but they seem to be focusing on the fears of people even more during these difficult years that the UK's experienced. Doesn't really matter whether it's the Beeb, broadsheets, or The Daily Heil, there's constant stirring and negativity covering everything from being anti-establishment, immigration, EU, the welfare state, and anything else you care to mention. The top and bottom of society are seemingly attacked in equal measure at present. It's driving me nuts! I've actually stopped watching the news or reading any papers now. I skim online and try to see through the bias.

Looking forward to picking up The Australian and reading about a whole new set of issues and drama!

OzTennis

How is the way a country is ruled 'old crock' and 'not so important in the grand scheme of things'? Incidentally, one would hope all countries are run by people who have done well at school. The point is that it is possible for people to not go to the most expensive schools to do well and have talent and ideas but Cameron gives the impression of being in denial about that.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/poli...Eton-mess.html

OzTennis

You forgot to mention the daily photos of the Duchess of Cambridge (the only woman apart from Diana before her) to be pregnant.

With All Due Respect...

Ha, yeah, but she's fit! I quite like feeling like a voyeur checking out the future Queen! That's before she was pregnant, not that she's not still, but that seems all kinds of wrong. I'm digging myself a hole here so I'll shut my trap...

Zen10

This is an interesting observation - 2005 - 2008 no change, but 2008 - 2013 big change. The "austerity" thing kicked in 2010, so is this what you think is to blame for the change you saw? We're going back for the first time in many years over this winter (Australian winter) and I am intrigued. I have heard so many conflicting reports from people who have gone back and we get very different reports from family as well.

Zen10

Britain is a bit of a "nepotocracy" because of the small number of people who are channelled through the top colleges and universities. It got better during the reign of grammar schools, actually, because more people from an ordinary background got into Oxbridge - but the point is they still had to go through Oxbridge to rule!

i2avi

Left the UK in Nov 12 and went back lat month to tie up a few things...biggest change I saw was the number of pot holes on roads. Might be a good idea hiring a 4 x4

moneypenny20

Yes, I think it was down to the 'austerity' thing. St Albans, old stomping ground was a beautiful thriving city, commuterville but still a great feel and definitely affluent. Was horrified to see the main drag with about half the shops boarded up and the rest were pound shops/betting/Tesco Metro. It was really fricking depressing. Other end of the scale, five miles from StA, my old home town which is very affluent was wall to wall fancy gift shops/coffee houses/'classic' (ie shite) ladies dress shops. There was nothing useful. It was just as depressing but in a different way.

Also whilst I've always been convinced that the driving where I am now is vastly superior to the driving in my old neck of the woods, I have never been so damn scared driving on any roads as I was the other week.

I know I was there for a seriously depressing reason and it was cold and shit weather most of the time so that may have coloured my view a bit, I was still really saddened by the change. Only stayed in that area of Herts so no idea what everywhere is like but if St Albans has been hit like that, I can't imagine what other areas look and feel like.

Zen10

We'll be staying in pretty rural areas for much of the time, so we might not get a real taste of "austerity". My family in particular lives in the middle of nowhere. You could be in 2013 or 1913 and you wouldn't know it. We will have to go into towns though. Intrigued....... especially as we talk about returning for a bit. Will we still want to after our holiday?

BadgeIsBack

It's always been this way is what I am saying. It seems that the media have really gone to town - probably coincidental with the GFC of course.

There is lots of negative press in Australia but they haven't been beating themselves over the composition of the government - and where they went to school - but then it is a Labour govt and we all know Unions still play a important part in it.

BadgeIsBack

Agreed - but this has gone on for years. I hear you when you say the grammar schools were a good thing. Sensible point you've made before.

I think that there is a pretence that the UK is now classless etc - many people on this forum are at great pains to say that - but outside parts of the corporate world, it is still really where you went to school in many areas.

Zen10

Certainly in the public sector - government especially, FO, Civil Service, at least in terms of senior postings. They're not all monsters - I worked with many of these people, military and civilian, and while the civvies were mainly (only mainly, not all) arseholes the military were the most professional, decent people I have ever worked with, and many of them were Oxbridge set.

OzTennis

No, that's the point, it WAS changing; Thatcher and Major, last 2 Tory PM's, relatively humble backgrounds and state school education, it has regressed under Cameron (think Churchill/Asquith Eton/Oxbridge etc). For Ed Milliband to be close in the polls with a popularity rating Gillard would be proud of shows how much touch the Tories have lost with their heartland and why the UKIP surge is happening.

Almo

I think to some extent people see what they want to see when they go back to the UK. It sometimes feels as if people need to reassure themselves that they made the right choice in moving to Australia (and fair enough, I did too at first) and do that by looking for negatives everywhere in the UK. Equally there are people who see only the good because they hate Australia.

The UK has certainly changed in the last 10 years, as has Australia. OP, you have also changed in the last 10 years no doubt. If you want to go back for a holiday, do, but treat it as a holiday as much as possible. If you don't want to go back, don't.

BadgeIsBack

hmm...ok but MT was a reaction to the 70s and JM her successor...

Most of those prominent New Labour polticians were 'elite' too.

You could argue we returned to a old style Tory govt because people were sick of New Labour - nothing had changed after all, and nothing will change next time either.