Is the British Isles long past it's better days or not?
 

I have never met an American who did not enjoy visiting, being relocated to or stationed in the UK. Today I still hear conflicting opinions about life in general with regards to immigration, taxes, opportunity, the longterm economy etc and would like to hear your opinions.

Thanks

Re: Is the British Isles long past it's better days or not?
 

Having just moved from the UK, even though I'm only 21 I'm quite glad I left.

We were promised a referendum on the EU and we never got it.
We have an inept leader who we didn't vote for.
The ordinary man is fed up and voting for the disgusting BNP.
Expense FRAUD + THEFT, is widespread in government across most parties.
Criminals have more rights than ever before (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...er-heaven.html)
15% VAT was a complete waste of money + time in reality.
Bin collections every other week.
Just a few things that irritate me in the few months before I left!

On the flip side:
NHS has vastly improved over the past few years!

I'm too annoyed by the bad points to think of any good points now!

Re: Is the British Isles long past it's better days or not?
 

I’m not sure I understand why people get so worked up about this – it’s not like he came to power in a coup, or even violated any rules or laws to become PM, and I don’t remember anybody making a similar fuss when John Major first became PM without the electorate having any say in the matter.

Re: Is the British Isles long past it's better days or not?
 

That line confused me too..how the hell did he get in if nobody voted him in? Maybe not him, but obviously the 'majority'.

It's the same here though, when I hear my friends complaining about Obama now, I just smile and say "You voted him in"!:p

Re: Is the British Isles long past it's better days or not?
 

it's just the way our parliamentary system works - the leader of the majority party is the PM, and the parties themselves can have their own internal mechanisms to decide who gets to be the leader of that party. There's nothing nefarious about it.

Re: Is the British Isles long past it's better days or not?
 

It also works the other way. When people were complaining about Bush to me (in the UK) I would say (in all honesty of course) "I didn't vote for him.....";):D Either way at least he wasn't put in office without being elected....

Re: Is the British Isles long past it's better days or not?
 

If only you hadn't quoted the Daily Mail, you were on to a winner. :D

Re: Is the British Isles long past it's better days or not?
 

Very true :)

Re: Is the British Isles long past it's better days or not?
 

Personally, I love the UK and have no issues - but we live in a very nice area, which many are not lucky enough to do.

It's a beautiful country, lots of history and culture, excellent NHS (used it several times in past few years and each time been brilliant), proximity to Europe, my husband has a good job, we have freedom of speech, our local school is excellent (14 pupils in my daughter's class), my children can go to uni for vastly subsidised cost, it's safe (no experience of yobs or crime here), no dangerous weather, polite people, our children play safely out in the street, etc. And we still get our bins collected weekly!

We have a very nice life here and are only moving abroad for a few years because of hubby's job - certainly wouldn't want to live abroad forever but a big part of that is being very close to our families. But as I said we live in a very nice, fairly affluent area, and I'm sure that those in inner cities may feel very differently.

All in all though, a fab place to live and most people realise just how great it is when they move abroad and realise that everywhere has it's problems. The grass is rarely greener and anyway, the grass here is usually covering some very beautiful scenery. ;):D

Re: Is the British Isles long past it's better days or not?
 

Great to see a positive post about the UK :thumbsup:

Re: Is the British Isles long past it's better days or not?
 

I think the UK is good or bad, largely depending on where you live.. of course the yanks love it - they are only visiting in the majority of cases. And being a tourist is VERY different from actually living there.

Having just come back from a 2 week visit there, I am very pleased that it confirmed we made the right decision in moving to the US.

The town we used to live in, is filled with chavs and gangs of "yoof" on every street corner, and is a very intimidating place to be. It was a little like that before we left, but I didnt think it was as bad as I just saw it!

With the economy as it is, shops are shutting down everywhere, jobs are hard to come by, reposessions left right and centre, crappy government (although isn't it always?) etc etc.

On the other hand, it still has some beautiful contryside, culture and history unmatched by few other countries, and some pretty decent food! And clouds! I forgot how pretty they can be (esp when not black and leaking!)

In essence - remove / avoid the nasty towns and the chav/ yobs, and its a pretty nice country.

Re: Is the British Isles long past it's better days or not?
 

[QUOTE=Chrissywissy100;7836876]of course the yanks love it - they are only visiting in the majority of cases. And being a tourist is VERY different from actually living there.

Having just come back from a 2 week visit there, I am very pleased that it confirmed we made the right decision in moving to the US. QUOTE]

You wouldn't generalize that after reading most of the posts on the MMBTUK board, or from some of the Brits on here either;)

Re: Is the British Isles long past it's better days or not?
 

You'll find some on each side I think.
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showp...&postcount=173

Re: Is the British Isles long past it's better days or not?
 

Which in itself is fair enough as these are the conditions at the outset, but I disagree with how Mandelson has finagled his way back into public office completely unelected.

Re: Is the British Isles long past it's better days or not?
 

Poor old Gordon Brown....he will go down in history next year as the Prime Minister who never won a General Election, a PM who was a PM by default, you might say.....Tony's sidekick who stepped into a breach after Tony sailed off into a very lucrative sunset elsewhere. It's not strictly true that "nobody voted our Gordon in" - true enough the electorate at large didn't vote him into the office of Prime Minister - the Labour Party hierarchy did the job so he took the job, a job which he will be well and truly out of this time next year, with his freshly printed P45 in his hot little hand.