+1

I'll second that.

I go away from this forum for periods of time because:
a) people don't stay on topic. If you love the UK, there's a thread for that. If you want to debate NHS, council tax, etc. etc., there are threads for that.
b) most threads deteriorate into petty squabbles that are reminiscent of arguments between young children.

I have read through this thread to see what people have posted related to "What makes Britain completely crap?" and it has been painful!

So here's what I came here to post:

- front yards concreted over, trees removed and people who build on flood plains and wonder why it floods
http://www.theguardian.com/environme...u-need-to-know
(Though my heart goes out to those on the levels, the massive peat fields and the 'sweet track' are a definite clue to the land. Climate change is a reality and it's only going to get worse. q.v. http://www.theguardian.com/environme...climate-change)
- wooden box backyards where the trend seems to be gravel with a few pavers
- overpriced housing
- ugly new builds
- lack of space around the house... claustrophobic
- rules, rules and more rules (particularly planning permission for alternative housing)
- prevalence of mainstream attitudes
- over development
- excessive immigration

Only my opinion.

My opinion, I like thread drift, it makes the conversations more interesting.

Housing, it's not all flood plains and claustrophobia. Plenty of green space in Britain, plenty of villages or islands where one can get some space if that is a priority.

Mainstream attitudes? What would they be??

Excessive immigration? I don't suppose that would include Brits who have immigrated to Canada would it?

NOT SURE WHAT HAS HAPPENED HERE - my quote of Shard has become Shard's in duplicate.

You should be able to edit it at this stage Pete

You mean my great pearls of wisdom are lost? Probably for the better!

Looks that way

Personally, I am always wary of anything in the Guardian, as it ceased being a newspaper quite a few years ago.
Much of the content is jointly written with whichever special interest group has chosen to sponsor it.

Personally, I am wholeheartedly in favour of immigration, emigration and even transmigration. I have real difficulty with anyone on an EXPAT forum who suggests otherwise.

For a different take on the value of immigration I suggest a quick read of the Duedil report evidencing that immigrants are twice as likely to establish new businesses as existing residents.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/b...udy-shows.html

Here is the report itself
http://www.creatingourjobs.org/

I looked, there were no pearls, just the quote...........

They were there and then I edited them and then they mysteriously disappeared. Not a problem.

Try again, i deleted the original cos it honestly only had the quote

My original comment went walkabout too. The comment that appears was my second attempt.

Exactly and the wrong type of immigration! Immigrants with no relation to the UK (no family etc),
And we all know what has come of this!

What has come of it?

All non-eu spouses of British citizens do not have the freedom to live in the uk with their British counterparts. Splitting families up even with kids.

We were planning to get married a few years ago in the uk on the marriage visa with the option of staying.
We postponed due to finances.
Now look what has happened!
We cannot enter or stay! !
If only we had known then