Originally Posted by aries (Post 10954260)

I agree that no political party has done well for Britain in recent years.

It pains me to say this, but the longer I'm here and the more I see, hear and personally experience, the more I have to agree with my German friends that the greatness has gone out of Britain.

We were once the envy of the world with our industries, unfortunately we are now dragging along behind formerly backward nations.

We were at the forefront of the industrial revolution, we were innovative and wealthy, yet those days are history. I am shocked to see so many German cars on our roads, astonishingly in my area about 40%. I would like to see British cars, but many of their factories have closed.

We did well last year with the Olympic Games, and it gave us all pride that Britain was seen as being able to achieve such a spectacle, yet at the grass roots nothing much seems to have changed.

But this thread is about what makes Britain Great, so I mustn't dwell on the opposite :(

Originally Posted by Sally Redux (Post 10954268)

Germany's OK but it's not as much fun as Britain.

Originally Posted by Pistolpete2 (Post 10954410)

Were the Germans saying that Germany was better or simply that Britain had lost its former glory days?

Most certainly the Germans go about things very differently and it would be a matter of opinion as to whether that makes their nation greater than the UK. The concern is that overall the UK is back to being down at the bottom end of things in Europe with the Greeks, for example.

Enjoyed this when watching TV in the UK recently, which provides some food for thought:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvqVD3G0bZQ

Both husband and wife work for the BBC, the wife as a producer for the World Service, which might explain her aversion to potentially being confined to a life of house-work.

Originally Posted by Sally Redux (Post 10954415)

Probably, shouldn't this be in the thread about "Britain's as bad as they say"?

Originally Posted by Bud the Wiser (Post 10953880)

Not sure that makes Britain great, quite the opposite I'd say. Hard to say which party should be held in the most contempt.

Originally Posted by brissybee (Post 10953819)

I'm not sure that I would want to work for someone who gives an agency less than 12 hours notice to supply 50 new recruits. If I'm reading this right, it seems unreasonable to me. As for the six GBP per hour for over 18's to work up to 1 am... well, I wouldn't be big on that either.

Originally Posted by Pistolpete2 (Post 10954410)

Were the Germans saying that Germany was better or simply that Britain had lost its former glory days?

Most certainly the Germans go about things very differently and it would be a matter of opinion as to whether that makes their nation greater than the UK. The concern is that overall the UK is back to being down at the bottom end of things in Europe with the Greeks, for example.

Enjoyed this when watching TV in the UK recently, which provides some food for thought:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvqVD3G0bZQ

Both husband and wife work for the BBC, the wife as a producer for the World Service, which might explain her aversion to potentially being confined to a life of house-work.

Originally Posted by not2old (Post 10954471)

http://www.worcesternews.co.uk/news/..._applications/

It wasn't a whinge or moan I was adding to whats great

its great because even when there are jobs at minimum wages folks figure out very quickly that its not worth the hassle because the net net cash in hand is better being on welfare + adding other top up benefits ... that is whats 'great' about Britain.

I know for sure that as an OAP (on old age security pension only) that living in Great Britain I'd be better taken care of than I would living in Canada. That's whats great about it

Originally Posted by Sally Redux (Post 10955094)

Eccles cakes.

Pickled onions.

Originally Posted by robin1234 (Post 10955141)

Not on the same plate though ...