The current state of the UK...

The United Kingdom, the country of my birth, a place where I have spent a considerable amount of time, seems to be heading straight down the toilet.

What happened? I remember a time when things actually worked well, the trains ran on time, doctor appointments were easy to sort out, the pubs were jam packed, kids were playing outside lining up for the ice cream man and everyone had a fat wad of dough in their back pockets..

Now the place is crumbling before my very eyes. Britain is well and truly broken, but the big question is - what the hell are we to do about it? Are Reform UK really the answer? Sadly I think not. It's going to take a lot more than Del Boy (Farage) and 30p Lee to sort out the mess that has been left by the previous lot. And don't even get me started on 'Two-Tier Keir'.. Jesus wept!

I have also noticed an alarming trend when talking to fellow Brits about the current state of affairs, many of whom seem totally oblivious to just how bad things really are.. What's that old saying about bringing a pan full of cold water to a slow boil with a frog inside it? Apparently it wont leap out to save it's own skin.. Seems quite fitting here at the moment!

We are going back to before the Victorian age. Raw sewerage being pumped into our rivers/streams/lakes, Billions being wasted on the railway to no where. The NHS on its knees ,too many managers and not enough nurses. Bed blocking because there is no where for the patients to go because there is not enough community support. I was guilty of this with Yvonne when she was alive. No NHS Dentists or waiting lists for years. A political party who is determined to KILL pensioners or tax us to the hilt .Some hospitals give priority to Non English speaking patients because it costs a fortune for interpreters. Patients being discharged who are still not fit to free up beds because there are that many patients in/on chairs/beds in corridors waiting for beds. The list is endless

I agree, Peter. Something has to give. It's just a question of when..

And all because the country is not coping with the massive invasion of immigrants under a open doors immigration policy and a impression given to the many watching worldwide digital television in countries beyond Europe that the UK is a soft touch!

‘I have also noticed an alarming trend when talking to fellow Brits about the current state of affairs, many of whom seem totally oblivious to just how bad things really are..’

You mean they’re happy and pleased with their lives, as I am, without being dragged down to your level of negativity

This site has definitely taken over from ‘Moanbook’ for folk to have a good whinge

If yer unhappy living in this great country then get out!!

wigvet, you seem to fit my description of the frog in water to a T!

ah well, there's one born every minute..

and it ain't me who needs to get out.
I didn't come over illegally on a small boat.

I have all the necessary documents to prove who I am/where I am legally allowed to reside.

Then enjoy your life instead of preaching doom and gloom to all

I’m out for a pint up town later with a group of likeminded happy folk: your welcome to attend

Sorry wigvet, but a pint won't do me much good, only serve to dull my senses and lure me into a false sense of security whilst all around me is engulfed in flames..

Is that why you drink?

‘all around me is engulfed in flames.’

Your worse than I suspected; invitation withdrawn – enjoy your life, or try to!

If yer unhappy living in this great country then get out

Wigvet, it sounds like you're saying that we should keep quiet and say nothing about all the scrounging B Bs that are infesting this land, and yes I know we have our own home grown ones as well, so why keep letting more in?
Great country my arse.

Enjoy your pint wigvet I'll be round town tomorrow

Well said Brasstoff.

Supping in Grottsville....yo two need therapy.....open your eyes in grottsville...down and outs...dead legs and scroungers everywhere....enjoy your Great Country.

I think the incoming new Labour government under the leadership of our new Prime Minister, Kier Starmer, have put a 'downer' on everything, Kier Starmer in particular seems to have developed a weird personality, as though being in 'office' has gone to his head, I don't think he is connecting with the public in the same way that Tony Blair did, after his landslide election victory in 1997.

You can say that again, Tommy! Keir Stalin will eventually go down in history as one of the worst prime ministers in recent memory, perhaps even worse than Boris Johnson. Though Liz Truss will always hold the prestigious honor of being crowned worst PM of all time.

By christ she will take some beating that one!

I'm afraid I agree with cardyhills re the state of the country. All these politicians, liebour and tory really care about is the standing of the country in world affairs. They just want a pat on the back for leading climate change , heat pumps , wind and solar power electric vehicles, the list goes on and on. What they don't care about is how much it actually costs and that cost is given to the taxpayer to pay. We cause 2% of the worlds climate change and if all these goals were achieved wouldn't do anything to combat what Russia, USA, India and China pump into the atmosphere. Politicians can afford all this crap, but can someone on £11/hour minimum wage or a pensioner who if their earnings go above £12750 will start to pay income tax. Plus immigration.....nuff said.

Well said, frecky. It is a total shambles and I truly hope that the British people one day finally wake up in their droves to what is really going on!

I agree with all the comments about how bad our country is at present, for me the biggest problem is there are too many people here,and easily the worst are the ones in rubber boats,they just take and take,and give nothing,and most are Muslims,give them nothing and that should stop most from coming.

what pis#es me off ,is we pay to keep them here in 4 star hotels,give em money.while they feel justified to abuse our children,and hurt us in so many way's......and we pay for the privledge....madness innit

Wigvet,I wish I had your optimism.

Wigvet, will be up town tomorrow for my usual Saturday of enjoyment. Pubs bookies and dinner. Been doing the same for forty years and will do so as long as I can. Good old Rule Brittania!

And my Wife and I will still go on with our better lifestyle than what our parents, grandparents ever had in the past irrespective of what party is in power.

In the fifties, a then Prime Minster said "You have never had it so good" and that was at a time when you could not afford your own house, a car, holiday, latest technolgy, smart phone contracts, expensive season tickets etc. etc

He should have been around today to see all the moaning about hardship and poverty in spite of having the most lucrative benefit system for people to live on!

Lots of people today can't afford there own house, car or a holiday.
As for affording latest technolgy, pc's smart phone etc, they wern't even invented!
And yes, there were social benefits available in the 50's. But, there weren't as many foodbanks as there are today

Thank the trade union movement for that OC

Whilst reading your report on the state of the country (cardyhills ) of which i'm in total agreement with 90% of what you say , but i honestly consider your remark about the current P.M . to be very childish. I did enjoy your comment's though what i belief you had obviously forgot to mention that if you cared to go back to prior 2010 , One only has to lookinto some facts ie of which i will supply to you , as follows ;
The N.H.S. there was under one million waiting for treatment (fact)
The Railways were running (Fact)
The Schools were not in a state of collapse (fact)
The Doctor's were NOT striking(fact)
One could see /book a dental Appointment (fact)
One could see a Doctor quite easily (fact)
The next was important also the Economy was booming before the GLOBAL COLLAPSE started in the USA ,(fact )
So i belief you will excuse me for reminding you and a lot of your COHORTS on this site before you at the very least give someone the chance before one starts labelling them A STALINIST!
I will also tell you that i am a supporter of LABOUR and having said that i am utterly DISGUSTED in what they did announcing the winter fuel fiasco , i would have first liked them to take the money from the MEGA RICH they are the one's that can afford to contribute more ! But as i say i will at the very least give them a fair crack of the whip before hanging them ,especially waiting 14 VERY LONG AND DISASTEROUS YEARS UNDER THE LAST REGIME!
One last item before it's thrown at me ,and that's about the "Gifts " There has been a hell of a lot printed about this and that getting gifts , WELL ONE looks to the paper this Saturday morning and there beaming like 2 CHESHIRE CATS ARE THE EX P.M. DAVID CAMERON & WIFY REVEALING THAT WHILS IN OFFICE THEY TOO ACCEPTED MANY,MANY "GIFTS " so read into that what youlke ,CARDYHILLS . YOU HAVE A NICE DAY!
G.B.

Cheshirecat

There are a increasing number of food banks because of the inceasing number of people who are content to live on todays benefit system with its many perks rather than work for a living with many even having a non taxable sideline to supplement the benefits.

Why work for a living when the state, cheap foreign labour and do gooders can proivide them with everything in their lives!

If you had all voted for Nigel....you wouldn't be having this conversation....he will be this disgrace of a country's Saviour....

Golden Bear

All those things which you have listed as being or becoming better under the Tony Blair government, was thrown away by letting 10 million EU and other citizens into the country from 2004 onwards.

As regards 'food banks'the reason for those is that women today do not know how to run a home, because in the 1950s and 60s at school, the girls did 'Home Economics' classes, they learned how to run a home, and take cooking for an example, a large part of cooking back then was 'Preparation' preparing fresh vegetables, and seeking out the best cuts of meat to suit the household budget, making bread in the large bread bowl, and letting the yeast make the bread rise by putting it a the side of the fireplace to keep it warm, and keeping it moist with a wet towel over it, before knocking it back and starting the baking process.

Wash day on a Monday was with hot water coming from the 'Copper' over the fire, and washing the household linens and fabrics in a dolly tub with a washing board, how much electric and gas did that cost ?

But now,,, and I have seen it for years, single parents on benefits who with their hands, they can't cook, can't wash clothes, can't bring kids up, I have seen what is in their shopping, and I have mentioned this before, they buy 'convenience foods' such as oven chips and a tin of beans and sausage, and that is for Sunday lunch, and they cannot even be arsed in buying the cheaper home brand oven chips, they will buy McCain Oven Chips and Heinz Beans and Sausage, expensive stuff, and Warburtons bread, instead of getting the home brand and much cheaper alternative.

So Golden Bear, that is the problem with this country, it is the 'Convenience' society in which we now live in which is causing the problems, when people who have hit hard times and they don't have much money, they should learn how to be 'Poor' not the just rely on the generosity of others from Foodbank's.

Tommy Two Stroke

What you have said about girls no longer learning to cook and how to look after a house while at school in the past also applies to boys who are no longer teached practical skills like woodwork, metalwork etc to help them in everyday life.

The result being a nation of schoolchildren now only learning to use a computor and not wanting to do any job with involves any manual work attached and living on takeaways rather than cook a meal.

Some truth in that OC