to think the UK is completely screwed?

[coocookachoo]

We have a crumbling NHS, a quickly sinking pound, huge amounts of people in part time, insecure, low paid work needing to be topped up with benefits just to survive, a Dickensian style housing crisis with the return of squalor and slum landlords, huge divergence between the rich and the poor, schools having their budgets cut by large amounts, councils not having enough money for social care, low interest rates which discourage saving and encourage dangerous speculation, banks more powerful than ever, politicians who ride roughshod over the electorate and whose motives seem to be mainly to line their own pockets, "culture" being watered down to mindless tv shows and inane celebrities...and before anyone blames Brexit, a lot of these problems have existed way before Brexit but will no doubt get even worse now...

[BlueHumbug]

We also have free healthcare at the point of sale, a low crime rate compared to other countries, welfare benefits, a better ability to level up our social class compared to other countries, and a banking system that pays the highest level of taxes compared to most banking systems in the world (HSBC is the single highest tax payer in the UK, between them the top banks account for 31.1 billion of UK tax receipts). We have relatively low corruption, we don't live in absolute poverty, and while our infrastructure isn't great it's still better than a lot of countries. Brexit won't destroy us, I'm confident of that. We're British.

[Katy07]

You're not being unreasonable to have those thoughts but it's not the end of the world just yet. Now get your stiff upper lip in place because we're British!

[VladmirsPoutine]

It's shit isn't it. But tbh I don't recall a time when it wasn't. Keep calm and carry on!

[KeyserSophie]

Kingdoms rise and wane. To be fair, the UK's had a good innings.

Also, remember that when Thatcher came to power her mandate was to oversee the "inevitable economic decline of the UK". Then the financial boom came, so you never know.

AI could save us.

[Otherpeoplesteens]

For years the UK - both government and individual private citizens - has lived beyond its means and has flat out refused to make difficult decisions on a whole range of things - housing, transport infrastructure, welfare funding etc.

The day of reckoning feels a lot closer now than it did even six months ago.

[PhilODox]

Did you live through any of the 20th century? Get a grip. Or leave. This is a free country, you're free to move almost anywhere you like, other nations are pretty accepting if UK citizens in the main.
Other issues will have far greater effects on our lives in the next 50 years than how we access healthcare, education, and housing.

[youdialwetile]

Donald, is that you?

[PhilODox]

Go on the guardian site, and search for the photos taken in slum housing in the sixties/seventies. People do not have those conditions today, not at all.

[fritillery]

YANBU. And the increasing and permanent issue of climate change won't exactly help.
I'm ashamed to be British at the moment. Thinking of the chaos caused globally by such a small country just over the past few years - war in Iraq and what it led on to, and Brexit and what IT has led on to, to name 2. There has been an incredible level of foolhardiness and irresponsibility.
Jingoism about being British has a big responsibility in all this. It allows much of the population to be led by the nose by the right wing press.
I also agree about celebrity culture - see where that has got the Americans (oh yes, we British also started that off with the original Apprentice).

[EnthusiasmIsDisturbed]

We are and will go through difficult times we have got used to low taxes and spending as a nation beyond our means. The growing gap between high earners and low earners has grown and this really needs to be tackled to create a fairer society.

But travel and if you live abroad you will soon see things are not so bad (and I don't mean to developing countries) but lots of room for improvement especially compared with to the Nordic countries but the have much smaller populations

Sadly neither Labour or the Tories will put forward a significant rise in taxes for fear of losing voters but it needs to be done while making sure those who are unable to pay more are protected

[Peregrina]

Yet, I think if a Govt did increase tax with the specific aim of increasing funding for the NHS it would not be unpopular.

[scaryteacher]

Fritillery iirc, Iraq was a U.S. led operation, not a UK one, and if you think Daesh would not have emerged anyway, you have rocks in your head. Brexit hasn't led on to anything as yet, as Article 50 hasn't been triggered.

I think the UK is pretty good compared to other countries, including the one I live in, apart from health care, and if the NHS wasn't regarded as such a sacred cow, that could be sorted out as well.

Unlike you, I am proud to be British, we have a lot going for us.

[OCSockOrphanage]

Life has never been perfect and never will be. There has never been a Golden Age, and if you are old enough to remember the 60s and 70s or have travelled in outside the cities in the developing world, then you will be thanking your lucky stars that you are fortunate enough to live in Europe or North America.

[IvorHughJarrs]

I think a lot is about perception. Life is more comfortable and secure for many of us now than it has ever been yet people read more, often in social media echo chambers, and whip themselves into a froth of negativity.

I'm not saying everything is perfect, I know it isn't, but it is not all doom and gloom either. Times have been worse before but most people were unaware and ignorance was bliss. We have to just keep putting one foot in front of the other to get through things and hope it works, which is exactly what people have always done

[starsorwater]

NHS over stretched because people living longer (due to having better health) and expecting much more than it was ever expected to do originally. Also huge amount of money wasted at management level which should be on the wards. But it's there, and we have it. We also have a generally unarmed police force, religious freedom, and can say what we like about the Government without someone knocking at the door in the night.
We are very very lucky, for many reasons. We have cleaning drinking water in the taps! And the sewage is treated. This still amazes me.

Lots going for us. Need to work harder.

[Servicesupportforall]

You need to get out more op.

Everyone born in the U.K. Has won life's lottery. You are incredibly lucky to live here.

[Mollyringworm]

What a negative mindset. I honestly can't think of any other country I'd rather live in. My poorest friend (a single mum of 2 dc's on benefits and no child maintenance) has a pedigree dog, enough food, heating, iPhone/pads, flat screen TV - none of which I begrudge her before you lot start.
I recently had to take one of my dc's to the hospital and everyone was brilliant. I was there (an injury that had to be glued together) for 4 hours but I felt that was perfectly justifiable and fine.
My only agreement would be that I hate the obsession with celeb culture - but that's hardly a new thing, celebrity has been around since records began (dick Turpin anyone)? Maybe that's not the best Example but ykwim

[Mollyringworm]

I think a lot is about perception. Life is more comfortable and secure for many of us now than it has ever been yet people read more, often in social media echo chambers, and whip themselves into a froth of negativity

Very well said!

[80schild]

Not perfect but far from diabolical. With the NHS - they will save your life if they need to and you won't pay a penny. No matter what government we have people complain because it is what we do as people. I agree about the work thing - it is outrageous that big companies have so much power and that they don't pay or treat people well. I am sure this happens in a lot of countries though.

[CitrusSun]

Laughing at PhilODox

[MLGs]

Chin up OP!

[EnthusiasmIsDisturbed]

Of course people are living in conditions they shouldn't be

But this was standard living for many many people in the 60/70's it wasn't below the poverty line and in the early 80's too

I think many people would pay higher taxes but once they start working out how much many won't be so keen if this wasn't an issue Labour would have increased taxes but it's not a vote winner

And we have to remember whereby really needs to be increased many people within that tax group are really struggling

[BarbarianMum]

The NHS will save your life unless you are one of the people who slips through the gaps in which case you'll get sicker and be more likely to die than is the case in many other countries. I'm a big fan of the NHS but if we all just took off our rose tinted specs we could probably improve it one hell of a lot.

I do think a "What could we do better?" attitude rather than a "God, aren't we great" one would benefit the UK more and I do think we are running on credit but overall things aren't so bad. But yes, we are on the same and rightly so.

[BarbarianMum]

On the wane

[Otherpeoplesteens]

To compare our lot with the Sixties and Seventies, or the developing world, kind of misses the point. With all the opportunities the UK has had since 1945 things - in Britain, in 2017 - should be so much better than they are now and the future should look so much rosier.