To think the UK has gone to hell in a handcart?

Conveniently forgetting the Spanish royal family - now there is a shit show!

And Monaco's!

If you voted Tory or did not vote at any time since and including 2010, you are part of the cause. For example, it's not as if Boris Johnson's behaviour was a surprise after all, he's been ill-treating women for at least 20 years.

I completely agree. The situation with Northern European royalty is simply not comparable. They are not feted as demigods or considered beyond reproach no matter what they do or how appallingly they behave. The Northern Europeans do not actually believe their royalty are "adorable everyday folk" or somehow exemplary human beings and their press does not continually brainwash its citizens to this end. Compound all of this with our RF's utterly obscene wealth, most of which was snatched, grabbed and stolen from Empire and the true amount of which will never be revealed to the British public.

Those things happen in all countries. To think it's unique to the UK is bizarrely insular.

The GLARING omission in your list OP IS the MEDIA.

Owned by billionaires, courted by politicians, they are hand in glove with the corruption.

They depend on the establishment talking to them to fill their papers, and the billionaires to advertise and keep them afloat. It is in their interests to support the establishment and vice versa.

Within this net of obligation and back scratching is the media's function to tell the masses what to think. And they are good at it. Most of mn is a determined by what the media tell posters to think.

And you really feel sorry for him do you?! He had to pay off the young man he groomed and I’m so pleased about that, he ruined any sort of career plans in tv the young man had.

Exactly. I hardly think a country is falling apart because of a loathsome little twerp like Philip Scofield. And Prince Andrew is hardly worth talking about (same goes for the rest of his ghastly, vulgar family). Most of the things you complain about are found all over the world. Corruption, greed and selfishness are universal. Do you really think it’s any different in Australia or Japan?

There is little interest in society or a safety net and support for those who need it most. Because these are people who have been fortunate enough, by virtue of accident of birth, to never face hardship.

And you see that attitude replicated on here nowadays all the time.
People who don’t know, or want to know, their neighbours, who only care about their “ little family”, who are heartless and often vicious about anyone needing benefits, or on a low wage. People who are maybe either comfortably retired or in their 30s, in good health, who don’t recognise that misfortune or ill health can happen to anyone.
I think that when you have leaders in politics and industry who are so blatant about their moral vacuity and disregard for human frailty then some people take that as the green light to behave the same way. Sadly without realising they are also seen as disposable by those in charge.
I barely recognise this country anymore.

OP, do you seriously think that sort of thing is unique to the UK?

Hi Boris.

I mean, look what the Spanish Prime Minister did to stay in power! Total hypocrisy.

Couldn't have put it better myself.

🍷

Similar stuff happen in all countries.

Northern European countries have Royal Familes though. The difference seems to be that they are far more scaled back, willing to change with the times and pledge allegiance to the people, rather than us being expected to pledge allegiance to them. That we have a 'National' anthem that is about the preservaion of one person is ridiculous!

I agree with your OP - accountability has been on a downward spiral over the last ten years.

I do feel this is the natural consequence of being governed by a cabinet largely made up of the independently wealthy.

There is little interest in society or a safety net and support for those who need it most. Because these are people who have been fortunate enough, by virtue of accident of birth, to never face hardship.

Wealth and status have shielded them. Privilege, elitism, an assumption that they have the right to lead - that’s their mantra.

They naturally lean towards others like them - tech billionaires, media moguls, the wealthy and powerful.

Make a donation - buy a peership - mould legislation to favour your shareholders - ensure pesky things like increased taxes for the uber wealthy, rent controls etc never see the light of day.

I don’t have faith however in the electorate. They’re easily distracted by migrant scare stories, ULEZ or whatever - while the Cabinet carry on unchallenged.

“ To carry on in quiet desperation is the English way”.
Pink Floyd.

It is. The establishment serves the rich and the right wing first and foremost. That includes the (increasingly desperate) preservation at all costs of the Royal Family.

Their response is always that they "complied with relevant tax laws"
Laws which are passed by the wealthy and Powerful in order to benefit the wealthy and Powerful, it's all about preserving existing structures of wealth and power.