To think that there is no hope here?

I'm sorry, but let's be honest, when people want to go for a holiday where they know they are going to get great weather the UK is hardly top on the list. People go to the UK for lots of reasons, but the weather is not one of them. However, you keep deluding yourself .....

It's incredible how disconnected he is from most of the people of this country. Standing making portentous announcements about involving himself in another foreign conflict that doesn't and never will affect the majority here. And actually what we want to hear from him is something relevant, useful and good that will make the lives of the people of the UK better. But no. He knows he won't win there so he's going to carry on swanning about on the world do-gooder stage making things worse on an international basis as well as at home.

This I don't get ..why is he getting involved in their business..he will only make things worse for them .he is PM of UK .he needs to sort out the shit show at his feet ,not medal in matters he has no control over ..it's just a distraction technique.trying to make himself seem more important than he is , especially after the telling of from trump

So true. But Starmer is moving on to interfering in Gaza now. Which is so relevant and helpful to the issues facing most people in the UK.

No. I just wondered why you were commenting. Thank you for your negative comments about the UK weather which I think we all enjoyed. Lovely that NZ is so nice. You should start a thread about it.

Spot on.

Well if everyone wants a free lunch and is sitting at home making excuses, that must also include you.

Of course it’s inflammatory to say things like that because it’s a sweeping generalisation - not everyone is sitting at home expecting a free lunch. The benefits system - or handouts as you like to call it - is there to support those who can’t support themselves, whether they’ve fallen on hard tines temporarily or become longer term and sometimes permanently sick or disabled. Yes, some take advantage - that’s inevitable in any system. But the overall numbers don’t accurately reflect the cheats. Fraud and error is low, but people like to inflate the numbers to suit their own narrative - usually because they don’t fully understand how the system is supposed to work, or the different ways in which benefits are meant to support.

In just 12 months, I think that Labour have done a stellar job of ‘fucking over the UK’, as you so eloquently phrased it.

The poster didn't suggest that, just that perspective is needed given how comprehensively the Tories fucked over the UK. It takes a long time to turn an oil tanker round.

Don’t let the door hit you on your way out!

Following your logic.

How long would you like us to give Labour - 14 years?

Oh well, I guess we all have differing views on what makes 'terrific weather', but it wouldn't suit me at all.

yeah because some random on the internet really knows what I know.

Actually I agree the UK does have 'terrific weather'. We have some problems with gales and floods, but where doesn't! We have very few days of extreme heat and in winter we don't get the extreme cold that hits parts of Europe and North America.

I live in NZ, I'm not from the UK.

Because I was a bit bored last evening so scrolled through a few MN threads - is that a satisfactory answer, or am I supposed to submit a request to view threads?

Your use of "literally" and "everyone" shows you know zero.

Unless small businesses prosper, the whole economy suffers because across the whole country more people work in SMEs than anywhere else. Our business is tiny (six people with FT jobs, not on minimum wage rates). Small business collectively is the productive part of the economy.

Unraveling again. When SMEs are hit, borrowing up and more taxes on the horizon in autumn. If that’s what Labour wanted why say the last budget was the only time they’d do it.

Can I be nosy and ask where you live, is there a thriving expat community and are you part of it, and is there anything you miss about the UK? Just being nosy/interested!

For me, the choice would probably be probably Portugal. I already speak quite decent basic Spanish/Gallego, which are quite similar linguistically. The income tax rate for pensioners is about 10% of income. There's no inheritance tax. Property is not astronomically expensive. But we won't move, because DH already has complex cardiac issues and I really don't want to have to explain his 20-year old medical history in a foreign language when the next crisis happens. It will happen. But there are also a lot of areas of the UK where I also do not want the next critical incident to happen.

People see it as inflammatory, but this country literally is one of beggars and handout takers. Everyone wants a free lunch and sit at home making excuses. It’s just the truth, the numbers say so.

Yanbu. I'm not a high earner like you but I understand why the government can't just keep taxing more and more. They need to make spending cuts.

Their policies are counter productive to the good of the economy and the country. As seen by the economy tanking, schools closing, farmers committing suicide, and a rise in illegal immigration (for example). Something's certainly unravelling and perhaps a bit faster than anyone anticipated...