If you left the UK where would you go?

[Maidenjourney]

Talking to OH today about the possibility of Reform winning the next election. He says he wants to leave the UK if that happens. I feel the same. We don’t have European passports. Where would you go?

How on earth do you vote out Reform, if people inclined to vote for other parties, leave?

You use your overseas vote, as I do.

Do you mind saying which area? What have been the challenges and what do you enjoy about it?

I'm going nowhere. This is my country and I'm staying put.

I really hope old Nige doesn't get in, 😬 but we'll have to roll with punches if he does.

This. ^ Many countries are already right-leaning, and even actually far right. People would be moving every 5 minutes if they were to country-hop everytime someone right-wing got in.

It’s not just about politics. It’s about so many other things too.

Wherever we go, a lot of our problems follow us because we are who we are. And nowhere is better or worse, just different.

We went to France, but the education didn't work for our kids. If trying it again, I'd choose New Zealand.

Do you have the right to work anywhere else or occupations that are in demand for places like Canada, NZ, Middle East? Do you speak any additional languages? Do you have the funds to relocate - it can be very expensive?

Not going to give the département, but roughly central SW.

Love
The people - everyone has time for you and they are so welcoming. No-one is rushing around trying to cover a huge mortgage, property is cheap here so there's time for more important things like human interaction. I love how everyone will say hello/goodbye to you in the doctors/cafe/vet etc. People want you to integrate and be part of the community,

If you need help, the village helps. They'll bring tractors, knowledge, support at the drop of a hat and want nothing in return.

Cheap housing. Beautiful homes (detached, stone, period features, plenty of land) well under €200k.

The health service is great. We're rural and an ambulance arrived within 10 minutes following a recent accident. No wait in A & E, straight through and seen by a Dr within minutes. Rapidly seen by specialist surgeon, admitted to ward (all rooms single en suite), then to theatre. Surgeon asked in A & E whether I had care at home and downstairs loo/shower. If not, rehab homes/carers would be provided. It's a world away from the NHS I worked in.

The scenery is beautiful, and so quiet. There is enough space, it doesn't feel overcrowded. Such a variety of scenery within a couple of hours.

There's no traffic jams, parking is often free and I've yet to see a traffic warden.

The summers are great, long and hot. Winters are cool and wet, less good!

Fresh food is the norm, it's easy to buy organic fruit and veg grown locally. I love the importance of food; if you're doing something, everyone stops at 12 and eats communally, often sharing what they have. I was at an event recently in a village hall, and when we stopped for lunch, someone working on the building joined us and ate with us. Love that.

Very low crime. We rarely lock up.

Dislike
Bureaucracy is paper heavy and slow. It's improving but not slick like the UK.

In rural areas, there's a shortage of work, and shops are empty in small towns. Dentists and GPs tend to be attracted to busier areas, so it can be difficult to find a GP or dentist .

Because it's such a large country, communities are more spread out and journeys to larger cities longer.

Lots of protests and strikes - might annoy some, doesn't bother me. Protests have changed things for the better in our area.

Smoking, so much smoking!

Our children are older so can't comment on education.

We have EU passports so theoretically could move to mainland Europe
Language wise it would be Germany, France or Spain, Italy at a push.

H could work internationally, realistically USA, as a temporary move for a couple of years, just for an experience, not sure due to age how easily we could permanently relocate. It’s possible but on the outside of possible.

With the upheaval and costs it would be worth looking at UK areas or even overseas territories perhaps if you want out of the UK. Where will depend on how much cash you have. I have scanned Jersey, it’s not cheap - but might be worth it. I have also scanned the Caribbean.

All you can do is look at the possible options you have, your age, skills, entry requirements, employment, language, lifestyle. See if anything sticks. Go in holiday and have look off the beaten track and then try a longer stay outside of the good weather months.

I think every country has their own problems which don't always get media attention. Australia for example is super expensive and they are going to have extreme climate challenges over the next few decades. Europe generally have the same social problems as the UK. All in all the grass is usually never greener.

Maybe, could you try do do something against Reform winning first?

• Read some works by Timothy Snyder (20 lessons and Road to unfreedom)

• Join a campaign for your preferred party

• Join a party

• Support communal life

I’ve read that digital nomads moving to countries such as Portugal are not always popular as it puts up property prices.
Personally I wouldn’t want to go somewhere which causes problems to the people of that country.

I'm from NI and have both British and Irish passports but we'd probably go back to Canada; DH is Canadian and I've lived there before. I prefer living here though. There are some things I miss about Canada - mostly the outdoors lifestyle/the mountains and scenery, and some shops and their opening hours - but I don't miss the 5+ months of snow/ice/minus double figure temperatures every year, and the absolutely astronomical cost of housing and halfway decent quality food. Distances are truly vast, there's no intercity train system like we have in Europe, and domestic flights are $$$ - there wasn't much price difference to fly from London to Toronto as from Vancouver to Toronto. The TV is pretty crap too, it's mostly American and every time I watched I think I saw more adverts for medication and lawyers than actual programming.

We did, we moved to France in 2021.

We bloody love it.

just to note NZ currently has a right wing govt, and some of their plans and policies make Reform look positively left wing.

I understand this perspective, but look what is happening in the US right now.

We are a mixed race family and (unless my elderly dad is still around and in need of care) we will probably leave if Reform gets elected.

Yes, I will feel bad about leaving innocent people who didn't vote for Reform behind, but I'm afraid I'm just not willing to stay and watch the shitshow unfold.

Back to Australia, we’re dual citizens so no problems.

New Zealand. My dh got offered a good job in new Zealand in our 20s . But we stayed in the UK for family reasons. We do slightly regret not moving.

I’m not sure if I could go anywhere since Brexit? Plus I’d get too homesick.

I’m in NI, so I’d probably just pop over the invisible border. Back in the real world, I wouldn’t go anywhere. Please don’t vote them in though. We get all the shit without any of the say.

PersephoneParlormaid · Today 13:55
I’m not sure if I could go anywhere since Brexit? Plus I’d get too homesick

This is the thing. Some people emigrate and it’s fine but a lot of people miss where they have lived all their lives too much. A friend of ours went off with a fanfare of trumpets to live in Australia and six months later she was back. Living there was not the same as the fabulous holidays she’d spent there.
Personally I’d find starting over with new bureaucracy, different laws, making new friends etc a lot to deal with - and that’s assuming I spoke the language.

We would go to Ireland... We are thinking of going to Ireland and half a plan is in place...

You can still vote if you live overseas.

italy 🇮🇹

@Romancingthestones My DH is from the same area - Central SW France. We don't live there (yet, anyway 😊), but your description of life there is exactly as per my experience when we visit his DPs. Sometimes I wonder how my OH survives living in a capital city! Life is so different. So much less materialistic too.