To wonder what the good points of living in the UK are?

[waddlecakes]

If you were selling it abroad as a country people should live in, what would you say are the things you love the most about it?

There are some nice tourist attractions and lots of history. Good tea. The full breakfasts are good.

Country/beach walks, close to lots of weekend breaks all over Europe, Historical buildings, great holiday allowance, NHS, Parks all over the place. Friendly people.

Human rights. NHS. Welfare provision generally. Mild climate. Education. Largely tolerant civil society.

(Although, with all the above, I will always be arguing to cherish and deepen what we have.)

An (Irish expat) friend once did a presentation about Ireland entitled 'A tourist's dream, a resident's nightmare'. You could probably say that about a lot of countries, but the UK definitely.

I imagine it's quite a nice place to live in if you're reasonably wealthy and can afford a gorgeous converted barn somewhere near the coast. Otherwise I'm not so sure I'd be able to convince someone in all good conscience to live in the UK.

not sure we should be selling it as a place to live in, we're pretty full as it is!

good points: democracy, racism a crime, sex discrimination a crime, utter freedom of speech as long it is isn't hate crime, wonderful countryside, years of history, free advert-free TV, the NHS, drinkable tap water, never too hot or too cold, lots of culture, good mix of peoples, not insular etc etc.

and not too far up our own arses as a nation. :-)

I'd agree with the comment above about it being a bit of a challenge to live in but a lovely place to holiday! I think the BBC series Coast contains a lot of what I love about the UK. I love...

Norfolk (biased resident!) - big skies, the Broads, beautiful beaches, poppies and golden fields
Derbyshire - stunning scenery, Chatsworth!
All the beautiful stately homes, castles, churches, old architecture etc

In fact I'm not bothered about never going abroad as there's so many brilliant places I'd loke to visit in the UK.

I know it's soppy and sentimental but that speech in Love Actually about the good bits of Britain makes me think proud thoughts, but it's all about our culture/ethos rather than living here!

Freedom
Democracy
Equality
Diversity
1st world nation
Culture
Climate
Low tax rate
NHS?
Transport and road network
Good water and sewage network
Scenery
Humour
Residual good manners
Opportunity
Education

Australian driens tell me the uk is better for dog walking...lots of public footpaths etc...not earth shattering but not something I had ever considered before.

Good location - Europe only an hour away. Not like America or Australia where you have to fly across oceans to get anywhere.

Size - not too big, most of the major cities can be reached within 6 hours.

Diversity - you are likely to find products and people from your home country.

Culture and history - lots of well known places to visit like Buck house and Stonehenge. Something for everyone in London (I'm sure other places are great too, but London is what I know).

I lived abroad for several years but the UK will always be my favourite place. I like: the NHS, polite people (we say please; many cultures don't) very few weather extremes, we're pretty non confrontational which I like, the countryside is lovely, we think all the ills of the world can be solved by a cup of tea, we know how to queue, we generally get on with it and aren't afraid (like after a terrorist attack we get straight back on the train/bus the next day) and finally we love to talk about the weather. No need to struggle to make conversation in the UK!

Freedom of speech.

Not many other countries would allow HIGNFY on their national TV.

We are amazingly lucky to live in the UK.

Yeah, what married said!

Very tolerant, loads of things to do and see, excellent education and health care, fantastic arts/ culture/ comedy, good food available. Weather tolerable.

Hmmn. You get English language newspapers the day they're published?

And a lot of the farmland is very good quality and the climate favours crop growth where it hasn't been ruined by high population density and identikit new build housing estates

I don't have to lock my door during the day. I probably don't have to lock it at night, but I do.

My husband laughs when I say I'm scared to go and lock the chickens up in the dark, because we live in such a safe place.

I don't even have to lock my car.

There are people who live in countries where even the safest areas are dangerous.

York

Lots of different accents. Fry ups. Festivals/concerts.
Mr Tumble - better than the Wiggles.
Native ponies.
Newspapers.

friendly people and social life style

This is because I have had a few customers recently telling me how unfriendly and un social there won countries are compared to here in the midlands. One expat also struggled with the lack of friendship in a new county, they were going to dinner and out for drinks but found it very hard work to make a friendship in the same way as here in the UK.

I love the country side we have which is so green and numerous beauty spots crammed into a small island. The amount of theatre and arts within a short distance.

We have a lot cramped into a short distance

No guns.
BBC.
NHS.
Very rare extremes of temperature. No hurricanes or earthquakes.

Clean tap water.
Free education.
Decent chocolate.
Roads aren't too bad.
Very little bribery / corruption in day to day life. (I'm sure it's there somewhere but not to the extent of some other countries).
Amazing history / beautiful countryside and coastline.

A free press, the BBC which isn't strangled by sponsors and ratings and can still make quality TV which might only appeal to a minority, the sea surrounding us, and the fact that we're a nation of sarky bastards who love taking the piss out of ourselves.