What do people think will make Britain great again?

[Logiclady94]

I keep coming back to this thought and I wondered what other people thought so I decided to ask the wonderful people on mumsnet for their opinions. I was reading that more jobs were lost, people are being told to return to work to save the economy, coronavirus means that people still don’t feel comfortable doing that, work/life balance needs sorting, income and taxes need rectifying. Not an opinion but you see a lot of the richer need punishing, house prices are ridiculous..

So my wondering is what are people’s thoughts genuine thoughts about what they would change with this country?

It is Great. It's a reference to the island. It's Geography and fuck all to do with the ridiculous little country that tried to take over the world.

Great Britain is known as 'Great' because it is the largest island in the British Isles, and houses the countries of England, Scotland and Wales within its shores.
www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofBritain/The-UK-Great-Britain-Whats-the-Difference/#:~:text=Great%20Britain%20is%20not%20a,and%20Wales%20within%20its%20shores.

Making Britain great again is different though.

@ilovecranberries

Your comment makes me so angry. I lived with one of those British council supposed geniuses - he was a complete fraud who got the scholarship. He was also a horrible, incredibly sexist man.

Why is one person with access to a good education and contacts preferable to someone who was failed by the school? Because it is easier. But not the solution - hence Brexit.

To rub peoples noses in their lack of attainment is a cheap, crass thing to do. As bad as fetishing geniuses from the global south.

@Mimishimi

Yes, I know about the Nazis and the Holocaust , I just wondered what point you were trying to make when we are talking about GB.

Any drive to clean up has to start at the top. I look at the Royal Family and government and see tax dodgers, friendships with criminals and paedophiles alongside acres of white male privilege. Do I respect or admire ? No I don't. Why should I?

@serenada

Not sure what you mean about living with one with those geniuses because it is not something that the British Council has ever done before.
The lack of educational attainment in the 21st century Britain is almost always a choice. Forgive my ignorant views, must be because I am from the "global south".

@Nottherealslimshady

I dont think Britain was ever great. Nor was America. I'd rather live now than 50 years ago, when girls left school at 14 to work in dangerous factory and get married to a man who was the default boss of the household.

They most certainly didn’t. I left school 49 years ago as it happens when school leaving age was 16. Hardly anyone worked in a factory, dangerous or otherwise.

My generation, ie the one who left school around 50 years ago, are second wave feminists. We’re the ones who achieved equal pay (in theory), maternity leave and pay, increased availability of childcare, access to mortgages and credit cards and many more of the benefits women of later generations take completely for granted.

Not a single woman of my acquaintance defers to her partner as “head of the house”. We all worked full time, many of us in senior roles, and juggled our careers and raising our families.

'Great Britain' is probably the most corrupt place on earth .
Last time I said that a poster got really upset with me and asked if I had ever 'been out of the country' which was a deeply weird middle class response. She piped down on that one when I said. ..'yes..many times'.
Then she started on about south American dictatorships and political opponents being thrown out of windows etc and how 'we' were better than that....
Totally deluded. Better practiced perhaps.
A lot if the corruption is down to 'the City'.

There are issues in the UK but it is along way from being the most corrupt country on earth.

It's debatable. I am talking about financial corruption and 'the City'.
Saviano says so...and that's good enough for me as if anyone has done their research into corruption it's him.

Rejoining the EU would be a good start.

As would abandoning all pretensions of "greatness". We need to accept that we are a small nation with little power in the global arena.

A more proactive approach to climate change and significant investment in the green economy/green jobs.

Much more investment in education, and a heavy focus on addressing social inequalities in the early years. I fundamentally disagree with your approach to education, OP, and think that the arts and humanities should be taught to all, it's the mark of a civilised society. However, I don't disagree with the proposal to invest more into the teaching of practical life skills as well.

A series of proactive, evidence-based policies to address the massive inequalities that persist in our society, whether related to sex, race, disability, sexuality or social class.

Proper investment in health and social care. A more proactive public health strategy which focuses on actively promoting good mental and physical health, and prevention rather than cure. And a less xenophobic immigration policy that recognises the huge contributions that immigrant labour makes to these sectors.

Significant investment in local communities and projects that reduce social isolation and marginalisation.

Financial incentives for companies that promote employee wellbeing and work-life balance effectively.

Higher taxes to pay for all of the above.

And a culture which genuinely values diversity, promotes respect for others and encourage hard work and aspiration.

The ‘Great’ in Britain is or was originally a geographic term not a boast or value judgement. It is the largest island in the British Isles. Like the Great War meaning a huge conflict or Great Lingford being a bigger place than Lingford Minor.

Do people really not understand this?

@Abraid2

The ‘Great’ in Britain is or was originally a geographic term not a boast or value judgement. It is the largest island in the British Isles. Like the Great War meaning a huge conflict or Great Lingford being a bigger place than Lingford Minor.

Do people really not understand this?

Great Britain is already Great geographically. You can't make it great again as it is still Great, geographically. However, "how to make Britain/America great again" holds a different meaning.

The ‘Great’ in GB never did mean wonderful, brilliant, etc.

It’s the same meaning as in ‘Greater London’, I.e. larger, more extensive.,

I do wish more people could understand that.

When do you think Britain was "great"? When it had an Empire? During the industrial revolutio when the working classes were huddled in substandard housing and 8 year olds were working in mills? As other posters have said "great" refers to the union, as in greater London/ Manchester etc. It's geographical not qualitative.

Proportional representation. A living wage. More council housing. Better green policies. Cycle lanes. Better public transport. Stop punishing people if they are finding it hard to find a job. Bringing in tertiary education that works well for skilled trades training. Cheaper care for preschoolers.

Was Britain ever 'great'?

The term 'great' is geographical, nothing to do with 'greatness'.

As for the goady question, designed to get the usual onto their soap-boxes, it has been asked for 80 years, you're not being as clever as you like to think!

Scientifically literate leaders might help.

Voting out this govt and implementing a new economic model that includes more public ownership, massive house building and a Green New Deal. I am a leftie! The gap between the poorest and most rich is v wide in this country as is regional difference, both need addressing.

For all the people saying “Great Britain is just a geographical designation, you are being disingenuous.

That is it’s primary meaning but the Great thing is something many politicians have riffed on for political gain.

There’s definitely a strand of this among Brexiteers; “making Britain Great again” etc. The likes of BoJo and Farage have tapped into this.

AlexaShutUp alot of your solutions are sort of already being done, but if people won't exercise regularly, do things for their mental wellbeing ...... Social inequalities in early years is largely due to bad parenting, or parents not having time.
'And a culture which genuinely values diversity, promotes respect for others and encourage hard work and aspiration" - what is this? so much is being taught in schools now, public media is promoting multi culturism, How can this be done, if everyone is in their own bubble of their choice of social media how do you promote this stuff.
Social isolation - a lot is being done already imv.
Perhaps people's expectations of this fun-filled, exciting life which requires no effort on their part is the problem.
Or perhaps its seeing apparently funfilled, exciting lives on media which is the problem.
So much of this stuff seems to be fixable by individuals rather than the state.
Though I agree about the environment but people don't want to do without plastics or cars, or it seems that way.

If the government did as it's supposed to do and provided services such as decent housing, health and education
So free health care on demand and 13 years of free education isn't enough????
Good God. Can we all stop whingeing.

@AlexaShutUp

Rejoining the EU would be a good start.

As would abandoning all pretensions of "greatness". We need to accept that we are a small nation with little power in the global arena.

A more proactive approach to climate change and significant investment in the green economy/green jobs.

Much more investment in education, and a heavy focus on addressing social inequalities in the early years. I fundamentally disagree with your approach to education, OP, and think that the arts and humanities should be taught to all, it's the mark of a civilised society. However, I don't disagree with the proposal to invest more into the teaching of practical life skills as well.

A series of proactive, evidence-based policies to address the massive inequalities that persist in our society, whether related to sex, race, disability, sexuality or social class.

Proper investment in health and social care. A more proactive public health strategy which focuses on actively promoting good mental and physical health, and prevention rather than cure. And a less xenophobic immigration policy that recognises the huge contributions that immigrant labour makes to these sectors.

Significant investment in local communities and projects that reduce social isolation and marginalisation.

Financial incentives for companies that promote employee wellbeing and work-life balance effectively.

Higher taxes to pay for all of the above.

And a culture which genuinely values diversity, promotes respect for others and encourage hard work and aspiration.

Alexa, just to say agree!

Has it ever been been great? Or are just going on the name?