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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To panic about the dire state of the UK?

999 replies

moveblues · 25/09/2021 20:39

So... all things considered... aren't we up sh-t creek?
-gas and electricity prices
-covid (masks? Pfft completed Covid mate (in England))
-council tax hikes
-inflation
-food shortages
-Brexit
-petrol

Sounds like something out of a dystopian nightmare. I'm worried dear reader, and 'keep calm and carry on' doesn't help.

OP posts:
habibibibi · 28/09/2021 04:40

@MarshmallowSwede

Swedish here.. no. Things are not bad in Sweden. Energy prices are going to rise, but we don’t have people worried about getting food, we don’t have people who are going to face being homeless on the street because they had to choose food or a roof over their head. We don’t have people worried about if they will have a warm house in the winter.

We are in the last stages of our move back to Stockholm and I can’t say how relieved I am. It has come to a point where I would be afraid for my life and the life of my unborn child if I had to stay here. Your government has no clue how to actually run a country that works for everyone. So I’m going back where I come from.. which seems to be the most common retort I get whenever I dare say any criticism about the UK government.

So please stop saying “it’s worse or it’s just as bad in other countries”… no it’s not. You are telling yourselves this because you bought a load of bullshit and are too proud to admit that you bought a load of bullshit and told the person selling you bullshit thank you sir.. then you sent them a gift basket for said bullshit.

You make yourself sound foolish when you say “others have it worse”. No.. Germany. Fine. All of Scandinavia.. fine. Holland. Fine. It’s only you and your screwed up ideas of what is a functioning government and healthy happy citizens means. If this was happening in Sweden there would be help for citizens to make sure no one is hungry, and to make sure no one is without heat. It would not even be acceptable to have someone have to cut down so much in heating considering how cold it gets. This is cruel to even ask someone to do this . I have read a many people worried about heating and food. What is going on?

You don’t have any idea what it means to have a nation that works for everyone. Why do you have homeless people on the street and people living so poorly they are worried about food now? Good god.. do people in the UK not understand that there are so many nations where this is not happening.? You are the only country that is lying to its citizens saying that this is normal and ok. No it’s not. It’s unacceptable.

As long as you keep making excuses then you’re going to sink lower and further away from any sort of functioning society. But maybe this is what your government is wants. None of this hurts them, but it will certainly hurt you.

But you can be sure, that most Northern European nations at least are doing fine. Thriving.. yet here you are with petrol shortage. Good shortage. High energy prices, labour shortages. You don’t even know how bad things are because you are brainwashed into thinking that how you live is acceptable.

I hope you one day wake up and demand that your government do right by its people and make sure it works for everyone. It doesn’t seem to work for most people in the UK. In my opinion, whatever you are doing is not working. It hasn’t worked for a long time.

You don’t have any room to criticise any government considering the appalling way the people of the UK are being treated and live. And it helps no one to keep on “well we have it good compared to this and that land”. I can assure you that you live worse than any Swede, or any Scandinavian. You live worse than the germans. You live worse than the Dutch.

Parts of the UK live in poverty levels like Victorian times. You should be ashamed that you have a government where they think this is ok. And what are they doing to help the citizens in this crisis?

I have not heard a sound from your government about any initiative to help the families and households right now. Mother and baby incentives to ensure pregnant mothers will have enough to eat. Food prices will hit hard for many people. What are you going to do to make sure pregnant women have enough? What are you going to do to make sure that all children will be in warm houses and have enough good food ? Where is this?

Do you wait until darkness comes to gather wood? No.. you get the wood before the sun sets so you can build the fire. Why has there been no plan to make sure citizens get thru the winter? Visas for Lorry drivers? That’s your plan? That’s the only thing you’re doing?

This is undoubtedly a crisis. Therefore crisis action needs to be taken now. What is it with the UK government waiting until the last minute to do anything that is remotely like governing the nation? Will they wait until you have people freeze and hungry?

Meanwhile Boris is asking Brazil and USA for a trade deal ( trade deals should have been done before ink signed on brexit deal- that’s a different story) when he should be looking into the National budget seeing how he can make up the difference in the family pocketbook so that food price hikes don’t pour stress on people. There should be emergency initiatives rolling out now.

And for those saying this is all an over reaction.. you’re part of the problem. And it’s people like you that will hasten the descent of your country into even darker days.

What do you pay taxes for? Your health service is about to collapse, your streets (at least in London ) are filthy. There are homeless people everywhere. Where do the taxes go to?

Now food shortages. No one else is Europe is having shelves bare. And instead of your government doing anything, they are just shrugging and saying ok. We will get more drivers. What about the price of food going up and less being available? People are in real danger of going into winter being cold and having less to eat. And not one initiative, even a temporary initiative until the spring, to ensure food and heat for everyone stays going.

I really pray for you to get your act together.

I've lived in Scandinavia for a few years. And a lot of what is written above is true. They make it work. Unfortunately, it's not an easy society to break into if you're not scandi yourself but conversely it does have the advantage of being a relatively homogenous and high trust society. I don't think the UK has ever been as functional as a society as the scandi ones and never will be for various reasons but the descent into the current shit show of dysfunction and incompetence is just ridiculous.
FanGirlX · 28/09/2021 05:53

wonder if shortages are more prevalent in certain areas. I'm in London

No shortages here in suburban Manchester either.

onlychildhamster · 28/09/2021 06:08

To me this table tells it all. While we are only 10th in the world for house price growth, our wages have only grown 0.6% in the last 10 years and our inflation rate is higher than 8 of those countries on that list.

To panic about the dire state of the UK?
lannistunut · 28/09/2021 06:09

@FanGirlX

wonder if shortages are more prevalent in certain areas. I'm in London

No shortages here in suburban Manchester either.

Manchester Evening News is reporting problems around the Greater Manchester area

www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/its-been-manic-queues-petrol-21665132

www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/emotional-nurse-calls-nhs-staff-21687203

THisbackwithavengeance · 28/09/2021 06:14

This thread is hilarious.

People banging on about Victorian era style poverty that they saw in a documentary or read in a news article. So obviously all true and completely non biased?

And all the handwringing over communist style supermarket empty shelves despite everyone else pointing out that there are no empty shelves where they are.

And then all the hero worship of places like Scandinavia. So move there then if it's so fantastic and your lives are so shit.

Get. A. Grip.

MarshaBradyo · 28/09/2021 06:14

@PrincessAnnaOfArundale

I’m in Australia but from the U.K. and all my family live in U.K. still, it worries me. I never thought we would stay in Australia forever, always planned to come back one day but it scares me as to what the hell we would be coming back to. The tories have gradually screwed you all and sadly the same people will keep voting for it. Brexit was the biggest show of self harm ever committed by a country. I’ve never seen a country shoot itself in the foot quite so spectacularly. I worry about the nhs. I worry about my family. Life in Australia isn’t perfect by a long way but I can’t even begin to imagine bringing my kids back to the U.K. right now Sad.
You are right to stay where you are going by this thread we don’t need more fearful adults. Your last line is overblown though I see happy dc back at school normally. Not many talking about it but media and people into next thing.

I do feel a bit sorry if this stuff filters to dc though rather than just SM outlet for anxiety.

I also agree with DingDong

MarshaBradyo · 28/09/2021 06:15

@THisbackwithavengeance

This thread is hilarious.

People banging on about Victorian era style poverty that they saw in a documentary or read in a news article. So obviously all true and completely non biased?

And all the handwringing over communist style supermarket empty shelves despite everyone else pointing out that there are no empty shelves where they are.

And then all the hero worship of places like Scandinavia. So move there then if it's so fantastic and your lives are so shit.

Get. A. Grip.

And this. People should up their skills and emigrate. Might bring some reality.
FanGirlX · 28/09/2021 06:24

Manchester Evening News is reporting problems around the Greater Manchester area

Quality newspaper 😂

I filled up with petrol last night at my local Asda. I then went to Aldi to do my food shop. No problems whatsoever.

onlychildhamster · 28/09/2021 06:34

@THisbackwithavengeance its just inequality. Scandinavian countries have far less of it so its natural that people with the short end of the stick are dreaming of a more egalitarian society. At the other end of the spectrum, you have people buying £3 million houses in cash. Fuel crisis/food crisis are unlikely to affect such people- they can afford any price hike and are unlikely to lose their jobs if they cant drive. I have people from my home country moving to the UK despite all the chao, including a lady who is moving with her British husband and baby and they are buying their home in Gerrard's Cross. In her words, it's cheaper than 'Bukit Timah' (a luxe neighborhood in my country). So if you asked her she would probably say UK is an amazing country for a migrant like her cos she can buy in an affluent neighborhood for a cheaper price. This doesn't really help people at the other end of the spectrum.

All countries have inequality but the UK is particularly bad.

FanGirlX · 28/09/2021 06:35

@THisbackwithavengeance

This thread is hilarious.

People banging on about Victorian era style poverty that they saw in a documentary or read in a news article. So obviously all true and completely non biased?

And all the handwringing over communist style supermarket empty shelves despite everyone else pointing out that there are no empty shelves where they are.

And then all the hero worship of places like Scandinavia. So move there then if it's so fantastic and your lives are so shit.

Get. A. Grip.

Spot on.

Most mumsnet posters don't seem to grasp the concept of relative poverty either.

Spiindoctor · 28/09/2021 06:48

Countries like the US concentrate the mind.

If you fall through the safety nets you are homeless. That makes people work hard with 2 or even 3 jobs. Make sure their families help each other. Some can make it big from poor beginnings. But imagine no proper health care if you were seriously ill?

I do wonder if a welfare state has made the British less resilient. less sensible - seriously overweight, unfit, no savings but someone steps in. Kids get 13 years of school but it's the Gov's fault if they can't get a job. We need to get a grip.

I think that society needs to change so accumulating wealth is not the be all and end all. This time could be the time we shape up and change our priorities. Me included.

KittyBurrito · 28/09/2021 06:55

Yes, we moved to Scotland straight after Brexit. I woke up to find someone had kicked in all the windows of non UK sounding businesses in my very mixed part of Sarf London, including a Turkish and Ghanian restaurant. I decided to take the job I had been offered on the spot. I want no part of that, and will vote for Scottish independence if I can (and I'm English born and bred). It might be tough for a while, but the values underpinning English politics now horrify and disgust me.

Spiindoctor · 28/09/2021 06:59

I think compared to the Scandinavian way of life we inherited an extreme class based society after the industirialisation and colonisation in the late 1800s early 1900s. This perpetuated the rich landowner/industrialists lifestyle with a few very rich and the rest on low wages.
Somehow this was never dealt with. I think in the late 1900s things changed in other part of Europe. Perhaps being indebted after the World Wars affected the UK more than others who started from a new base.
Being able to hang on to your money in the UK rather than taxed meant we attracted more of the same, Russians, Middle Eastern, Chinese wealth.
Despite all this somehow we can't scrape together a decent Left wing party or Government.

Underamour · 28/09/2021 07:00

My parents generation was used to making the best of things because they had gone without. They wouldn’t complain and would get on with it. This generation has Amazon delivering everything we want and an expectation of life running smoothly and easily. This is based on several decades of prosperity. However, resilience is called for now. Resilience and perspective. We might be mildly or even moderately inconvenienced but we just have to get in with it and do the beat we can. Find solutions, make alternative plans. Being mentally strong is a good thing. Adapting and overcoming our problems is also a good thing. Working as a team instead of arguing over crumbs .

When did these qualities stop being the norm? I had a lovely weekend doing things I like with people I love instead of worrying about petrol. I saw the headline “UK on a knife edge” because one person drew a knife and I realised - we are being fed highly dramatic and overdramatised headlines and internalising those words instead of using balance and perspective to look at the bigger picture.

derxa · 28/09/2021 07:04

Unfortunately, it's not an easy society to break into if you're not scandi yourself That's the problem. I wouldn't want to live in a place where I wasn't welcome.

Spiindoctor · 28/09/2021 07:06

We have serious litter probems round here, not too far from MCDs, it's entirely due to the British people, not the Gov.

Perhaps a stricter schooling might help. you don't move up a grade until you have reached a certain level in all subjects - can just imagine the wailing that would ensue if little jimmy had to repeat. A lot is brought on ourselves.

Spiindoctor · 28/09/2021 07:11

Protecting the feelings of the 0.00002% of the population who are trans is more important to Labour than actually getting a xxxxxxxxxx grip,
people are crying out for a decent government but no they have to stutter and mumble their way through every debate.

Spiindoctor · 28/09/2021 07:14

One thing that is, I think, different for the Uk than other European countries is being beholden to the US.

Our addiction to SM and crazy headlines - and believing and following them is possibly due to following and emulating english speaking US crazies.
Not a good idea - US politics is in a even, possibly , bigger mess.

BruisedPear · 28/09/2021 07:14

Compare the UK to whatever country you want to, we still have a shittier version of the UK we had. It’s got worse not better. Higher rates of poverty, shockingly high house prices and rents whilst wages are low and a failing NHS. All whilst the rich get richer and inequality increases.

I’m British but have lived in North America and Europe and the the UK is a joke right now. Stop being delusional it’s not all keep calm and carry on. It’s shit and we need to own it so we can better help our citizens.

MarshaBradyo · 28/09/2021 07:24

@BruisedPear

Compare the UK to whatever country you want to, we still have a shittier version of the UK we had. It’s got worse not better. Higher rates of poverty, shockingly high house prices and rents whilst wages are low and a failing NHS. All whilst the rich get richer and inequality increases.

I’m British but have lived in North America and Europe and the the UK is a joke right now. Stop being delusional it’s not all keep calm and carry on. It’s shit and we need to own it so we can better help our citizens.

I’ve lived in US, Aus and U.K.

And people are ridiculous on this thread.

Inequality is an issue for all three I’ve lived in, here is the Gini coefficient

www.indexmundi.com/facts/indicators/SI.POV.GINI/rankings

I’m surprised someone who has lived in US is so forgiving to inequality issues there.

Underamour · 28/09/2021 07:27

Bruised pear I agree there’s a lot to get better. But we are like a football team who’ve been out down to division 2 and are arguing over whose fault it is instead of getting competitive and trying to rise back up. It’s not keep calm it’s get a grip. The past is done. We can’t go back. So, whether Brexit caused this or Covid caused this we are now alone , isolated and wounded. We need to get up, get allies, build ourselves up so we can get back into division one. That fight to regain our position should be what we are talking about not who caused what.

Spiindoctor · 28/09/2021 07:41

who knows how much influence Russian (or any other) Bots are influencing people.
Eg many racist comments over the football were from overseas. Possibly most, I didn't research it.
Reducing the attention given to SM might help. It definitely divides imv.

derxa · 28/09/2021 08:00

It might be tough for a while, but the values underpinning English politics now horrify and disgust me. Tough? It would be disastrous

Wazzzzzzzup · 28/09/2021 08:01

My family from EE (so one if the countries many here look down at) just aaked if we need anything and whether we can come for Christmas there since it looks like UK is heading towards breakdown...

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