I wish I could escape the UK...

[Itsokay2020]

Just that really! I used to love this country, but I feel really deflated today.

I read the headlines and it’s so depressing, I go for a walk and I just see overgrown hedgerows and weeds everywhere. Footpaths are becoming impossible to negotiate due to overgrowth. My energy supplier went bust, the new supplier are dragging their heals and have blocked our attempt to switch to a better rate with a new supplier. I can sense growing frustration amongst the ordinary folk in the street, it’s a melting pot. Shelves are more bare, made worse by panic headlines in the media. The cost of living is increasing, yet wages are stagnant. The government seems unable to get a grip on all that’s wrong - where is all the money going? Our local fields are being built upon - our beautiful village of 2,000 dwellings will soon increase to 3,000 plus. This is repeated across our part of East Anglia. Selfishly, I wonder where I’ll walk the dog, whilst also knowing that my DC won’t be able to live locally due to the cost of housing. Don’t get me started on GP’s and the lack of appointments.

For the first time, I feel fear about the future. Am considering escaping the South and moving North to reduce our cost of living and maybe enjoy a slower pace. Am I just having a down day or do you feel it too?

Will a new government make it better?

So if you voted in the last election?
Who did you vote for?
And if it was Tory what the hell did you expect?

YANBU op
But we get what we vote for.
And to all those people saying just go. We have had our freedom of movement taken away from us so we're stuck here.

@Scrollonthroughtherain

Yes. In Australia. And it’s excellent.

Apart from all the racism, yeah it's just great. I'm guessing you're white. One of my friends went there for a trip. She got racist abuse shouted at her on a few occasions. She didn't think it was excellent.

Can confirm. While people go on about the U.K. being racist it’s nothing compared to Australia. People openly tell you to your face that you’re not one of ‘our people’ (cough cough). Never mind the fact they they were all prisoners… not sure what there is to be proud of but ok.

Honestly OP there’s nothing wrong in moving but where would you move to?

Pick your problems, not your solutions in deciding where to move because every country has different issues. And the sort of people able to move easily (no thanks Brexit) are the ones with valuable skills who would survive in the U.K. anyway.

@Scrollonthroughtherain

Yes. In Australia. And it’s excellent.

Apart from all the racism, yeah it's just great. I'm guessing you're white. One of my friends went there for a trip. She got racist abuse shouted at her on a few occasions. She didn't think it was excellent.

The racism always gets dragged out when talking about Australia. I have to say although Britain was much more multi cultural and I miss that hugely, I am not sure the racism was any less at all. It’s just different kinds of racism. Every country on this planet has racism. I hate it with a passion and it makes me nauseous but I also hate other kinds of oppression which run rampant in the UK

I have called out racism (most often probably against Indian people) here but it’s usually by the same people following up “curry muncher” with “white dog cunt” in the same sentence so I am not sure it’s particularly aimed at one group. And yes I will take the white cunt comment. I am representative of a colonising group which has caused harm and I am MUCH more aware of that here than I ever was.
There is institutional racism against Indigenous people for sure. I said that. Many of us are striving for change. I want people to have agency and control over their lives and not be treated like shit

On MN it’s always “yeah we have no fuel, no one can afford a house, the shelves are bare, but at least …” It’s part of the reason I left the UK. That conviction it’s so much better than everywhere else, it’s just that the rest of us are deluded.

My eyes are open here. Even NZ, bastion of socialist loveliness has its issues. No where is perfect.
But for the average person the quality of life here is better. That’s all I am saying. And the attitude is entirely different.

Also to add - I migrated to the U.K. 😎 would consider moving to another European country like Germany , or Finland

@mustlovegin

Are you familiar with the concept of supply and demand? If we build more homes, the prices of all homes will fall, because there won't be as much competition for any individual home

It's obviously not working in this case. I see plenty of new buildings in London, some areas look like Hong Kong - massive skyscrapers blocking the sun in an already sombre city. Obviously not what is needed. Some of them are empty but prices keep going up. Something is not right

I agree, Mustlovegin.

Hont1986 - there has been house building going on all over Britain for years yet the prices keep going up.
How many houses will need to be built before the price comes down?

OP. I am 100% with you and feel exactly the same. I'm north west. The shops most definitely have been bare, with entire sections missing.
It's money to move that I need.

Most definitely planning to leave the UK, but don't know where to.

@Kendodd

YANBU op But we get what we vote for. And to all those people saying just go. We have had our freedom of movement taken away from us so we're stuck here.

1.We don't get what we vote for - more people voted for a Non-Tory but we still got Tories in charge due to our crap system.

1. FOM makes it more difficult but not impossible to go to an EU Country - and there are about 180 other Countries not in the EU.

@Mrbob in real life it’s quite the opposite- everyone loves to shit on the U.K. and in France complaining about the country is a national hobby 😂

It’s just that ‘moving’ isn’t always the solution it seems because maybe in 3 decades the country you moved to might change - and then what? 40 years ago the U.K. wasn’t like it is now.

I want people to have agency and control over their lives

What? You've only just arrived in Australia and you want to start agitating already? Blimey! I feel for the Australians.

We have had our freedom of movement taken away from us so we're stuck here

You can still emigrate, if other countries want to let you in, that is

@mustlovegin

I want people to have agency and control over their lives

What? You've only just arrived in Australia and you want to start agitating already? Blimey! I feel for the Australians.

I couldn’t cope with the heat of Australia. Or the drought or the wildfires. Or everything that wants to kill you. At least in the UK the only thing that wants you dead is the government.

@mustlovegin

so is balanced news in France, Italy, Poland, Germany, Austria

The concept of 'balanced news' is ridiculous.

People maybe leaning to the right in those countries because left-wing policies are not working.

Utter tosh, there have been no proper left wing parties in power for ages. Just this horrible swing to a xenophobic, racist right wing. Rupert Murdoch and his ilk have totally removed unbiased news from the equation. It's completely depressing

Rupert Murdoch and his ilk have totally removed unbiased news from the equation

What do you mean? You can still wallow in The Guardian, Channel 4 and all the others

@Pythonista

Ah is it time for the daily UK hate again. How time flies.

Yup, the grass is always greener!🙄

If the hedges are overgrown in a fairly rich country what do you think is happening in other less well off countries that have also suffered a shock?

If the hedges are overgrown

OP, can't you get together with a few neighbours and ask the Council to get them trimmed? They are probably a hazard resulting in all sorts of pests becoming established (rats, etc)

Agree 100% with you OP.Its a shitshow with the Tories in for the last 12 years and all that Brexit shite.you wait until the house prices collapse and thats when the shit really hits the fan(unless you are first time buyer of course). The last one leaving,please switch the light off!

At least in the UK the only thing that wants you dead is the government.

And very successful they are.

www.thelondoneconomic.com/politics/tory-policies-have-killed-a-quarter-of-a-million-people-in-the-last-decade-193276/

@maddening

If you want to leave why can't you? It is not a prison state, you have had access to free education to enable you to build skills that may be desirable to other countries. Nothing and no one is going to stop you, if you don't go that is entirely your own choice.

Brexiteers have certainly done a massive amount to stop her.

@mustlovegin

If the hedges are overgrown

OP, can't you get together with a few neighbours and ask the Council to get them trimmed? They are probably a hazard resulting in all sorts of pests becoming established (rats, etc)

Another, short term, possibility is get some choppers and clear the footpaths yourself, at least enough to get by. I do it sometimes to clear a footpath I use regularly. But ask the council if it's full-blown hedge cutting needed.

Brexiteers have certainly done a massive amount to stop her

Europe is not the only destination and even if she wanted to go there she could still do it. I would advise her to stay here though

@mustlovegin hedgerows dont support large rat populations, you must have them confused with birds. Birds benefit hugely from overgrown hedgerows, rats like living near humans who provide food for them.