To wonder why Brits aren't protesting in the streets?

[ponderingpaula]

I used to live in the U.K. and I can't for the life of me work out why the British people aren't protesting the government, given how utterly shafted you have all been by them, and how things have been getting worse and worse over the last few years.

Working people needing food banks and "warm houses" because the costs of living is so outrageous, the nhs is utterly broken unless it's an emergency and even then people have to wait hours for an ambulance, social care virtually doesn't exist now, transport is crap and constantly striking, there have been so many lies it's impossible to count, multiple leaders over a short time, u turn after u turn, prioritising the ultra rich, I mean this is just off the top of my head...

In any other country on earth people would take to the streets to protest or even riot... why don't Brits?

Where do you actually live now? I’ve lived in 3 different countries currently in UK.
what is it exactly you think we should be protesting about? do you think the same about all the other countries in the world suffering similar things? Other currencies have experienced similar things to the GBP recently… NZ is my home country and has food banks, I used them more than 20 years ago and since then we now have the highest rate of homelessness in the developed world, our house prices are also too high and about to drop like UK and there’s a huge shortage of houses there too, plus no free healthcare system, they do have low top rate of taxes though at only 39%…. Australia also has food banks, no free health care, covid economic headaches etc etc

Where do you think is drastically better, perhaps say where you live to make a proper comparison.

It's a bit chilly today, and raining. So I won't be protesting on the streets or even rioting.

However later on today I will have a cup of tea and a biscuit and internally seethe for a while then demand of the cat "What is going on in this country?" Not that he cares, I usually just get a bewildered, unblinking stare from him - actually that's rather like Jeremy Hunt.

Protests usually don't work. That's why the majority of people don't bother joining them. They generate headlines for sure, but the majority of people view protestors as idiots, thugs and troublemakers rather than heroes.

It certainly feels like that doesn’t it. We are the thick racist peasants who voted for Brexit and now can’t even take to the streets to protest.

It's blowing a hoolie and absolutely throwing it down outside.......the only thing I'm protesting anytime soon is the crap weather.

I note that ponderingpaula doesn't seem to be a regular on MN. I wonder what made her decide to post here today?

Just look at any thread about money. I absolutely thought yesterday while watching another race to the bottom "this is why we have austerity and you voting in Tories for over a decade even with all the fuck ups".
Because instead.of anger that they have nothing, they are angry at anyone who dares to moan about having close to nothing.

I do wonder how much do these attitudes appear outside of MN, but obviously a lot since they still vote these ones in.

😂 how lucky we are to be reminded

That is not view of protestors. That's a view of rioters which are different.
People have been rising to the streets all over the world and in many cases it has some effects.

Unanananana · Today 08:19
Because I need to work six days a week to pay the ever increasing food/energy bills and support my children.

I literally cannot afford an unpaid day off to go march in the streets and achieve nothing“

I imagine that this is the number one reason.

I’m sorry about your pensions and your families quality of life. I’m going to guess you feel some guilt that they’re stuck here and you got out? Perhaps assuage that by throwing some money their way or trying to get them out to live in your country of residence? We’re not taking to the streets to solve your guilt complex im afraid. I’m off to work in a few hours to pay some taxes to prop some infrastructure up.

I note that ponderingpaula doesn't seem to be a regular on MN. I wonder what made her decide to post here today?

An article due?

We fucking should be. Instead we will be fawning over some ridiculously rich and privileged man who happened to be born to a ridiculously rich woman.
And argue like you want we voted these fuckers in. If you vote for the Tories you should have known what the risks were.

Because alot of them would rather spent the day queuing up to walk by a monarch's coffin, pal. Pathetic. And they will vote them back in, if they say the right things , you mark my words.

It's just not the British way it seems. I've noticed that in southern European countries, for example, people are much more ready to protest, and I mean people of all ages, backgrounds, levels of education.

What does that even mean?

You do realise that the cost of living crisis has hit all of Europe and lots of other places?

It’s not just British people suffering! The war in Ukraine, brexit and Covid were unfortunately a perfect storm for us, but apart from brexit, everyone else is feeling the pinch for the same reasons.

So don’t try to make out that we are being spineless.

Are you protesting in the street where you are op? or do you just enjoy a good Brit bashing thread?

And who are you shouting at? I think everyone’s lost their bloody minds 🤣

The welfare state is a wonderful thing.

But that is one of the reasons there are not more protests.

It may be a sticking plaster, it may be wanting in many areas, many people do genuinely suffer but it’s enough to stop mass unrest.

Quite: subtext - you're stupid

Because of course abolishing the monarchy would solve all our problems in an instant. (for the avoidance of doubt, I am being sarcastic)

Many ‘Brits’ are intelligent, educated and well-informed, so although they recognise that things are bad, they can also see past the hyperbole of “social care virtually doesn’t exist” during their daily dealings with their (bloody brilliant) carers, for example.

Step back from the stereotyping.
Your parents are not necessarily representative.
My sister lives in Sweden and I could claim the same about that society from some stories she's told me.

Actually you’re right. I think Truss was going to do something to limit benefits and it was thrown out.

People have been protesting. It’s not covered by the media.

They we’re burning heating hills in Scotland
Enough is enough campaign
Tgere was a cost of living March a few weeks ago