What does this country have going for it? UK

[Haveagentlechristmas]

Sorry if this is a goady thread, but with the awful weather we have had for weeks, the astronomical electricity prices, the uncaring and mismanaging government, an NHS that is absolutely crumbling despite those working in it giving their body and soul to the job, locked down borders where we can no longer as easily work, travel and live in 20 something countries, could people please help with positives of this country. I'm feeling like all my pride and patriotism has vanished.

As someone who has lived all over the planet for months/years at a time, the UK is the least racist, good humour with self deprecation (although there is quite a few who have taken it to a new level over the past few years who think the UK is the cesspit because the wrong colour tie is in power)

Even though we are going through difficulties now, so is the rest of the world.

Some bad things are the obsession over class and its markers, the pedants obsessing over how to say Ikea/Chorizo etc are universally laughed at.

I was born here, but have lived in other countries growing up and came back as a mid teen. I woud say that whilst the weather is diabolical in Jan the main things for me are

Law and safety generally. Do not underestimate how badly corrupt the police are in some countries. They're perfectly happy to tie you to a post and beat you publicly. Some police here might be corrupt but I believe those are outliers.

Govt corruption. Until Boris Johnson mostly our govt was sneaky with the corruption, in countriew I've lived in it's blatant and horrible.

Women's rights. Yes am a full on terf these days but compared to some countries we are heard, protected and relatively safe. We can work. Have maternity rights etc.

Food. Varied, accessible and relatively cheap, plus food hygiene is a thing!

Dogs and cats. All the cuddly things. Some countries treat animals so badly it breaks my heart. Yes I eat meat but I feel better choosing free range. In many countries any kind of care for animals is seen as pathetic.

Yy to sense of humour. Sarcasm.

I don't know why anyone feels the need to point out that some of the favourite things about the UK that have been mentioned are available/better elsewhere - if it was a thread asking what do you love about your DH and I answered that he is kind, intelligent and funny that doesn't mean that I think he's the only man on the planet with those qualities! We can love lots of things about the UK without it being an implied insult for anywhere else.

Some of things I like include crumpets, the national trust (a popular one apparently!), castles, pubs, salt and vinegar crisps, tea, the TV show Ghosts, garden centres at Christmas, Yorkshire puddings, the beaches, bandstands (there's one in my local park that runs a kids show in the summer hols that's been going since the 1950s), good picnic weather (picnics aren't so good in really hot weather), and the joy that is getting some snow and a little heatwave maybe once a year - makes it an exciting treat whereas having that weather regularly would take the fun out of it!

You could say that about anything on the list though. It's obvious that people mean that the variety/type of those in this country is what they enjoy. Same as fashion, music, theatre, schools whatever

garden centres at Christmas,

The displays and the effort that goes into some of them is incredible, Haskins garden centres at Christmas are like Winter wonderlands..

@Knnniggets you are in Germany aren't you!! I love Germany and have been zillions of times but blimey they are a stickler for rules and 'that's the way it is' - and supermarket wise it's crap!! Denmark was the same when we lived there for getting so much as cough mix! their supermarkets are better though

So is Sweden, sadly.

I don’t inow why it’s funny. Of course other countries have beautiful landscapes. I can admire them, while still longing for the views and walks that are quintessentially British.

I no longer live in the UK, but some of my favourite Instagram posts are VeryBritishProblems. I would suggest you sign up to follow them OP because it never fails to lift my heart and yearn for Blighty. It's all the little things, I live in a beautiful country with amazing food, but I still pine for English tea shops and country pubs, the National Trust, church bells, brass bands, fish and chips on the sea front, Pimms on the lawn, drivers giving you a little wave when you let them out at a junction, Marks and Spencers, Boots the Chemist, the BBC, murder mysteries, English bookshops, the British sense of humour, a proper cup of tea, toast and marmalade, Cheddar cheese. Yes, there are annoyances - and goodness knows the last 12 years have been a disaster - but there are things to annoy you the world over. I'm glad I can easily pop back - though I'm not sure I'll ever return full time.

Your kids can go to school without having to practice active shooter drills.

Another tedious thread on MN with anti-UK sentiment. There are issues for sure - but please look around the world and beyond red tops and FB for your information to see the global situation.

For the complainers who have invested the time to post here - how many of you have written to your MPs 🤚?

Don’t say that! Sweden is the utopia we all look to as doing things ‘right’. It’s meant to be perfect there isn’t it?

Another tedious thread on MN with anti-UK sentiment. There are issues for sure - but please look around the world and beyond red tops and FB for your information to see the global situation.

It's an obvious name change from the other 'doom uk' threads recently, the funny thing is how the bots are not being called out because it is 'team good guy' slanted.

• It’s never too hot or too cold to go out.
• Free speech - you don’t miss it until you’ve lived in a country where you can get arrested for being overheard making a negative remark about the leader.
• lotsa trees and wildflowers.
• The police are less corrupt/violent than in Africa, Asia and America. And Italy.
• Women’s rights - can’t get arrested for driving, wearing a short skirt, or having sex outside marriage, etc.
• Easy access to Europe for holidays.
• Least racist, and most polite, country I’ve been to, by far (and I’ve been to 25 countries).
• When we build bridges and roads they do what they’re supposed to.
• Free healthcare - yes it’s in a shit state right now but you won’t be bankrupt if your mum gets cancer or watch your child die from a disease you can’t afford to treat.

It ain’t perfect and it clearly isn’t as nice a place to live as Germany, Italy or Switzerland, but it’s way better than many places.

I don’t think it is an anti UK thread. It’s actually a really lovely thread about the UK.

Anyone British who has ever had to navigate French bureaucracy will know we are incredibly spoiled with just how accessible our government systems are.

It's very easy to submit a tax return, buy a car, pay your Council tax etc. Admittedly sometimes things go wrong but generally the system works very well and you don't often have to try and speak to three different people just to get one document submitted.

Our Gov.Uk web service is seen as world leading in terms of its user experience and many countries have adopted the blueprints from that.

I agree - but that’s in spite of OPs initial post which is just like so many others.

No volcanoes, earthquakes or killer insects. 👌

Floods, drought, and wildfire are very unusual.

Highly fertile farmland giving some pretty fab fruit and veg.

Good cheese.

No big animals that eat humans.

Some of the best music in the world. Every country plays British music, often for the majority of their playlist.

💃

This is a good list. I'd add:

Good cheeses.
Keen appreciation of queuing.
Lovely range of regional accents.

I agree, but it wasn't what the OP was wanting, there is many threads along the same line and the same posters (many under a name change) trying to downplay.

It is the same bot narrative happening across most of SM at the minute, it has moved on since the situation can't be pinpointed to just a UK issue.

Almost word for word posts have been made and deleted across reddit etc, the bots are almost identical in replies that shit on the UK and OP's

Agreed.

I moved to England to marry my English boyfriend and stayed for nine years. We only moved to my country because my husband was in telecoms and the telecoms/IT/stock collapsed in the early 2000's. I've been back in my country for almost 19 years.

I miss the UK very much. My parents have died and my only sibling lives miles away from me. My children have grown up and my grandchildren have moved away. My husband's parents are still well and we do miss them. I'm ready to return.

Some very good crisps

No she’s talking about Scotland.

I'm a Brit who lives in Australia.
I and 6 other families in my area visited UK over Christmas (summer here). So its a popular destination.

For my family, it was wonderful. People were friendly, it was cold but not unbearable. Everywhere was beautiful with so much stunning scenery which changes dramatically every 30 mins.

So many things to do- theatre, open air events, the beaches (yup even in the cold), pantos.
Beautiful heritage places.
Parking was surprisingly cheap (not in central London but compared to our parking here).
In London, the tube was a dream and did not seem frighteningly expensive.
The smell in the air.
Christmas lights.
Supermarkets and their variety.
Pub food
Downside was narrow streets and scary country lanes to drive through- especially with black ice!