To think it’s shocking how bad Britain has fallen apart compared to other European counties

[TheColourofspring]

I am in Spain at the moment in one of the big cities. It’s clean, modern, well maintained. Transport is cheap, food is cheap, healthcare seems to work pretty well (from talking to local). Parks are noticeably well maintained- even saw park keepers! Clean & tidy.

Pensions higher, if you lose your job you get a portion of your salary in unemployment benefits while you look for another and there are no penalties. Based on the premise that if you have paid in, you will get looked after if you are in need.

I am not saying it’s perfect- no country is but it was the same when I was in France last summer.

In Britain, everything is underfunded and close to the edge. Schools, the NHS, local authorities are all at breaking point. My local parks look shabby & there is very little maintenance. Roads have pot holes. Yesterday I read an article about pharmacies being the latest at ‘crisis’ point with major drug shortages (thanks to brexit). Queues at borders, people can’t heat or eat properly, food banks, housing is ridiculous for many people.

I think it’s just so noticeable when you go to other places just how run down Britain is.

Finding it shocking and a bit depressing - like I said, all countries have their issues but I think Britain really has been pillaged by the tories & Brexit really is a disaster.

I'm not talking about weeds and shrubs on suburban verges, I'm talking about trees and hedgerows growing over pavements on country roads so they are impassable. They can't be managed with a pair of secateurs, they need proper equipment and road safety measures. It's not safe to pick up the litter dumped out of passing car windows, but residents are still donning hi-vis vests and doing it because they're sick of seeing the mess and harm to wildlife.

There are plenty of civic-minded people here. My DH set up a local volunteer street watch group in partnership with police, because there is no police presence in the village to deter burglaries and antisocial behaviour.

I think everything has its cycles. Living here is very shit right now but you’d be amazed how it can turn around. I’m not feeling that pessimistic. I’d much rather live in the U.K. than elsewhere currently so I’m going to keep plodding on.

I live in France. Food has got a bit more expensive and there is a lot of dog poo. However, no dangerous beggars ( just back from Paris and I can confirm they are there but not intrusive). There is a bit of civil unrest and strikes that are more ( or increasingly less) adhered to as the indemnities run out. Most people are ok with having to work aft r 62.
I feel safe here. I know Incan get a dental appointment the next day should I need it and that everything will be reimbursed. My latest crown cost me 1000 euros and I paid 88 euros. I have the same doctor since 2001 and I could see him this afternoon if I want d. I also have access to any number of specialists at any time. All my dc’s orthodontist were paid for, including jaw realignment that would have been refused on the NHS( I know because I saw the consultant privately). Compare that to my 87 year old dad who fell in the kitchen and who has to line up outside the GPS every morning and stand in line trying to get an appointment. ( He still hasn’t got one). It’s unacceptable. And don’t get me started on private schools. Every child should have opportunity to thrive and enjoy school.
Britain is broken. It’s a fact. If you can’t take care of your vulnerable, no more needs saying. And if you are lucky enough because you are wealthy enough to have a cushion, bloody look around you.

Are the utrechtians the care workers or is there a large contingent of lower paid ? Malaysians or other immigrants.

I think our lingering class system could be the problem or it’s just that we are a bunch of winging poms - certainly here in Scotland there can be huge chips on shoulders and ‘I’ll chuck down my coke can if I want to chuck down my coke can’ attitude.
Just listen to our National self pitying anthem.
The class system engenders a sort of hopelessness.

We remain the sixth largest economy in the world, have the fourth highest military spending and are a nuclear power. Your idea that we only have any positions of influence (such as on the UN Security Council) through hanging on to the coat tails of the US or by being a member of the EU is misguided to say the least.

@GretaGood , the care workers I have encountered are born in The Netherlands and speak fluent Dutch.

They are in the minority. But I think that you know this.

I am in the UK and feel safe. Lovely village which is thriving. Hardly any crime, unrest or graffiti.

My son rang our doctor this morning as he's got an injury and got an appointment at 11.40am, same day. Don't believe everything you read in the papers, you can get same day doctors appointments if urgent. Otherwise they book you in for 5 days time for non urgent. No payment needed.

If you are really desperate there are NHS walk in centres, but you have to wait your turn and can be seen in 15 minutes or 3 hours depending on who else is there as they could have an emergency or it can be empty. No payment needed.

I have regular dental check ups 6 months, hygienist check ups every 6 months. This is private treatment and I pay a monthly fee. If I need to see the dentist urgently I can get him same day - I have put him to the test on this when my filling cracked!

The treatment of your 87 year old dad is shocking. The doctor comes out to my elderly mum and would never let her queue outside like that - infact they dont allow patients to queue outside!! Last time I saw something like that was during covid 2 years ago, your poor dad. That is horrible treatment for someone his age and I urge you to put in a complaint.

If you are really desperate there are NHS walk in centres, but you have to wait your turn and can be seen in 15 minutes or 3 hours depending on who else is there as they could have an emergency or it can be empty
I'm glad you are getting such a good service but surely you realise this is not typical of the NHS these days? We don't even have walk in centres where I am, it's the GP or A&E. The idea of being seen within a bracket of between 15 mins to 3 hours, or it being empty, is so laughable I choked on my tea.

Are you in England Dewin? I had to use the walk in centre in the nearest city to me when I fractured my arm during lockdown. They were dealing with a medical emergency at the time and it was frantic with doctors and ambulances everywhere so I had to wait 3 hours and then a really sick child arrived who took preference and it was a Saturday - apparently a busy day for them. The staff were marvellous.

Litter and potholes are the responsibility of the local council. I'm no fan of the current government but it's madness to blame the lack of local road repairs on the Tories.
<facepalm>
Your council tax is only a part of your council's budget. Most of your council budget usually comes from the government. The tories have been defunding the public sector for over a decade. Often the buck of public services stops with your local council - schools, youth services, libraries, leisure centres, bin collections, garden and roads maintenance, social care etc. are all the responsibility of local authorities and due to the government's decisions they get nowhere near enough money to provide a decent service.

It's very simple. British people are cheap. They won't pay the kind of tax to support public service that they claim to want, but the best selling newspaper in the country attacks public sector workers as greedy and spends its time hyping property values.

It's a very conservative country. The only time it votes Labour is really when public services are hollowed out so eventually those swing voters in certain constituencies find their children and medical provision is ruined and vote for it to be improved but not any more tax thanks.

Yes, it's a silly country which the rich do well out of.

What rate of tax are you after?

It's the council that decides where to spend the money. My council spends money investing heavily in projects that don't work — like buying up the tiny local airport in a failed bid to make it a regional hub airport when even the larger airport 60 miles away struggles.

The most recent disaster is the development of a performance arena in the city in the hope that major bands and world-class performances will be held. It's so far stolen business from the city's theatre — which is also owned and run by the council... In the last three years they've ploughed millions into a new city-centre road layout: the work has literally taken years and doesn't seem to make any difference to traffic flow.

They've got money going out on these projects, which they could dispose of, but they're not fixing the potholes. This is a Labour council: it's been Labour for as long as I can remember. The Tories aren't the only party that mismanages money.

Basic rate taxpayer 20%, plus national insurance 12% of salary, student loan 9% = 41% tax on income above the personal allowance. Add council tax of approx £2k a year, road tax, VAT of 20% and stamp duty. How much more tax do you want?

Try Palermo. Rubbish piled on every street and dogshit all over.

@MarshaBradyo - given that the majority of British people do not even contribute to HMT via income tax, tinkering with these is futile, though I would like to see a lower rate of income tax for workers so that the 20 per cent rate drops to deal with cost of living.

I favour property and asset based tax, including CGT. That needs looking at.

Equally, not impressed by the Tories fixing tax boundaries so all of us, including those who can handle it least, pay more over time.

So as you are clearly so much much cleverer than us Brits, @LexMitior you can rev up and fuck off to your much superior country of origin. Or you can stay, bite your tongue.

This is my country of origin and I am allowed to criticize it.

I would like to see the public sector modernised and made efficient and run for the benefit of the people paying for it, not for the people the people working in it.

So many perfect countries on Mumsnet

This comment is just ridiculous. People cannot pass comment about a system to which they contribute without being told to go back to where they came from???

(I am British and hold no other passports, but I certainly did leave the UK for a better life in another country.)

I am British btw! I do like exercising my rights to freedom of expression. And that's a nice bit of old English common law, @EffortlessDesmond

one is looking at European universities

@LabradorsByTheSea Tell them to forget about the Netherlands. There's no housing left, even for the locals.

Article about the lack of student accommodation:

Student housing shortage forces students to travel further - DutchNews.nl