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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Are things becoming just a little bit shit?

563 replies

Bloomsburygirl · 08/12/2023 09:38

I was wondering if anyone else has started to notice the deteriorating standards in public services and private businesses. I went to London over the weekend, and I was shocked by the filth and litter. I moved to the UK in 2011, and I visited many times before I moved. I do not remember rubbish strewn across streets like it is now. And every place I seem to go gives off a feeling that there simply are not enough staff anymore. Restaurant toilets and public toilets are filthy, it takes an age to be served, and don't get me started on public transport (I read the recent thread on this and agree with every word). It seems to me like the consequences of Brexit/pandemic are really starting to bite, and to be honest, I miss the way it was pre-2016. AIBU, or do others feel the same? And is this the new normal? Disclaimer - I still adore the UK and would never want to live anywhere else!

OP posts:
Thread gallery
16
IClaudine · 10/12/2023 18:07

Clavinova · 10/12/2023 17:39

BIossomtoes
Let’s keep focusing on the curry that was eaten

Blame the other poster - it wasn't me who raised the topic. The previous poster was claiming that Starmer was unfairly picked on by the media. No he wasn't - he told a pack of lies and sounded 'shifty' - he brought the media attention upon himself.

IClaudine

I'm not forcing you to read my posts - scroll on by if you're not interested. This is a public forum with a range of opinions - not a Labour Party echo chamber.

The Tory party is a dead party walking

You hope Wink
https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/boris-johnson-nigel-farage-election-pact/

That is hilarious 😂

God, they are desperate.

jgw1 · 10/12/2023 18:10

Clavinova · 10/12/2023 12:46

&User135644
Without a strong press, corruption is easy in plain sight. The likes of the Daily Mail would never allow a Labour government to get away with what the Tories do. Look at the amount of front pages devoted to Starmer's curry.

Oh come on, Keir Starmer brought all the media attention upon himself - even John Crace of the Guardian described one of Starmer's interviews on the subject as 'borderline shifty' - because he couldn't give a straight answer.

Starmer was making a big fuss about Boris Johnson's 'cheese and wine meeting' - which was seen as hypocritical when the photograph of his own 'curry and beer meeting' surfaced. Starmer then tried to cover up how many people were with him in Durham - he first suggested 'about 6 people' - a few months later he changed his answer to '15 or so' - but only after the curry delivery guy came forward and said the curry order was for many more people than 6 (it later transpired there were 17 people there, including Starmer).

Starmer lied when he said his hotel was 'not serving food that evening' (the hotel confirmed they were serving evening meals on the terrace until 9pm), he lied when he said 'all the restaurants and pubs were shut' (they were open for outside service - Starmer ate at a restaurant the evening before, in Hull) and he lied when he suggested the curry had not been pre-planned (it was diarised in advance). Not to mention that Labour HQ had twice stated that Angela Rayner was not there - when it turned out she was.

You can't blame the media for smelling a rat - anyone who thinks Keir Starmer is an honest politician is sadly deluded.

Cheers for that I need a good laugh.

I might go and have a 🍺to celebrate.

IClaudine · 10/12/2023 18:12

I'm not forcing you to read my posts - scroll on by if you're not interested. This is a public forum with a range of opinions - not a Labour Party echo chamber

So you think the average Tory voter is more concerned about a takeaway curry than the COL crisis? You think that Labour voters are the only ones struggling?

SerendipityJane · 10/12/2023 18:13

Notonthestairs · 10/12/2023 17:49

Hehe yes I read something about that on Twitter - right wing groups putting in Patel or Clark as a placeholder PMs, wining an GE (!) and then funnelling in Johnson Farage.

Have at it I say. 👏

If people can bear the pain of remembering, there was a lot of talk when Theresa May was being managed out of a "caretaker" leader of the Tories. The tacit understanding being that whoever had to actually deal with Brexit would end up well fucked.

The reason I remember it, is that it was suggested as a way to protect Boris - after all why would he not just take over from May ?

Seems that strategy isn't yet dead.

jgw1 · 10/12/2023 18:13

Clavinova · 10/12/2023 17:39

BIossomtoes
Let’s keep focusing on the curry that was eaten

Blame the other poster - it wasn't me who raised the topic. The previous poster was claiming that Starmer was unfairly picked on by the media. No he wasn't - he told a pack of lies and sounded 'shifty' - he brought the media attention upon himself.

IClaudine

I'm not forcing you to read my posts - scroll on by if you're not interested. This is a public forum with a range of opinions - not a Labour Party echo chamber.

The Tory party is a dead party walking

You hope Wink
https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/boris-johnson-nigel-farage-election-pact/

Do keep the jokes rolling, they are highly entertaining today.

IClaudine · 10/12/2023 18:16

Clav, what is your favourite charity? I will donate £50 to it if the Tories win.

BIossomtoes · 10/12/2023 18:20

IClaudine · 10/12/2023 18:16

Clav, what is your favourite charity? I will donate £50 to it if the Tories win.

I will too.

SerendipityJane · 10/12/2023 18:21

IClaudine · 10/12/2023 18:16

Clav, what is your favourite charity? I will donate £50 to it if the Tories win.

RNLI ?

sheflieswithherownwings · 10/12/2023 18:27

I agree re litter , it’s awful. But it says a lot about how people feel about their environment or society as a whole if they feel able to drop crap on the floor whenever they feel like it and have no concern for others or for any consequences.

Just come back from the US and there was no litter at all in the suburbs. People get fined and it’s followed through on plus people do generally seem to care about where they live and see it as their responsibility to look after. Not so in many parts of the UK.

Clavinova · 10/12/2023 18:27

User135644
The point is the amount of front pages devoted to it

That might be because Starmer told so many lies!

while the Tories are excused

You don't remember the media coverage of Dominic Cummings' trip to Durham? He wasn't fined by Durham Police either.

Clavinova · 10/12/2023 18:29

IClaudine
Clav, what is your favourite charity? I will donate £50 to it if the Tories win

I wouldn't want to take the food off your table - you were worried about money earlier.

IClaudine · 10/12/2023 18:46

Clavinova · 10/12/2023 18:29

IClaudine
Clav, what is your favourite charity? I will donate £50 to it if the Tories win

I wouldn't want to take the food off your table - you were worried about money earlier.

Ha! You know the Tories are on the scrap heap.

jgw1 · 10/12/2023 18:47

Clavinova · 10/12/2023 18:29

IClaudine
Clav, what is your favourite charity? I will donate £50 to it if the Tories win

I wouldn't want to take the food off your table - you were worried about money earlier.

I think the RNLI is an excellent suggestion in the absence of any other answer. Count me in.

IClaudine · 10/12/2023 18:49

jgw1 · 10/12/2023 18:47

I think the RNLI is an excellent suggestion in the absence of any other answer. Count me in.

Show quote history

Yes, very good suggestion. I'm in. Maybe Clav would like to do the same if Labour wins?

VimtoVimto · 10/12/2023 19:11

I suppose you could also donate to The Refugee Council.

I have learned something new today that we are all going to hell in a handcart due to a curry and a beer.

jgw1 · 10/12/2023 19:31

VimtoVimto · 10/12/2023 19:11

I suppose you could also donate to The Refugee Council.

I have learned something new today that we are all going to hell in a handcart due to a curry and a beer.

I am shocked that we will soon have as our PM someone who likes curry and beer.
We are far better off having someone who has never met a working person.

IClaudine · 10/12/2023 19:39

Even Mad Nads doesn't think a Johnson/Farage pact will happen.

jgw1 · 10/12/2023 19:43

IClaudine · 10/12/2023 19:39

Even Mad Nads doesn't think a Johnson/Farage pact will happen.

Would it be more accurate to say
Mad Nads doesn't think?

Eve · 10/12/2023 19:50

Maybe Clav would like to donate to me instead the extra £££s my mortgage is costing this month! 😡😡

jgw1 · 10/12/2023 19:51

Eve · 10/12/2023 19:50

Maybe Clav would like to donate to me instead the extra £££s my mortgage is costing this month! 😡😡

Its the will of the people, who democratically elected Liz Truss.

Clavinova · 10/12/2023 20:10

Eve · 10/12/2023 19:50

Maybe Clav would like to donate to me instead the extra £££s my mortgage is costing this month! 😡😡

Only if you explain why the ECB had to raise its interest rates 10 consecutive times;

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/sep/14/ecb-raises-interest-rates-inflation

beguilingeyes · 10/12/2023 20:35

Clavinova · 10/12/2023 18:27

User135644
The point is the amount of front pages devoted to it

That might be because Starmer told so many lies!

while the Tories are excused

You don't remember the media coverage of Dominic Cummings' trip to Durham? He wasn't fined by Durham Police either.

Whereas the man who said 'Let the
bodies pile high' and Doctor Death who didn't consult the scientists before his lunatic scheme were relatively unscathed.
The media was so in love with Boris they swallowed all his nonsense 'Doing his best ' my arse. Then there was Hancock pretending to cry on television and banging his mistress in the office.
But yes, it was the curry that was the terrible thing.

jgw1 · 10/12/2023 20:39

Clavinova · 10/12/2023 20:10

Only if you explain why the ECB had to raise its interest rates 10 consecutive times;

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/sep/14/ecb-raises-interest-rates-inflation

Show quote history

That's easy. Because Keir had a Beer and But Jeremy Corbyn.

jgw1 · 10/12/2023 20:41

beguilingeyes · 10/12/2023 20:35

Whereas the man who said 'Let the
bodies pile high' and Doctor Death who didn't consult the scientists before his lunatic scheme were relatively unscathed.
The media was so in love with Boris they swallowed all his nonsense 'Doing his best ' my arse. Then there was Hancock pretending to cry on television and banging his mistress in the office.
But yes, it was the curry that was the terrible thing.

Show quote history

I had a curry once, and it was definetely a terrible thing.

Clavinova · 10/12/2023 21:17

jgw1
But Jeremy Corbyn

Indeed - Jeremy Corbyn is relevant to most threads. Corbyn was photographed breaking Covid rules at least four times - the Met Police issued a statement the first time saying they wouldn't retrospectively fine him.

beguilingeyes

Strangely, most of Europe suffered a second wave of Covid - did they all have “eat out to help out” schemes as well?

Then there was Hancock

Didn't the government scientist whose modelling precipitated the first lockdown have secret trysts with his lover against the rules?

But yes, it was the curry that was the terrible thing

I quite clearly posted about Starmer's catalogue of lies - not his curry. Why do you think he felt the need to tell so many lies about his evening? Embarrassment? Shame? Pride? Guilt?