This country

[Admin]

It's gone to the f*cking dogs hasn't it?

For the first time in my life, I can honestly say if it wasn't for the family / employment ties, I'd be f*cking right off out of here. Not sure where that would be seeing as it's considerably harder now to go and live in the EU but there's got to be better places than this.

TIA.

[Max B Gold]

When you say "This country" do you mean England only.

[Mistadobalina]

Think what makes the current predicament particularly grim is that there's no sense it's going to change for the better. Every single f*ck up, debacle and disaster is excused away. The impact of the last 5 years of absolute political f*ckwittery is now starting to have real world consequences and people will still lap up more. Dunno how much starker proof people want that we're in crisis mode.

Inflation is the thing that's really going to be a kick in the jewels. We haven't seen that in a long old time and will presumably be brutal. But sure there's gonna a lot of cap doffers willing to explain why that's ok as well.

[Admin]

When you say "This country" do you mean England only.

Suppose so. We are looking at possibly relocating to the highlands in the longer-term. How welcoming will the natives be to us soft southern sassenachs? Are we talking mild dislike or full on Braveheart?

[Chief crazy horse]

It's gone to the f*cking dogs hasn't it?

For the first time in my life, I can honestly say if it wasn't for the family / employment ties, I'd be f*cking right off out of here. Not sure where that would be seeing as it's considerably harder now to go and live in the EU but there's got to be better places than this.

TIA.

It sounds like you're looking for a trouble free, peaceful, and laid back existence which I can fully appreciate. And being as it's English speaking, (it's only an idea) maybe the Falklands could be an option?

[The Mindsweep]

[Jack]

If i was a young man, i wouldnt stay here any more.
Things are so bad, and getting worse, with a government of idiots and thieves, and an opposition of similar vein.
Brexit was always going to be a disaster, but with a pandemic at the same time, its terrible.

[Dunners]

There is a real question of competence hanging over this government, isn't there? Yet, no matter what they do, they continue to enjoy sizeable support. And I'm not even certain that future inflation will even be enough to erode that.

[Currywurst and Chips]

There IS an alternative

[Rich Tea Wellin]

Completely agree. Having a kid in the midst of this has made me feel really guilty about bringing him into this world, at points, which is depressing.

And as has been said. There doesn't seem to be an end in sight. No one is held to account over anything anymore and the selfish nature of our society just means that everyone is going more and more inward.

[Currywurst and Chips]

17,000 bods this year seem to prefer it to France though tbf

But yeah, the lack of shi*t given in the polls is frustrating

[Ronnie Hotdogs]

All the lefties will agree with you.

All the righties will tell you to man up or clear off if you don’t like it etc.

This is where we’re at with everything.

[Beradogs]

When you say "This country" do you mean England only.

Suppose so. We are looking at possibly relocating to the highlands in the longer-term. How welcoming will the natives be to us soft southern sassenachs? Are we talking mild dislike or full on Braveheart?

Please don’t. Don’t take this the wrong way but houses in the countryside (I mean real countryside not the green bit in Surrey and the Cotswolds ) are staying on the market for 24 hours currently and seeing multiple offers. It’s all city folk that can now work from home full time. As you say, most of the country has gone to poo poo. I fear for the last remaining areas of rural idle.

[Ornchurch]

This country went to the dogs years ago.

[Admin]

There is a real question of competence hanging over this government, isn't there? Yet, no matter what they do, they continue to enjoy sizeable support. And I'm not even certain that future inflation will even be enough to erode that.

Having escaped scrutiny / criticism over the last decade or so, I can't see there being much change on the horizon. I'm starting to think it'll be my kids generation or even the one after them that'll provide the driving force for real change once all the olds and gammons are dead.

[Mistadobalina]

Someone on the fuel thread was saying that Brexit had nothing to do with the shortage of lorry drivers leading to petrol shortages, but blamed young people wanting to be famous on tiktok as a factor. How do you argue with that?

[Max B Gold]

When you say "This country" do you mean England only.

Suppose so. We are looking at possibly relocating to the highlands in the longer-term. How welcoming will the natives be to us soft southern sassenachs? Are we talking mild dislike or full on Braveheart?

Youse will be fine. The teuchters are a welcoming lot. Despite what the xenophobes in England say there is no foaming at the mouth Scotch nationalism of any note. Of course I'm not saying there are none at all but they mostly live in Paisley, Fife and other backwards areas.

Besides any time I go to the Hielans it's mostly English refugees I bump into. Who are escaping the insanity of a small insignificant xenophobic nation angry at the world because it ignores them.

I believe another Boarder once moved from the Home Counties to Shetland to get away from the smell of foreign food. I understand he abandoned the move after a few years because he was a weak yella bellied Southern softie. So mibees cross Shetland off your list. I wonder where that Boarder is now?

I recommend the Outer Hebrides, the islands there are far enough away to deter family and friends from turning up looking for a free holiday. HTH.

[Max B Gold]

There is a real question of competence hanging over this government, isn't there? Yet, no matter what they do, they continue to enjoy sizeable support. And I'm not even certain that future inflation will even be enough to erode that.

Inflation will come with increased interest rates. Then we will see how they cope.

[HARVEY T DENTON]

I too miss DaveH.

[Admin]

Someone on the fuel thread was saying that Brexit had nothing to do with the shortage of lorry drivers leading to petrol shortages, but blamed young people wanting to be famous on tiktok as a factor. How do you argue with that?

Without even bothering to search, I suspect this was ol' Sid Bishop.

[Admin]

I too miss Dav£H.

Fixed that for you

[Max B Gold]

There is a real question of competence hanging over this government, isn't there? Yet, no matter what they do, they continue to enjoy sizeable support. And I'm not even certain that future inflation will even be enough to erode that.

Having escaped scrutiny / criticism over the last decade or so, I can't see there being much change on the horizon. I'm starting to think it'll be my kids generation or even the one after them that'll provide the driving force for real change once all the olds and gammons are dead.

The current olds and gammon will be replaced by a new cohort with enough invested in this unequal society to support the same ideas of their parents/ predeccessors etc.

Putting your hope in the youth is one thing. Organising them into a social movement for change is another.

[Dunners]

There is a real question of competence hanging over this government, isn't there? Yet, no matter what they do, they continue to enjoy sizeable support. And I'm not even certain that future inflation will even be enough to erode that.

Having escaped scrutiny / criticism over the last decade or so, I can't see there being much change on the horizon. I'm starting to think it'll be my kids generation or even the one after them that'll provide the driving force for real change once all the olds and gammons are dead.

Unlikely, I'm afraid.

Here's the thing: As bad as it is right now for the UK - and it is bad - there's just not many better alternative options. And even if you have the option of moving to a 'better' country, things are unlikely to stay that way as the future is likely to be one of increasing instability around the globe.

The past seventy years have been the greatest period of human history in terms of social progress, personal wealth, health and happiness. But the 2020s is the decade when the unique set of circumstances that have enabled that all come to an end.

Global trade security is no longer to be under-written by the USA, so we can expect to see increased disruption of long-distance supply chains as regions destabilise and the real implications of a multi-polar world emerge (think pre-WW2). And the majority of the population in the developed world will move into mass-retirement. Our kids will increasingly find themselves outnumbered by those above 65/67/70 years of age. And we've seen how older people vote and tend to wield power.

And this is a situation that is unlikely to change in their (or our grandchildren's) lifetimes. Unless they start breeding like rabbits (which they wont be able to afford to) or decide that forced euthanasia of the old is an option.

But back to the point of our government. Even if it is inevitable that everything is going to go to sh*t, it is still a question of degrees. A more competent administration could at least mean things were slightly less sh*t. And that's not to be taken for granted.

[Sid Bishop]

Someone on the fuel thread was saying that Brexit had nothing to do with the shortage of lorry drivers leading to petrol shortages, but blamed young people wanting to be famous on tiktok as a factor. How do you argue with that?

Without even bothering to search, I suspect this was ol' Sid Bishop.

I never said anything of the sort !!..................... e.g ''but blamed young people wanting to be famous on tiktok as a factor. How do you argue with that?
[/quote] Without even bothering to search, I suspect this was ol' Sid Bishop.''

[Max B Gold]

There is a real question of competence hanging over this government, isn't there? Yet, no matter what they do, they continue to enjoy sizeable support. And I'm not even certain that future inflation will even be enough to erode that.

Having escaped scrutiny / criticism over the last decade or so, I can't see there being much change on the horizon. I'm starting to think it'll be my kids generation or even the one after them that'll provide the driving force for real change once all the olds and gammons are dead.

Unlikely, I'm afraid.

Here's the thing: As bad as it is right now for the UK - and it is bad - there's just not many better alternative options. And even if you have the option of moving to a 'better' country, things are unlikely to stay that way as the future is likely to be one of increasing instability around the globe.

The past seventy years have been the greatest period of human history in terms of social progress, personal wealth, health and happiness. But the 2020s is the decade when the unique set of circumstances that have enabled that all come to an end.

Global trade security is no longer to be under-written by the USA, so we can expect to see increased disruption of long-distance supply chains as regions destabilise and the real implications of a multi-polar world emerge (think pre-WW2). And the majority of the population in the developed world will move into mass-retirement. Our kids will increasingly find themselves outnumbered by those above 65/67/70 years of age. And we've seen how older people vote and tend to wield power.

And this is a situation that is unlikely to change in their (or our grandchildren's) lifetimes. Unless they start breeding like rabbits (which they wont be able to afford to) or decide that forced euthanasia of the old is an option.

But back to the point of our government. Even if it is inevitable that everything is going to go to sh*t, it is still a question of degrees. A more competent administration could at least mean things were slightly less sh*t. And that's not to be taken for granted.

And South East Asia. What's the situation there?