'Embarrassed to be British...'

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But it’s not only because of Brexit is it Geof.
The embarrassment also follows the “world beating” antics of the UK corrupt government and the laughable excuses which persist on a daily basis.
Sadly, a once proud nation is a laughing stock and British citizens across the world, let alone just Europe, are deeply concerned for loved ones back “home” on plague island for which there seems no escape…

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Morning all

Reinforced by the couple of posts I made recently concerning the Electoral Commission, and Notts PCC.

It’s not just Brexit, the system is rotten to the core.

Depressing thoughts for first thing in the morning.

Andy

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I don’t often read newspaper articles posted here as I feel they are done so to support someones opinion that has probably been formed from reading the said article in the first place.
I have read this one which seems to contain a list of opinions from individuals and all negative so fit with the headline. I always thought the Guardian was supposed to be a cut above the tabloids but this article makes me think otherwise.
Brexit has certainly changed many people’s lives in numerous ways for Brits in Britain and Brits in the EU and niether for the better. I feel grateful to be living in our EU community with all the benefits it provides.
Hopefully the current Boris led disaster in the UK will soon pass into history and a new order will start to rebuild positive relations with the EU once more.

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If you add in Windrush, Hillsborough, Grenfell, PPE, Covid fraud and Rwanda, the list goes on and on.

Systemic non accountability.

In my previous existance I used to be a Parish Councillor and saw much lower level issues.

Glad I packed in and now love my life in France

Off to do some gardening

Andy

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The government is shameful and Brexit is a joke. Having said that there is loads that is amazing about the UK. Why not hold onto that and work for change?

Maybe a big part of the problem is the idea of GREAT Britain is it is linked to a certain jingoistic way of thinking but surely that can be repurposed?

None of this is easy of course.

I like the term ‘conviviality’ that Paul Gilroy used about a blending of cultures in Finsbury Park and his idea of working for a common humanity.

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Like @andyw I too was a Parish Councillor at the same as being Treasurer and Deputy Chairman of a Conservative Constituency party.
I am personally horrified at how the party I joined on my 18th Birthday has morphed into a horrific “Eton mess” and is destroying lives and the Country on its way.
Sadly, I do not intend to use my vote to support the Conservatives any time again in the foreseeable future. A very sad reflection about the state of politics in the UK,

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I thought this a far more interesting article about shameful things.

Mamy years back she was involved in a project I was also involved with about trying to make the countryside more welcoming to people from different backgrounds. Interesting woman.

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Indeed Graham - I’ve always seen brexit - and have posted about this before - not as either a mad mistake, or down to this atrocious UK government - but instead as merely a symptom of a much bigger malaise (founded fundamentally on the abandonment of the ‘European Social Model’ in favour of going down the US free-market-free-for-all drain - remember Thatcher’s ‘There’s no such thing as society’? - that pretty much encapsulated the whole mess).

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That’s a bit unfair on The Guardian JohnBoy - it’s a report of a survey undertaken by a joint research project (by universities and other academic bodies). I could have posted the link to the original research (https://migzen.net/site/assets/files/1402/benson_et_al__2022_british_citizens_in_the_eu_after_brexit.pdf) - which would have raised the same issues, and indeed I assume be of equal interest to Brits living in the EU - but I thought most would prefer The Guardian’s summary.

You might argue, of course, that the fact that The Guardian reported it at all betrays bias - but then other media not reporting it would also show bias the other way, wouldn’t it?

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This is interesting though - moves afoot in Brussels that might ease at least some of the problems wrought by brexit for us living in the EU - eg. freedom of movement.

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This paper seems to be the relevant bit for TCNs who are permanent residents

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It’s not so much that I’m embarrassed to be British… it’s more like having an uncle who regularly embarrasses the whole family, you try to create a certain distance but it doesn’t always work.

I do, though, now understand why the first thing American travellers said to me when I met them in Europe was “I didn’t vote for…” (insert name of Republican president here)
Limoges Metropole -

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Yes indeed Andrea - I also remember American friends’ embarrassment about Reagan and Bush - let alone Trump!

nicest story I heard about Reagan was after he had left the White House. He was always used during his Presidency to be chauffeured in “the beast” to wherever he was going without any stops. When the car did stop, the expectation was then he would alight the vehicle and meet with whomever. However,after leaving the Presidency, he was being taken some place or other in his limo which, by reason of traffic, stopped at a red light at which point, to the horror of his minders, he then opened the door of the limo and started to get out! “Er, no Mr President, please remain seated” was the polite response.
Poor Ronnie, he’d got so used to the trappings of power, his poor brain couldn’t comprehend the fact that when the vehicle stopped now, it wasn’t because he’d reached his destination!

Well his poor brain was suffering from Alzheimers, so not that surprising.

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And yet Boris still touts one nation politics!

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That may well be on the way out though…
The nationalist parties are making considerable headway, Sinn Fein in NI, SNP in Scotland and Plaid Cymru making significant gains particularly in west Wales.

I have seen several references in the UK media to “fears” of a united Ireland. What is there to be afraid of? It will only happen if a majority of people vote for it in a referendum, ie if it is the will of the people, and why is that a thing to be afraid of?

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