I’ve been spending time with friends from overseas these last few evenings. Some of what they tell me about where they live is quite surprising. We in the UK (particularly Daily Mail readers) would never think ourselves to be ahead of the game when it comes to quality of life and cost/standard of living, but to one friend who I had assumed was quite content with life in America, the UK seems a preferable alternative. I found this quite an eye opener.
There is so much I enjoy about living in the UK. The scope offered by this country’s busy economy is exciting, and possibilities are ever present, even in recession. The look and feel of the UK is something we often take for granted, but the exceptional craftsmanship of our ancestors has sired a creative mindset which is woven into the nation’s rich fabric. Look at this:
The people are lovely. Certain accents are very attractive. The native cuisine is delicious: you can’t beat pork chops, mash and gravy. Multiple car ownership is easy – insurance is cheap enough and buying and selling is very straightforward. Try owning 9 cars in Ireland and see how far you get.
Access to cultural events and to other countries is good. The UK is well served for links to the rest of the developed world and getting to Europe can be very cheap. Our house is set in a handy spot for access all round Britain, and even someplace like Spa is only a few hours away. I have driven home from southern France and even Switzerland in a day – very doable. Our climate is varied and temperate, but sunshine is easy to escape to when the need arises.
For all its undoubted positives, the UK is still running up a chunky tab on the negative side. The taxation system is pervasive and sneaky: supporting this greedy Government is hard work. Financials make little sense: houses are unaffordable, pensions are unrealistic versus the likely cost of living when the time comes. Red tape is omnipresent. Teachers teach to pass targets, not to educate kids. Everywhere has a university and graduates aspire to Tesco management programmes. These things and more cause me pain, but they are outweighed by the positives. However, if there is one thing that no amount of positives can outweigh, it is that this sceptered isle currently languishes under an unelected Prime Minister.
If you’d told me 5 years ago that this would bother me as much as it does, I really would have laughed, but I have since matured into fatherhood. As I listened to the Budget today and heard details of how this Government has all but eradicated what little economic dignity the UK once had left to hand down to the next generation (look at projected debt versus GDP), I was moved to venomous distaste for the injustice of another year under this unchosen leader. As an 80′s economic immigrant, I could feel the winds of change stirring in my suitcase!
I would never have guessed that this proud Irishman would ever pay much attention to who was at the helm of the good ship UK. Today I learned just how far my thinking has travelled since 1989.
