Class Warfare In Britain

[scionic]

I'm not getting heated  :D

Once upon a  time the British empire was great. The colonies etc....

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Aren't you guys still hanging on to a few obscure little islands in warm climates?

Is there enough left to still say the sun never sets...?

I'm a bit uninformed about all that, but I figured you've got what is it... Grenada still, right? and a few other islands in the South Pacific maybe? What about the BWI, are they still part of the "empire" technically?

Then of course there's Canada (just kidding on that one)

You'd still have us too maybe, if we weren't so scrappy and ferocious.

[Robie]

Falklands and the Queen is still Queen of Australia if that counts :)

[Gareth B]

Current British overseas territories are:

Akrotiri and Dhekelia (Soveriegn bases in Cyprus)

Anguilla

Bermuda

British Antarctic territory

British Indian Ocean Territory

British Virgin Islands

Cayman Islands

Falkland Islands

Gibraltar

Montserrat

Pitcairn Islands

Saint Helena

Ascension Island

Tristan da Cunha

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Turks and Caicos Islands

Just out of interest.

[scionic]

Excellent Gareth! Thanks.

I didn't realize the Caymans and Bermuda were still territories. I'd thought they both had sovereign governments now.

What about the Isle of Man and the Isle of Wight? I thought they were British territory. No?

I knew British troops were stationed in Cyprus, I've been to Cyprus a few times and was up near the border with the Turkish controlled sector. I was always curious how the British public reacted and what the military response was, if any, when the Turks invaded in the 1970's. Anyone know about that?

[Avensis wagon]

Back yo your first question, as you point out, American society is becoming increasingly polarized. Personally I put it down to the way that what is marketed as freedom gives you the right to be left to fend for yourselves when you start from the lowest point or when things go wrong. If a government is meant to look after its people, that's not responsible govenment. I believe in taxes (I pay 40%), because we need taxes to fund our education, healthcare, welfare etc. and generally provide a better society in which to live. The things to which we are all entitled. And sure, there's always going to be that 4% who just want to take, but that's some people for you. It's always been that way.

Many politicians in the UK look up to the American model of free enterprise and we are leaning that way more than ever, not so much upfront but it's creeping through the back door. I don't like it. Thatcher was very much for it. She wanted us to become entrepreneurs and own our own homes (dole pays rent but not mortgage, so by convincing the working classes that they were now lower middle class they suddenly had more to lose than their chains and were forced to keep in line -- this isn't helped now by the banks lending astronomical amounts, driving house prices ever upward. They're in it together with the estate agents). Anyway, I want to see proportional representation and multiparty government. That is democracy, and that is civilised, business-like government.

I suppose the good news is that a couple with ordinary jobs can afford a house and a car and have a family. Finally, yep all politicians tell lies. They have to. The competition is so tough that all parties have to make promises they couldn't possibly keep.

Disclaimer: The above is not stated as fact and simply reflects some of the views of a forum member

[LORD_ED]

We pay our taxes too. on less wages for the same job.. take a look at average wages for the uk.. there is a huge difference the further south you go  :ffs:

How about you cross refference wages with living costs??? Down the road from me, a tiny 2 up 2 down teraced house, no double glazing, no central heating, virtually no garden...costs in excess of £300,000.... £3 a pint is no longer frowned at either.....

Trust me You really have not got it THAT bad!

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im with charlie on this there is NOWHERE in the uk more expensive to live than where charlie and i are. everyone thinks it must be nice being brought up in Henley, and it is. but that is justa bout all charlie and i will be able to do when i comes to buying our own houses Henlyes not the place to do it. We need to move away form friends family our lives just to buy a house, my friends are moving all over uk not beacause they want to but beacause they cant afford there home town.

[Gareth B]

Thats not just Henley it is the same most places.

With all these new developments going up around Cardiff Bay and the Barrage creating a 12km waterfront it has priced most locals out of the area myself included.

Scionic, Cyprus was a very complicated issue, my mother is Greek-Cypriot so my views may be slightly biased.

[scionic]

I've seen some photos of Henley-on-Thames and it looks lovely really. I can see why they might charge a premium to live there.

It's what, about an hour out of London or so?

Sounds like the NYC area, if you want anything very nice that close or closer to the city it is quite expensive.

Phoenix, Arizona is the total opposite. No picturesque little cobblestone lanes or open air markets around a 18th century village. It's all new condominums and large modern homes with tiny yards and apartment complexes. Lots of "sprawl" and new giant highway overpasses. And all of that is surrounded by hundreds of miles of rocky, severe mountains and expansive cactus-laden desert with a few large mountain lakes here and there.

However, housing is extremely cheap here, that's quite nice. A nice new house is within reach of anyone with decent job and good credit. My best friend's sister is 21 years old and a hairdresser and she's just moved into a brand-new small 3 bedroom house.

It's not nearly as timeless and classic as the best parts of England, but you can live well here and the tax burden is not a hardship.

[Bibbs]

I live in the same area as Charlie and Ed .. about 15 mins away in a town called Reading. I'm lucky I live in a nice area, some areas are VERY bad.

A one bed flat is about £80k, and a house will start at about £140k in the rubbish parts of town

I'm in IT and earn a fair slab (higher than national average) .. and I can't afford a one bed flat round here ..

I'm having to reant a house off a mates family to actually live in the area. Just lucky to be able to rent a 5 bed house with all the trimmings for sod all :D