I read the introduction to a book written by an Englishman this week. He said that Australia may as well be a fictional place, as it is so far away he will never go. He doesn’t like long place journeys, so he will never make the effort. What a shame. More fool him. Most of the book was about how terrible life is in the UK with ASBOs (Anti-Social Behaviour Orders – a British government initiative to crack down on inner city violence, vandalism, theft, underage drinking, drug use and the various other weekend habits of the disenfranchised youth of “Great” Britain) now seen as a badge of honour for the tracksuited young people.
If you think about it, Britain used to be the centre of the world. Then the empire crumbled with the American civil war, Indian resistance, and independence across formerly British outposts in Africa . All of these places are now more exciting places to live. With the exception of Africa’s third world and the poorer parts of the sub-continent, their industry and infrastructure are superior to the United Kingdom . Britain seems to rely on imported goods, particularly food, electrical goods and clothing. I don’t have their current trade figures, but their reliance on China and America as providers of the majority of consumer goods and America for the majority of its culture. American TV dominates British TV schedules. Hip hop, rap and American rock dominates the charts and iPod downloads.
Britain taught the world how to play sport at the end of the 19th century. Now the world beats them at everything. The English cricket team were annihilated in the recent West Indies tour. The rugby teams now play second fiddle to the southern hemisphere superpowers of South Africa , Australia and New Zealand . There hasn’t been a British grand slam tennis winner since the 1970s and I can’t name any British boxing world champions apart since Ricky Hatton lost to Floyd Mayweather. Grand prix racing seems to be one of the few sports to have a British champion, although Lewis Hamilton lives in Switzerland for tax reasons. The last bastion of Britishness, football, has been sold off to the highest bidder – the Premier League rights to the Australian, Rupert Murdoch’s Sky/Fox media group and its top clubs to Americans (Manchester United – Glazer family, Liverpool – Tom Gilette, Tom Hicks, Arsenal – Stan Kroenke and Aston Villa – Randy Learner).
Politically, Britain has long been seen, definitely internally, nut now on a world stage as America ’s lap dog with Tony Blair’s cosy relationship with George W Bush a national disgrace. Prime Minister Gordon Brown claimed the special relationship was over and then continued to pander to Presidents Bush and Obama. England is a nation in disarray. It’s economy has collapsed under the strain of the sub-prime lending and short selling which followed. Scotland ’s parliament building at Hollyrood came in over 1000% over budget and is a source of infighting and bickering which would only rival Northern Ireland , if its parliament wasn’t such an embarrassment. Recently the Democratic Unionist Party’s Iris Robinson claimed that homosexuals are possessed by demons and psychiatric counselling would stop them engaging in the ungodly activity. The same party’s Sammy Wilson, Minister for the Environment, said that Global Warming is nonsense – there are no power plants on Mars was his reasoning even saying "Reasoned debate must replace the scaremongering of the green climate alarmists." He stated that "Resources should be used to adapt to the consequences of climate change, rather than King Canute-style vainly trying to stop it." The principality of Wales has in ruin since heavy industry was all but closed down in the 60s and 70s. All the mines have now closed and unemployment is higher than the UK average. Immigration has spiraled out of control with eastern Europeans and west Africans flocked to the UK for free medical care and benefits.The UK is not a nice place to live. The weather is atrocious and the food is unhealthy. The average person is obese and on the verge of diabetes. The national diet contributes to the highest rate of heart disease in the world, particularly in Scotland where everything is deep fried, including Mars Bars and it has taken campaigns by the latest reality TV spawn – celebrity chefs, to improve children’s school dinners.
It is time Britain realised it is no longer great.
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