What's So Great About The UK?

Maybe. This was said, especially before EU membership.
I think Ireland would be affected even more.

We have no motor industry, coal, shipping, steel or industrial base left. Times change, I know that but selling insurance and other such service industries will not replace in the long term, what has been lost.

Possibly so, that tiger wasn't gonna live forever

Not sure...70 % exports are too EU.


Nope.....not true........nothing is made in UK any more...all service industries........in reality!! Country is full of 10-50% retailers ie..thats wot they make from having everything made abroad then sell it in UK!!


Talking.!!!!......but NO-ONE knows!!!

Well, Michał, I will make a concession being Scottish and say that the decline of our shipping industry, based in the Clyde, was regrettable and a national disappointment. Sheffield continues to fly the UK flag for our steelworks, with some success. I can't agree that the British motor industry has gone down the tubes. We have Rover, Triumph, Mini and others who reported high levels of profit. The problem lies in the superiority of the Japanese and German motor industries. We are still very much afloat. As for an industrial base, well, Scotland has strengths in tidal power [i]inter alia. [i] Tourism and farming will also never dip

Whatever happened to the Scottish oil industry?

However, this is also to an extent, based on Ireland's transatlantic link, something that the UK used to think of as its own.

The greatest thing about the UK is the preponderance of well educated, witty, tolerant and devishly handsome males who have that typical British nmodesty and self efacement about them. Obviously I am one of them.

Whereabouts ? 'Cos I haven't seen any recently (hahaha) <joke>


But of course, goes without saying lol.......

:)

Just look at post #369 above, or any of the other 4122 posts by the same um... person.

you know, ive always respected your opinion and considered you a very astute man, pan pie

The Scottish oil industry, flourishing nicely. The wealth is there to be seen in Altens and Kirkhill in Aberdeen

I was not aware that we have any of these now. Certainly not Rover anymore.

There are new Minis being put together in the UK these days (I think).

There are foreign companies building cars here (Nissan, Ford, etc.)
Another point is that although companies may be 'foreign', not all of their investors are.

Why am I talking about this? I can't stand cars. I don't drive, I can't drive. I don't know what any of them are. If someone asks me 'What kind of car is that?' I usually resort to saying 'It was a big blue one.' or 'I don't know but it sort of looked like quite a fast one.'

Tractors? That's another story...

Don't BMW own the 'Mini' brand now ?

They bought it when British Leyland closed down........

:)

I believe that to be the case. The new Mini looks rubbush compared to the old one - a (British) design classic of the 20th century.

We have a large 'Mini' showroom not far from where I live atm. I think they are well designed and pretty classy to be truthful. Mind you, you don't stand a chance on the roads around here with all the 4 X 4 drivers . Heathens the lot of them lol.........<g>

Britain gave the world McLaren (let's forget the scandals please), Jaguar and, eh, Brabham. A wealth of F1 experience. Also, we seem to be forgetting about Aston Martin, associated with Bond and class. As the world changes, so does ownership. Oil giants and American giants begin to take hold. That's life!! We still have some of the best minds in engineering. Ron Dennis for example. A lot of the top racers were British, Jackie Stewart, Lewis Hamilton, the Hills, Mansell and McNish

Im fine and happy, but I dont see things through rose tinted glasses, maybe I remember the last recession too well and the thought of it happening is slightly worrying..


that employs many people in the UK, chances are that the plants will be moved to cheaper countries when they take over - UK and US have pretty strong ties, not sure we have the same with India!


Interesting programmes.....I quite like history!

The UK has quite a good motor industry with several of the large Japanese firms having plants in the UK.
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/746569.stm
admittedly this link is from 2002 at a few plants have closed down but it still looks respectable.

mmm i would say just its football....MANCHESTER UNITED would be best thing in the Uk :p

There are lots of wonderful things in the UK. The original poster is correct however when he wonders "What's so great about the UK?"...there is nothing "So Great" about the UK, it's a free, democratic country like so many others... there is however, alot of media re-inforced nonsense about greatness..

examples
an English guy plays well for his English club for 5 consecutive matches would be reported in Britain as "best midfielder in the world"...then he can take his place on the pantheon of British greatness like...

the British royal family..often called in British media - the envy of the world (give me strength),
British armed forces...the best in the world,
British legal/justice...model for the world.
Shame is there is a ready made (cultivated for centuries) audience for such rubbish...so it's only natural that a pea brain will show up here from time to time with claims such as "we won the war" and so the cycle continues.

pft! bollox!

I rate a country by more than just the economy.....

In answer to the original question.. I would say the British sense of humour and of course the pubs, which are unique (with the exception of Ireland). I have yet to find a British or Irish pub overseas that is good, it is not the decor, but the clientele that make a good traditional British pub.

I am just finding that I have less and less money these days and am having to be very careful and not spend unless it is essential. Even a new, much needed pair of shoes is non-essential at the moment.

Just when I think it is safe, petrol goes up again which makes it more expensive to get to work and then that is more to find each month.

If it is about confidence then I think we're in trouble.

I think 2008 will be a very tough one financially.

Keeping control of the purse strings will be an important thing for many households. The old 'saving for a rainy day' is common in Scotland, I imagine in England too. This is a positive thing. Petrol prices will keep rising I fear. Be smart Mister H. think Scottish!!

But that could be rephrased as saving for most days. It would mean even less in Ireland.

What's so great about the UK?
I like Wales.

That's why the Poles, 'saving for the black hour', is more to the point

well, Heathtrow aiport has added a nice terminal with the blessing of the Queen, but I will still avoid it;)