UK '2nd Most Popular Country'

[Arthur Little]

According to a BBC World Service Opinion Poll, positive views of the United Kingdom have risen ... making the second most popular country globally.

I won't bore anyone here with statistics ... suffice to say, it's the first time we've become "runners-up" in the annual popularity stakes - in this case to Germany - which is rated as being the most positive nation overall.

Hmm ... our leaders evidently must be doing something worthwhile - little wonder so many "asylum seekers" want to on the band wagon - or [more accurately] the back of a cross-channel freight container!

[Dedworth]

The words "Soft Touch" spring immediately to mind

[Arthur Little]

The words "Soft Touch" spring immediately to mind

Precisely ... !

[bornatbirth]

dont you get tired of it

[Englishman2010]

Any ideas what the German benefits and immigration systems are like?

[bornatbirth]

Any ideas what the German benefits and immigration systems are like?

if hitler was still around...i know what it would be

[imagine]

if hitler was still around...i know what it would be

gastronomical bennefits i would think

[Arthur Little]

Any ideas what the German benefits and immigration systems are like?

gastronomical bennefits i would think

Hmm ... would need an element of "concentration" ... ... I should think!

[imagine]

Hmm ... would need an element of "concentration" ... ... I should think!

another bennefit ,,,, zero unemployment

[Arthur Little]

another bennefit ,,,, zero unemployment

That's true ... I'd imagine there'd be ample job opportunities for gas workers ...

[Arthur Little]

... or "chamber" maids!!

[Dedworth]

Any ideas what the German benefits and immigration systems are like?

Unlike the UK they don't roll out the red carpet and welcome to so called "asylum seekers".

In the true spirit of European Integration the German and Austrian Labour markets are verboten until a couple of months time to the Eastern European Nations who joined the expanded EU in 2004. Not sure where they stand on the Feral Nations of Bulgaria and Romania but I suspect they won't tolerate them

[imagine]

... or "chamber" maids!!

and the undertaker

[KeithD]

Unlike the UK they don't roll out the red carpet and welcome to so called "asylum seekers".

Actually, Germany has more asylum seekers than the UK. Official EU stats http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleases...guiLanguage=en

[Englishman2010]

Actually, Germany has more asylum seekers than the UK. Official EU stats http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleases...guiLanguage=en

That's what I thought. I was in Frankfurt a few yrs ago, and there seemed to be a very high population of Turks, Iranians, Iraqi's and Africans. It's very similar in Copenhagen and Amsterdam too. Italy, France, Belgium and Sweden have growing non indiginous populations too. Whatever we think about the UK being a magnet for refugees, I don't think it's any worse than any other major western European country.

[fred]

Actually, Germany has more asylum seekers than the UK. Official EU stats http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleases...guiLanguage=en

Perhaps thats the reason why the UK is 2nd less popular?
Personally.I dont find the Jewish war jokes that amusing!!

[Arthur Little]

Personally.I dont find the Jewish war jokes that amusing!!

... apologies!!! But ... rest assured, 'twas primarily intended as a means of taking an "swipe" at wartime practices connected with [Nazi] Germany ... rather than anything else.

[Dedworth]

Actually, Germany has more asylum seekers than the UK. Official EU stats http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleases...guiLanguage=en

Only about a thousand more yet Germany's population is 33% greater than ours . Strange how the lot pitching up in the UK pass through the likes of Germany and France without jumping off the truck there

[Englishman2010]

Only about a thousand more yet Germany's population is 33% greater than ours . Strange how the lot pitching up in the UK pass through the likes of Germany and France without jumping off the truck there

Let's not forget that the rich West Germany adopted a further 20 million or so poor East Germans when it re-unified. West Germany's population was roughly the same as the UK's pre re-unification. I would guess that the majority of immigrants into Germany have gone to the more prosperous western cities?

[Dedworth]

Let's not forget that the rich West Germany adopted a further 20 million or so poor East Germans when it re-unified. West Germany's population was roughly the same as the UK's pre re-unification. I would guess that the majority of immigrants into Germany have gone to the more prosperous western cities?

Time flies though - reunification was in 1990 14 years before these E Europeans were admitted to the EU and IIRC only Britain and Ireland were the mugs who allowed their workers in immediately. No surprise that it was the Labour Govt who in the push for multiculturalism/votes in 2004 lied to the nation predicting 15000 a year would come - by July 2006 447000 had turned up putting untold pressure on housing, law enforcement, education etc

[Englishman2010]

Time flies though - reunification was in 1990 14 years before these E Europeans were admitted to the EU and IIRC only Britain and Ireland were the mugs who allowed their workers in immediately. No surprise that it was the Labour Govt who in the push for multiculturalism/votes in 2004 lied to the nation predicting 15000 a year would come - by July 2006 447000 had turned up putting untold pressure on housing, law enforcement, education etc

At the time I can remember Brown using the argument that we need more workers in the UK to pay NI & Tax to help support the pension payments of an ever ageing population. It might have worked had any of these new entrants actually worked in the real economy and paid tax and NI.
If he wanted more tax and NI payments, it would have actually been far simpler to have cut the benefits of the lazy 16 - 24 yr old dole scroungers and made them work and contribute to society.

[Dedworth]

At the time I can remember Brown using the argument that we need more workers in the UK to pay NI & Tax to help support the pension payments of an ever ageing population. It might have worked had any of these new entrants actually worked in the real economy and paid tax and NI.
If he wanted more tax and NI payments, it would have actually been far simpler to have cut the benefits of the lazy 16 - 24 yr old dole scroungers and made them work and contribute to society.

I think you are right, also he forgot to mention the negative outflow of child benefit and family tax credits heading out to E Europe for the mothers annd kiddies remaining there

[Englishman2010]

I think you are right, also he forgot to mention the negative outflow of child benefit and family tax credits heading out to E Europoe for the mothers annd kiddies remaining there

He naiively thought that they were honest and would make a positive contribution to our economy

Makes me wish I'd invested in a Western Union franchise a few years ago

[KeithD]

Makes me wish I'd invested in a Western Union franchise a few years ago

Just send $1000 to my anonymous Western Union account and I can .... erm.... help you with that

[Englishman2010]

Just send $1000 to my anonymous Western Union account and I can .... erm.... help you with that

No problem Keith, but don't forget my 10% handling fee for the transaction, plus the skim I'm going to take on the exchange rate. So give me £1000 GBP and I'll send you a $1000 USD

[keithAngel]

Only about a thousand more yet Germany's population is 33% greater than ours . Strange how the lot pitching up in the UK pass through the likes of Germany and France without jumping off the truck there

Glad to see the refutation with facts doesnt affect your ability to post the next gem.

Being an Island and close to France most do in fact end up there

[keithAngel]

Its also a great pity to take a positive opinion of our standing in the world and use it to be negative about folk who in fact didnt contribute to that view

UK 'second most popular country Press Association, Monday March 7 2011

The BBC World Service Country Rating Poll asked nearly 29,000 people to rate the global influence of 16 major nations and the European Union

Negative views of the UK decreased by 2%, now standing at 17%. Of the 27 countries polled, 24 lean positive towards the UK while two, Pakistan and Mexico, have overall negative views of the UK. One country, Turkey, remains divided.

• 
  
  • Those with the most positive views of the UK were the US, at 80%, followed by Australia at 79% and Canada at 69%.
    Germany was the most positively viewed nation overall, with 63% of those surveyed rating its influence as positive
  
  

[Dedworth]

Glad to see the refutation with facts doesnt affect your ability to post the next gem.

Being an Island and close to France most do in fact end up there

And allowed by the French authorities to remain in Calais making untold attempts until they succeed in getting across in the back of a lorry

[Arthur Little]

Guys ... I think we may be straying [myself included!]; let's be thankful we are part of this great nation ... "warts and all"!!!

[keithAngel]

And allowed by the French authorities to remain in Calais making untold attempts until they succeed in getting across in the back of a lorry

The French to be fair are very sad to be shown our anglophile preference by the guys awaiting entry must be very Gaulling