- EURASIAREVIEW.COM - A la une - 19/Jul 23:48

What Has Become Of Britain? – OpEd

Britain is in pieces—politically, economically, socially, and in terms of national identity. The country’s existential mess has deep roots, dating back to the Thatcher years (UK Prime Minister from 1979 to 1990). Under her catastrophic reign, market fundamentalism and privatisation took hold, society was dismantled, and the foundations of the welfare state were eroded. This destructive ideological approach persisted through 14 years (2010–2024) of Conservative rule—a dark period marked by austerity, neglect, social fragmentation, the calculated dismantling of public services, and the hollowing out of civil society. If the damage is to be undone and a new nation built, it will take creative reimagining, a long-term principled approach, and political humility—all of which are currently absent in the Labour government, led by Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Signs of Decline The system of governance itself requires major reform: it is increasingly centralised, unrepresentative, and undemocratic. First-past-the-post elections routinely deliver disproportionate outcomes—smaller parties are sidelined, and when a party holds a large parliamentary majority, as Labour does now (with a 156-seat lead over all opposition parties combined), it becomes virtually unaccountable. It is a system run by rigid technocrats, seemingly incapable of imagining the scope of systemic change needed. The evidence of decline is everywhere: Income and wealth inequality is the highest in Europe; the richest 10% of households own more than 45% of the nation’s wealth, while real wages have stagnated for 16 years; over 4.2 million children—around 30% of the total—now live below the poverty line; homelessness is at its highest level among developed nations; the National Health Service is in crisis; prisons are dangerously overcrowded—the UK imprisons more people per capita than any other European country—and they are severely under-resourced; local government, underfunded for over a decade, faces colossal pressure: youth services, social care, libraries, and basic infrastructure have all been gutted. Add to this Brexit, environmental degradation, species loss, crumbling infrastructure, and failing transport networks, and the picture of a country with its very heart ripped out begins to emerge. Politicians and institutions—including the media—are widely mistrusted. Public despair, division, and anger run deep, particularly among young people, many of whom feel hopeless. The Human Cost The cumulative impact of 14 years of callous governments, combined with the divisive fallout of Brexit, has deeply scarred the country’s emotional and psychological life. The result is a form of collective trauma that has fractured national identity and shattered any remaining sense of dignity, fuelling widespread resentment—particularly among neglected working-class communities. Mental illness is soaring, with one in five people reporting struggles of one kind or another—young people and women are particularly impacted. Obesity ratesare among the highest in Western Europe, with 64.5% of adults classified as overweight or obese, contributing to a growing health crisis. A hedonistic, often macho, culture has taken firmer hold, fuelled by online misogynists like the Tate brothers. Nearly two-thirds of teachers report that social media has worsened student behaviour, with boys increasingly adopting toxic attitudes—including refusing to engage with female teachers. One of the most alarming trends is the rise in violence against women, both online and in person. Antisocial behaviour has surged (up 14% between 2021 and 2023), including a sharp rise in assaults on teachers—reflecting a broader rejection of authority and a deepening culture of selfish individualism. Fractured communities—often along racial lines—have created fertile ground for the far right, now resurgent. Intolerance and racism are growing, as seen in the race riots of 2024, triggered by extremist rhetoric, social media disinformation, and shameless political opportunism. Right-wing politicians and their angry, muddled supporters hark back to a mythical past, blaming every problem on immigration and lamenting the loss of ill-defined “British values.” But when asked to explain what these are, few can offer more than empty slogans. The values most often cited—freedom, fairness, tolerance, and the rule of law—are shared, more or less, across liberal democracies everywhere. In Britain today, these ideals are being steadily eroded and, in many cases, are little more than righteous rhetoric. The gap between what Britain imagines itself to be and what it is becoming lies at the heart of its identity crisis and lack of direction. There is little or no social justice; racism and intolerance of immigrants and refugees are on the rise, inflamed by opportunistic politicians and a right-wing media. Freedoms once taken for granted—expression, protest, and the press—are being systematically undermined by repressive laws, increased surveillance, and hostility toward dissent. The recent proscription of Palestine Action as a terrorist group is just the latest act of control and hypocrisy in a long and growing list of repressive measures aimed at criminalising peaceful protest and silencing dissent. That same hypocrisy was laid bare in the political outrage and media hysteria over Bob Vylan’s “Death to the IDF” chant at Glastonbury. While they condemn a punk artist’s words, these same voices remain silent in the face of Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza—including the targeting of civilians at so-called humanitarian food distribution points, which are nothing less than IDF killing zones. Symbolic protest is punished; mass killing is ignored—or enabled. Such double standards reveal the moral void at the heart of Britain’s political establishment and media landscape—contradictions and cowardice that warp the national conversation, encourage lawlessness, and distort public opinion. What Must Change Britain’s woes are not simply the result of mismanagement, nor can they be resolved by running existing systems more efficiently—as Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Co. seem to believe. The crisis is fundamental, rooted in systemic inadequacies and long-term structural decline: economic, political, social and moral. While minor improvements may be possible (such as reducing NHS waiting times), no amount of tinkering will deliver the transformation needed. A fundamental reset is required—a radical shift in thinking rooted in social justice, democratic accountability, and respect for international law;...