‘What is it about the United Kingdom that makes you say ‘I’m glad I live here’?’ – 23 utterly British reponses

The UK isn’t perfect, far from it, and most people are well aware of it.

In fact, it’s usually those who claim to love Britain most of all – yes, we’re looking at you Reform – who seem to be lacking that innately British trait of self-deprecation and claim it would be an Albion-like utopia if it weren’t for all those foreigners/LGBTQ+ people/liberal elites/wokeism, blah blah blah.

But, whatever your thoughts on how we’ve got to the point where Nigel Farage is taken seriously as a potential prime minister, everyone can agree that there are some good things about living here. They’ve been talking about this on the AskUK subreddit, following this question from user bsmall0627:

What is it about the United Kingdom that makes you say ‘I’m glad I live here’?

And it turns out it’s not as bad as we sometimes think.

1.

‘The weather might be drab but it’s not going to try and violently kill you.’
–TheKingMonkey

2.

‘Just been for a walk in the countryside. There is no where like it when the sun is shining and birds singing.’
–Optimal_Collection77

3.

‘Lack of school shootings. NHS – maybe on its knees at the moment but at least a pregnancy isn’t going to cost you hundreds of thousands. Lack of hurricanes and tsunamis.’
–PizzaMadeMeFat89

4.

‘From an Italian living here I’d like to add lack of earthquakes and volcanoes too!’
–InformationHead3797

5.

‘I love victorian architecture and ivy.’
–Difficult_Falcon1022

6.

‘Everyone raves about Japan’s sakura, but England’s bluebell season is just as spectacular.’
–leoinclapham

7.

‘Me and my partner were talking about this the other day and how when we were younger we fantasised about living in America because it always looked so cool in all the films and tv shows. We were trying to work out when the turning point was and we realised it was having kids and not wanting them to grow up there.

People complain about this country and rightly so but we have it lucky compared to so many other places.’
–TarrierMoney

8.

‘GOV.UK website. Sort tax, driving license renewal, passport renewal, etc, etc. And it comes in Welsh (I think, I’m not Welsh so it could be Klingon as far as I’m concerned).’
–cowie71

9.

‘The NHS. Ok, waiting times are shit but I know if I break a bone or need major surgery, if a long wait time is my biggest problem and not a six figure bill that could bankrupt me, I’m OK with that.’
–supergodmasterforce

10.

‘The plugs. Best in the world.’
–Nice_Back_9977

11.

‘Idiots can’t easily get hold of guns. Religious extremism is pretty rare. I don’t have to sell my home if I break my legs. There aren’t many venomous creatures that will bite me.’
–topher2604

12.

‘Believe it or not but the air quality. For a city the size and breadth of London, the air quality could be so much worse. It’s one of the reasons I hate visiting New York, it’s like I can feel the particulates settling into my lungs.’
–NoLove_NoHope