What's So Bad About Saying We Are The Best ?

[Bobbisox1]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-55175162

( if there's already been a thread on this, I haven't seen it)

We are the best, we've always been the best and we will continue to be the best

Rule Britannia

[sandyRoe]

I heard on the wireless the other day that serious illnesses are diagnosed later, sometimes too late, in the UK than in other European countries.
We often hear the claim that the NHS is the best in the world. I'd like to think it was, but is it?

[emmie]

probably not sandy, but its the best we have got. Better to have it than not at all

[diddlydo]

One of the biggest Tory gaffes of all time - the Brexit vote I mean, not GW.

[emmie]

think back to the days perhaps when we had no NHS, no on the spot appointments, i know that its changed because of covid, but will reveet back to some sort of normal service some time in the future. Our NHS is top heavy seemingly with management, perhaps if that could be sorted we could see a batter service all round

[emmie]

then 17 million gaffes were made.

[emmie]

not all tories either, Labour voters, Lib Dems wanted out. YOu can;t just keep on blaming the ones party.

[emmie]

Tory party"

[diddlydo]

It was Cameron the Tory PM who called it.

[emmie]

yes it was, and didn't he do well. It wasn't supposed to happen, he believed that as a remainer the country would vote remain, little understanding that many were fed up to the back teeth with the EU, you aren;t one of them to be sure. But he made the call. Many Labour, tories, lib dems voted out, many voted stay in - the vote went in the leave camp

[emmie]

as i said we don't do grovelling, at least those with any sense.

[LadyCG]

Diddly... The Tories are in power ... we voted to leave.

Get over it!!

[emmie]

no use Lcg, the die is cast.

[Bobbisox1]

Lcg, you're on a hiding to nothing there :0)

[emmie]

yes you are LCG, but one can only try...

[andy-hughes]

The debate seems to have shifted into whether or not the UK is the best country or not, but the OP makes an interesting point - what's so bad about saying it.

And the short answer is - nothing at all.

But things like this are all about context - time and place are both important, and in this particular instance, the person saying it is an issue.

In my view, what's so bad about saying we are the best? Nothing.

What's so bad about a government minister saying it on the radio? Everything.

[emmie]

wasn;t it supposed to be tongue in cheek.....

[emmie]

i don;t believe we are the best, but are far ahead of countries that have no civil liberties like China for Instance or Russia, we have fair elections so that can't be all bad

[andy-hughes]

emmie - // wasn;t it supposed to be tongue in cheek..... //

Probably - but again that speaks to a lack of judgement.

If you want to me tongue in cheek, you go on The News Quiz, anywhere else, as a minister talking about a serious issue in the media, levity is not appropriate.

That's before, as I pointed out in my first response, the quote gets into print, where any attempt at humour is absent, and it simply looks like a really stupid thing for a minister to say - which of course, it was.

[Bobbisox1]

You're right Andy any attempted humour was lost in print

[emmie]

all ministers say stupid things, left, right and centre, it comes with the territory