Is Britain a country of excuses?

I know Hitchens is a misery guts but he is right on virtually everything.

Britain is a country of absolute corruption ,we have had weather like this yrs ago,they where as bad then We had hot summer freezing winter,and floods when snow melted, The world climate will change it always has , I walk in the countryside,love it all weather's,

I visited arctic Norway in 2019 and the planes land, the planes take off, the kids go to school and at break time, ski in the school playground, people cycle, jog, drive in the snow, the pavements are treated with gravel to give people more grip..... the buses run and I can only assume so do the trains, the shops are open.... This is just pathetic. Even on the sad BBC website was an article 2 days ago 'how to protect babies in the cold snap?' Hmmm, in Finland, people will put their babies outside for their naps. They are wrapped up adequately of course, in their buggies, but they are still put outside to nap. It's good for them, toughens them up and boost the immune system. We are around 5 generations in soft cissies now with all their allergies and inability to cope with average seasonal weather. Very very ridiculous.

Totally correct Peter, the level of excuses really is absurd. The level of incompetence in this country is insane. Your assessment of the state of affairs between Russia, Ukraine and America is very accurate, particularly the mental efficiency of the current crop of Politicians.

The only thing that runs on time are the Dinghies

Panic, chaos, unprecedented, crisis, catastrophe etc etc the repetition of words used by the MSM to describe, what in the past, would have been normal events. I exclude the sad deaths of these poor boys who drowned.

Peter....the best of the best, objective, calm, rational

It Snowed in my Area on Friday and I'm still waiting for the Government to Tell me What to Do

My dad was a driver on the LMS railway in before and after ww2 I remember him riding 8mls to work at 2am on his bike through snow.

I remember the winter of 1962/3, the schools were closed on 0 days, I had 0 days off even though I had severe chilblains !

Good grief growing up in the 70's harsh winters were the norm. We used to go sledging and enjoy the snow. Schools didn't close everything worked reasonably well. When did we turn in to such a pathetic nation of cowards?

Government advice is to stay at home so other people don't get cold.

Got to.say he is right been saying it for years and.the past two has been the worst ever in history

The host never listens, always jumping in at the end, doesn’t let Peter finish a full sentence

How right he his were a bloody shambles I wished I'd left this country ages ago big regret

When my son was 5ys old I had to wrap my baby daughter up and put her in a sledge so I could take him to school as I couldn't push the pram in the snow. Also I lived in German for a few years and boy do they have snow. I had only just passed my driving test, it certainly taught me how to drive in snow. We drove down roads where the snow was as high as houses down the side where it had been blown by snow ploughs. People need to grit their teeth and just get on with it.

Every time we have a bit of snow this country grinds to a halt, its pathetic.

The culture of apathy and excuses.

It's not long enough - one of the best discussions on KZfaq !!

1cm of snow closed Manchester airport. I think something more sinister is at play, it's just not right.

Exercise for it's own sake in gyms is boring. Since I stopped work I walk wherever I need to go, to the supermarket, to my art society etc, and leave the car at home. I clock up 4-5 hours walking a week, am losing weight and feel more relaxed. People are getting fatter because they don't walk.

Whilst Hitchens is right about the failings of this country - there's still one big blindspot he has(and he never seems to want to actually go anywhere near it) - it's not down to groupthink or incompetence - it's been deliberately done.

My parents used to walk 28 miles to school in the snow bare foot, and it was uphill both ways.

Totally agree on House of Lords reform, bring back the Hereditary peers!

I volunteered at Weston Hospital for some while. I operated a Book Service. This involved a colleague and I wheeling a trolley around the wards containing books and magazines asking patients if they wanted any reading material. Sadly the COVID depression descended and I was advised, for reasons which I understand, my colleague and I were no longer able to offer the service. I received an e mail recently in which I was advised the Weston Hospital were now in a position to resume the service. I arranged a meeting with the Voluntary Service Section at the Hospital. I assumed I would review the book store and restart the Book Service in January. I was quickly disabused. It was explained before I could resume as a Volunteer I would need to undertake a 6 (six) hour online course. The course includes a number of Modules including “Conflict Resolution”; “Equality and Diversity and Human Rights” and “Preventing Radicalisation”. For the avoidance of doubt let me be clear. I was a volunteer. Not an employee even unpaid. My task involved wheeling a trolley containing reading material. The contact I had with patients was on the following lines: Do you want something to read? If so do you want a book or magazine of maybe both? What sort of book or magazine would you like? My contact never extended to discussions about ISIS, or whether we should withdraw from the ECHR and the only conflict was who was better Agatha Christie or Dorothy Sayers. John Kirkhope

How come Mr Hitchins or people of similar stature make it to PM , this man is the type of person we need !

Good luck with your electric cars in this winter. Lithium batteries fail in cold temps

The problem is people think the state will solve all their problems rather than thinking for themselves.

Business leaders and politicians have wasted millions on consultants who have advised them how to: 1 - Make the business "lean" with everything just-in-time" so that there's no longer any capacity in the pipeline. 2 - Make yourself "non-public-facing" so as to avoid awkward questions from irritated customers. 3 - Monetise everything; airports are prime examples of this - you can't even drop off passengers without the greedy bastards charging you a fiver. Dentists used the same consultants. 4 - Pass the buck for everything, under no circumstances admit blame. 5 - Take offence at everything in case there's a chance of "compo". 6 - Obfuscate and side-step every question saying "mistakes were made and lessons have been learned but what we have achieved is...." Britain is going to Hell in a hand cart.

Always liked Hitchens.

Hitchens is infuriatingly correct in so many ways.

Absolutely spot on. Other countries laugh at us.

Nannyism has seeped right through into public consciousness, even though, bizarrely, a majority of people detest it. They detest it but just go along with it. The problem with our people is that they've become accustomed to shoulder shrugging resignation., There is a sense that British people have become almost numbly compliant. They'll comply with anything.. anything as long as it doesn't take away their petrol, their junk food supermarkets, their tellies, I phones or foreign holidays.

Brilliant as always. Love those two

if 1960s tv taught us anything, it was to keep away from ice, marshes and quicksand....

In the early 80's I remember jogging from West Drayton to Uxbridge to work IN a 3 piece suit because it had snowed and the buses weren't running. About 7-8 miles. Admittedly now at 61 I probably wouldn't 😏

Peter talking complete sense as usual. Mike taking a swipe at gyms and gym goers again. I wonder why?

We're a laughing stock around the world, what we're having is called the weather !..

I'm here in Eastern Europe -10C lots of snow. No-one bats an eyelid. Motorways run with snow on the ground, trains on time, planes land.... They've got equipment and they plan. I know it only happens every few years in the UK so then that justifies not planning and then the country just shuts down. How much money have you saved not buying the equipment and how much money have you lost because people can't workers they've cancelled planes and trains, shut down roads,

I love his voice he sounds like HG Tudor

If every normal car in Britain was sold with all season tyres as standard these issues would basically be eradicated. My Michelin all season tyres and great in all weathers and last 60,000 miles

Mersey Rail stopped because of ice on the tracks. Those Alaskans must have to walk everywhere.

Had to call the RAC on Monday. Took five hours to arrive. They kept saying due to the extreme conditions we are very busy. It was 2°C here near Bristol and not even any ice on the car at 7am. The mechanic said the weather was not a problem, they just can't get the staff since Brexit.

Calm Peter is such a treat

Problem with wind generation is the lack of storing that generate power at times of surplus, as in battery and hydro storage.

As for leaders now being more inexperienced when it comes to war. No, they are more corrupt and totally involved with promoting and gaining financially from the Military Industrial Complex. A war to them, therefore, is a good thing. They gain and by contrast every ordinary person from Ukraine to Europe is losing.

KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON 🤣🤣🤣 ! MORE LIKE. !! DON'T PANIC !!! DON'T PANIC!!! 😵😵😵

Amazing how much work you can get done in supermarkets, coffee shops and shopping centres.

All governments make excuses at a higher rate than laws. It is a carryover from marriage, sports and cooking.

French system has Carte vitale which gives basic cover enhanced cover requires mutual insurance costing around 50 euro for single cover around double that for a couple.

So glad to find someone who has the same opinions and thinks rationally.

There are no sidewalks in the USA? Stop it Peter.

There was snow in Milton Keynes the other day but it was fine

You are right about the quality of political leaders.....I'd LOVE to hear Peter's comments on the SNP bill to allow 16 year olds to become MSP's!!!

PH may well be correct about the French health service but many of us are convinced that the Tories' long term aim is something along US lines.

(Ireland calling..the situation here just as bad..

Why do we need to give France money?

The excuses given for England defeat at the world cup were the usual "the young players will improve" and we played well. Greece have won the Nations Cup for gods sake ,and England's women have won it. I remember when footballers like Bobby Charlton would use the "toe end " of his boot to score a goal from 30 yards,today they use the side foot which was considered girly when i was at school .

The local councils dont want to spend the money on gritters and snow ploughs pure and simple so they would rather the public just get on an suffer.

Yes, it is a country of excuses. However what we often forget is that so are many counties, especially those that have no excuse, for example, all western ones. We are supposed to be setting a good example of the benefits of democracy under the rule of law, not the worse one possible. Without this example, what chance does the rest of the World have of ever achieving what we so much take for granted as inevitable? Logic may dictate that material and cultural progress are inevitable, but history and experience have proven time and time again that they are not.

Any lecky from Ireland would be "green"

Running is not dying out, its more popular then ever. I've done a bit lately myself. Also Hitchen's marbles may be dropping out of the bag, but Ukraine didn't 'break away', the USSR collapsed - he should know he was there AFAIK.

They never mention the fact that where we are on the globe ,the snow we get is basically sleet and ice rather than the powder type of snow most other countries get. It's totally treacherous on our roads etc. I agree with the principles spoken about but at least mention the difference in our snow experience versus others.

First time I have heard of Peter hitchens, but what good sense he speaks, he should run for government!

Yep , one of the most used expressions in the UK . "Sorry about that " .

and excesses ..

MIKE you must stop INTERRUPTING Peter - you do not let him finish - he is the one I want to hear NOT YOU !!!!!

In Bangkok today I've got on the sky train 3 times and I've not have to wait more than 2 Mins for one. Been all over the city everything here is working not seen anyone strike. Think I'm gonna do what anyone else with a few quid in the bank is gonna do. What Hutchins has been saying for years. Fuck the UK. I could have brought another property. I could have invested my money in Britain and I have but I'm thinking I will just sell that place now. No point striving, hunts gonna take it. Can't even get to work anyway or see family coz the trains aren't running when they are they are bad and overly busy.

The station where all the sacked or no one wants any more . Lol

4 minute , OK..

Talking about excuses , where the hell were these kids parents? Letting them go out unsupervised to frozen lakes. Sorry no sympathy, this was child neglect!

because we have to make excuses for weak people and others we have become this , we used to walk to school all weathers including snow , while children making the same journey now take buses filling them up so the elderly can not sue transport during certain time my mother worked and walked three miles in the snow , my dad who was self employed never was able to receive benefits as he didn't pay enough NI and had to work because no one would pay him because it was a bit "nippy" i work in the city in facilities management and the weakness is on full display from "the suns too bright" to its freezing at 22 degrees , they RARELY turn up if its below ten degrees i have stood by a desk (its freezing " with the snow dripping off me hold a thermometer showing 23 degrees ( a temperature you would complain about on the beach in Spain ) being told " no thats not right "!!! i explain , "i have every reason and every means to lie to you , but this inanimate object which has one function doesn't so it isn't lying that's the temperature at your desk , go to HR and maybe they can help you ??? " this of course implies they are mental

Inflation also due to G.Brown bailing out the too-big-to-fail bankers way back in 2008. Left us with high inflation potential when we recovered. But we didn't recover - we caught of covid ....

Peter's looking a little run down. Hope he's okay and the vax isn't about to bite. Just had my ma come down with a very heavy flu, and gave her a ridiculous amount of Vitamin C (sodium ascorbate) and two days later she's over the worst. Gotta stock up on your pills and potions. Certainly not going to rely on doctors or GPs for any help!

yes we knew the goverment could be bad but not this bad please dont excuse me its true

hellooo like4

Too much pollution in NY to go jogging...

Ukraine broke away from the Collapsed Soviet Union , not Russia ( misleading at least )4.20

It is a nation of excuses but everyone still tries to control it and tell Britain's what to do live here a and it's wha t gone on before that they asess and bring mew sa.fety features in.

The question I always have is what options did Russia have? The US objective was to break up Russia and cease it's resources. I hear the comment that Russia should not have responded. This would have led to the deaths if ethnic Russians in eastern Ukraine, missiles in the Russian borders and much worse.

He sees the uk through binary lenses. It is more subtle than that.

Full of excuses now. This generations is the worse in history

12:45 I dont think paying more Danegeld to the Franks is going to improve anything

Mmm,ye,mme ye. Takes a drink then asks another stupid question.Isn't he who does plano of the week

They are all about passing the sleeping pills

The reason I'm bothering with this is your a very intelligent well respected Journalist, your carefully crafted remarks have , potentially, consequences.

Hitchens clearly tiring of the host and would rather just get on with doing his thing.

What was Petes excuses for taking the jab?

If the Chinese set up Bases , inferring that US / NATO had set up , or were going to , Bases in Ukraine..4.30

Climate 🤣🤣 its winter

C'est moi où le gars avec les lunettes ressemble assez à Benny Hill ???

Where's the global warming gone. (That's gone a bit quiet lately) Cold weather was supposed to be a thing of the past.

Watch the duran if you want to know whats going on in Ukraine. New atlas.

I don't agree with everything he says but I find myself agreeing with most of it. He's also strangely becoming a kind of darling of the left albeit inadvertently

Let's go out and buy several billions worth of snow clearance related vehicles and supporting machinery. We can dust and oil it every year until every 3rd or 4th year when we get a deluge that may last for a week.... Or we can admit we don't need to spend the billions and be prepared to be inconvenience for a few day - every few years. But this constant whining about how we fall apart for snow- how Brits are not as tough as the Brits of yesteryear - how the country has gone to the dogs over a week of snow. Stop whining. It's temporary. This isn't the US or Canada for heck's sake.

LOL, these two talking about exercise.!

Britain is not a country of excuses the people who run it are a poor excuse for leaders .. don’t put on the working men and women of our wonderful but broken nation

The Great Panic 👍 however Hitchens then went on to say that Ukraine broke away from Russia and compared it to Quebec breaking away from Canada, he really hasn’t got over his communist youth. Ukraine was never part of Russia although it was part of the USSR same as Poland, East Germany etc. Only my opinion same as supporting Russia is his opinion.

Irritating interruption by the self-centred host. The western ignorance about Ukraine is only matched by their deep arrogance 12 months ago. The bridge was fixed very quickly, same day traffic (excluding heavy) started again after the western terrorism. So amusing that you discuss French imported energy without discussing the scandal of English energy companies increasing charges based on the huge amount of profit it gains by more expensive export! Same with university fees from foreigners. Oligarchs!!