The Human Truth Foundation

United Kingdom
National Successes and Social Failures

https://www.humantruth.info/uk.html

By Vexen Crabtree 2004

#UK #uk_politics

UK
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
StatusIndependent State
Social and Moral Index10th best
CapitalLondon
Land Area 241 930km21
LocationEurope
Population67.1m2
Life Expectancy80.74yrs (2017)3
GNI$45 225 (2017)4
ISO3166-1 CodesGB, GBR, 8265
Internet Domain.uk6
CurrencyPound (GBP)7
Telephone+448

1. Lonely Planet Introduction9

Book CoverTower Bridge, Buckingham Palace... England does icons like no other place on earth, and travel here is a fascinating mix of famous names and hidden gems. ... In the cities, the streets buzz day and night, filled with tempting shops and restaurants, and some of the finest museums in the world. After dark, cutting-edge clubs, top-class theatre and formidable live music provide nights to remember. Next day, you´re deep in the English countryside admiring quaint villages or enjoying a classic seaside resort. There really is something for everyone, whether you´re eight or 80, going solo or travelling with your friends, your kids or your grandma. Travel here is a breeze, and although the locals may grumble (in fact, it´s a national pastime) public transport is very good, and a train ride through the English landscape can be a highlight in itself. Whichever way you get around, in this compact country you´re never far from the next town, pub, restaurant, national park or the next impressive castle on your hit list of highlights.

"The World" by Lonely Planet (2014)10

From the breathtaking geological wonders of the north coast to the gritty murals of Belfast, Northern Ireland is full of a dramatic beauty that beckons to the traveller. [...] The regional capital, Belfast, has shrugged off its bomb-scarred past and reinvented itself as one of the most exciting and dynamic cities in Britain... You can explore the tensions as they´re expressed today on a tour of the iconic neighbourhoods of West Belfast or in the province´s second city, Derry (or Londonderry), which is leading the north´s cultural revival. And it wouldn´t be Ireland if it didn´t have its fair share of stunning landscapes: from the Antrim Coast and its world-famous Giant´s Causeway to the mountains of Mourne in south County Down.

"The World" by Lonely Planet (2014)11

Like a fine single malt, Scotland is a connoisseur´s delight - a blend of stunning scenery and sophisticated cities, salt-tanged sea air and dark peaty waters, outdoor adventure and deep history. Scotland harbours some of the largest areas of wilderness left in Western Europe, a wildlife haven where you can see golden eagles soar above the lochs and mountains of the northern Highlands, spot otters tumbling in the kelp along the shores of the Outer Hebrides, and watch minke whales breach through shoals of mackerel off the coast of Mull. It´s also a land with a rich, multilayered history, a place where every corner of the landscape is steeped in the past - a deserted croft on an island shore, a moor that was once a battlefield, a beach where Vikings hauled their boats ashore, or a cave that once sheltered Bonnie Prince Charlie.

"The World" by Lonely Planet (2014)12

The phrase `good things come in small packages´ may be a cliché, but in the case of Wales it´s undeniably true. Compact but geologically diverse, Wales offers myriad opportunities for escaping into nature. It may not be wild in the classic sense - humans have been shaping this land for millennia - but there are plenty of lonely corners to explore, lurking behind mountains, within river valleys and along surf-battered cliffs. An extensive network of paths makes Wales a hiker´s paradise. Even more untamed are the islands scattered just off the coast, some of which are important wildlife sanctuaries. Castles are... absolutely everywhere. You could visit a different one every day for a year and still not see them all.

"The World" by Lonely Planet (2014)13

2. UK National and Social Development

#economics #human_development #wealth

UN HDI (2021)14
Pos.Higher is better
Value14
1Switzerland0.962
2Norway0.961
3Iceland0.959
...
15Canada0.936
16Liechtenstein0.935
17Luxembourg0.930
18UK0.929
19=Japan0.925
19=S. Korea0.925
21USA0.921
22Israel0.919
Europe Avg0.87
World Avg0.72
q=191.
Gross National Income Per-Capita (2021)14
Pos.Higher is better
PPP $14
1Liechtenstein$146 830
2Singapore$90 919
3Qatar$87 134
...
24Canada$46 808
25Saudi Arabia$46 112
26France$45 937
27UK$45 225
28S. Korea$44 501
29New Zealand$44 057
30Italy$42 840
31Japan$42 274
Europe Avg$40 512
World Avg$20 136
q=193.
Social & Moral
Development Index
15
Pos.Lower is better
Avg Rank15
1Norway29.8
2Denmark30.0
3Finland33.7
...
7New Zealand36.1
8Switzerland37.3
9Germany38.1
10UK38.9
11Austria39.0
12Australia39.0
13Canada39.2
14Ireland39.8
Europe Avg59.3
World Avg87.9
q=196.

The United Nations produces an annual Human Development Report which includes the Human Development Index. The factors taken into account include life expectancy, education and schooling and Gross National Income (GNI) amongst many others..

The Social and Moral Development Index concentrates on moral issues and human rights, violence, public health, equality, tolerance, freedom and effectiveness in climate change mitigation and environmentalism, and on some technological issues. A country scores higher for achieving well in those areas, and for sustaining that achievement in the long term. Those countries towards the top of this index can truly said to be setting good examples and leading humankind onwards into a bright, humane, and free future. See: Which are the Best Countries in the World? The Social and Moral Development Index.

3. UK's Demographics and Migration

#birth_control #demographics #health #immigration #life_expectancy #longevity #migration #overpopulation #population

Population:

The UK's population is predicted to rise to 69.31 million by 2030. This rise is despite a low fertility rate, meaning, that this country is helping to alleviate problems with growing population in neighbouring countries by accepting immigrants, very likely as a requirement of maintaining an active workforce. This country has a fertility rate of 1.87. The fertility rate is, in simple terms, the average amount of children that each woman has. The higher the figure, the quicker the population is growing, although, to calculate the rate you also need to take into account morbidity, i.e., the rate at which people die. If people live healthy and long lives and morbidity is low, then, 2.0 approximates to the replacement rate, which would keep the population stable. If all countries had such a fertility rate, population growth would end. The actual replacement rate in most developed countries is around 2.1.

Population2
Pos.2018
Population2
1China1.4b
2India1.4b
3USA327.1m
...
18Turkey82.3m
19Iran81.8m
20Thailand69.4m
21UK67.1m
22France65.0m
23Italy60.6m
24S. Africa57.8m
25Tanzania56.3m
World Avg39.0m
q=195.
Life Expectancy
Higher is better
14
Pos.2021
Years14
1Monaco85.9
2Hong Kong85.5
3Japan84.8
...
26Cyprus81.2
27Portugal81.0
28San Marino80.9
29UK80.7
30Slovenia80.7
31Germany80.6
32Andorra80.4
33Greece80.1
World Avg71.28
q=195.
Fertility Rate
2.0 is best
16
Pos.201316
1N. Korea2.00
2Brunei1.99
3St Vincent & Grenadines2.01
...
17Denmark1.88
18Bahamas1.88
19Finland1.87
20UK1.87
21New Zealand2.15
22Azerbaijan2.16
23Chile1.84
24Bangladesh2.16
World Avg2.81
q=180.
Old-Age Dependency Ratio
Lower is better
17
Pos.2016
Per 10017
1Uganda04.3
2Mali04.5
3=Chad04.7
...
152Romania33.6
153USA33.8
154New Zealand34.9
155UK35.0
156Barbados35.6
157Lithuania36.0
158Czechia36.1
159Cuba36.2
World Avg18.3
q=185.

Migration:

Immigrants18
Pos.2017
%18
1UAE88.4%
2Kuwait75.5%
3Qatar65.2%
...
39St Kitts & Nevis13.7%
40Seychelles13.6%
41Croatia13.4%
42UK13.4%
43Latvia13.2%
44Spain12.8%
45Iceland12.5%
46Libya12.4%
World Avg9.4%
q=195.
Emigrants19
Pos.2010
%19
1Dominica104.8%
2Palestine68.4%
3Samoa67.3%
...
81Paraguay7.9%
82Russia7.9%
83Mali7.6%
84UK7.5%
85Honduras7.5%
86Austria7.1%
87Uzbekistan7.0%
88Bolivia6.8%
World Avg11.5%
q=192.

4. Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance

#equality #gender_equality #human_rights #morals #politics #prejudice #tolerance #UK #uk_human_rights

Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance (2020)20
Pos.Lower is better
Avg Rank20
1Sweden9.0
2Norway14.5
3Denmark14.5
...
14Germany24.8
15Belgium25.9
16Uruguay26.5
17UK26.6
18Spain28.2
19Taiwan28.2
Europe Avg51.4
World Avg87.9
q=199.
When it comes to ensuring human rights and freedom, The UK leads the world, setting excellent examples. The UK does the best in commentary in Human Rights Watch reports21. It comes in the best 20 when it comes to supporting personal, civil & economic freedoms22, its success in fighting anti-semitic prejudice23 (amongst the best in Europe), LGBT equality24 and in the rate of gender bias (from 7 indicators)25. And finally, it does better than average in opposing gender inequality26, supporting press freedom27, speed of uptake of HR treaties28, its nominal commitment to Human Rights29 (but low for Europe) and in freethought30. There are "significant concerns" for the protections of Brits living abroad, and for long-term EU nationals living in the UK31, as popularist rhetoric surrounding a "no deal" Brexit would result in loss of access to pensions and elements of justice and welfare services for up to 10 million Brits throughout the EU32.

For tables, charts and commentary, see:

5. Health

#health #obesity #UK #UK_health

Health (2020)33
Pos.Lower is better
Avg Rank33
1Monaco13.0
2Hong Kong18.3
3Maldives41.0
...
48Tunisia80.1
49Nepal80.3
50Hungary80.9
51=UK81.1
51=Slovakia81.1
53Solomon Islands82.0
Europe Avg82.5
World Avg93.5
q=196.
The UK's National Security Risk Assessment output classes the state of the UK public health as a Tier 1 national risk, the most potent of the three categories34. It's a well-known and high-profile issue; half of all science stories in the UK media are medical35 although many of the claims made are dubious35.The UK does relatively well in encouraging good health, compared to many other countries. The UK comes in the best 20 in its food aid and health contributions and WHO compliance36. It does better than average in terms of its fertility rate16, its average life expectancy14, its suicide rate37, its adolescent birth rate26 (but high for Europe) and in its immunizations take-up38. The UK does not succeed in everything, however. The UK does worse than average in its smoking rate39 (yet still amongst the lowest in Europe) and in its alcohol consumption rate40. The prevalence of overweight adults has increased by 14% over the past 40 years.

For tables, charts and commentary, see:

6. Responsibility Towards The Environment

#climate_change #the_environment #UK #uk_and_the_environment #UK_environment

Responsibility Towards The Environment (2023)41
Pos.Lower is better
Avg Rank41
1Japan33.2
2Philippines45.0
3Uruguay48.0
...
54Nigeria69.2
55=Singapore69.5
55=Armenia69.5
57UK69.6
58=Slovakia69.6
59Ivory Coast70.5
Europe Avg79.9
World Avg85.7
q=188.
The UK ranks 57th in the world in terms of its responsibility towards the environment. This rank is derived from 7 data sets. The UK comes in the best 20 in its environmental performance42, its score on the Green Future Index43 and in energy to GDP efficiency44. It does better than average in terms of its forested percent change 2000-202045 and in how quickly it ratified the 1993 Convention on Biological Diversity. The UK still has work to do. The UK does worse than average in the rate of rational beliefs on the environment in the population46 and in annual meat consumption per person47. The climate activist Greta Thunberg criticizes "creative carbon accounting" that allows the UK to look like it is reducing carbon emissions despite "the UK's active, current support of new exploitation of fossil fuels - for example, the UK shale-gas fracking industry, the expansion of its North Sea oil and gas fields, the expansion of airports as well as the planning permission for a brand new coal mine - [it's] beyond absurd"48.

As a result of pollution, every one of England´s rivers fails to meet safety standards49 and it has the worst water quality in swimming sites in Europe50. In 2019 and 2020, there were 600,000 occasions where raw sewage was pumped into rivers, beaches and open waters51. The cause is deregulation by the UK's Conservative Party, who have been in power since 2010. The best political parties in the UK for the environment are the Green Party, the Liberal Democrats, and Labour.

For tables, charts and commentary, see:

7. UK's Modernity and Learning

#education #english #intelligence #it_security #maths #modernity #politics #religion #religiosity #research #science #secularisation #technology #the_internet

Compared to Europe (2020)52
Pos.Lower is better
Avg Rank52
1Finland8.4
2Switzerland15.1
3Estonia15.8
...
10Austria19.6
11Norway21.0
12Slovenia21.3
13UK21.5
14Ireland21.7
15=Faroe Islands24.0
16Hungary24.2
17Luxembourg24.4
18Netherlands24.7
Europe Avg41.2
q=49.
Modernity & Learning (2020)52
Pos.Lower is better
Avg Rank52
1Finland8.4
2Taiwan10.0
3Switzerland15.1
...
13Austria19.6
14Norway21.0
15Slovenia21.3
16UK21.5
17Canada21.6
18Ireland21.7
19Japan21.9
20=S. Korea24.0
World Avg83.2
q=205.

Modernity and Education:

Research & Development
Higher is better
Pos.2016
% RDP PPP
1S. Korea4.2953
2Israel4.1153
3Japan3.5853
...
18Netherlands1.9753
19Iceland1.8953
20=Norway1.7053
20=UK1.7053
22Canada1.6153
23Ireland1.5253
24Estonia1.4353
25Hungary1.3753
Europe Avg1.32
World Avg0.84
q=126.
Secondary Education
Higher is better
54
Pos.201854
1=Luxembourg100.0%
1=Estonia100.0%
1=Austria100.0%
...
50Cuba87.4%
51Poland85.3%
52Belgium84.8%
53UK84.5%
54Jordan84.0%
55France83.5%
56Sri Lanka82.8%
57Bosnia & Herzegovina81.2%
Europe Avg88.3%
World Avg63.0%
q=169.
Length of Schooling
Higher is better
55
Pos.2021
Years55
1Australia21.1
2New Zealand20.3
3Greece20.0
...
14Spain17.9
15Argentina17.9
16Slovenia17.7
17UK17.3
18Hong Kong17.3
19Germany17.0
20Portugal16.9
21Malta16.8
Europe Avg16.1
World Avg13.5
q=193.
Intellectual Endeavours
Lower is better
36
Pos.2017
Rank36
1Ukraine1
2Czechia2
3Hungary3
4Denmark4
5UK5
6Austria6
7Finland7
8Netherlands8
9Belgium9
10Slovenia10
11Switzerland11
12New Zealand12
Europe Avg31.3
World Avg82.0
q=163.
Maths, Science & Reading
Higher is better
56
Pos.2015
Score56
1Singapore1655
2Hong Kong1598
3Japan1586
...
20Belgium1508
21=Vietnam1507
21=Australia1507
23UK1499
24Portugal1491
25=France1487
25=Sweden1487
27Austria1477
Europe Avg1417
World Avg1389
q=70.
Religiosity
Lower is better
57
Pos.2018
%57
1China3
2Estonia6
3Czechia7
4=Switzerland9
4=Denmark9
6Germany10
7=UK10
7=Sweden10
7=Japan10
7=Finland10
11Latvia11
12=France11
Europe Avg25.8
World Avg54.3
q=106.
IQ
Higher is better58
Pos.200658
1=Hong Kong108
1=Singapore108
3S. Korea106
...
11=Netherlands100
11=Norway100
11=Austria100
11=UK100
15New Zealand99
16=Poland99
16=Germany99
16=Finland99
Europe Avg96.6
World Avg85.6
q=138.

Technology and Information:

Internet Users
Higher is better
59
Pos.201659
1Iceland100%
2Faroe Islands99%
3Norway98%
...
9Netherlands94%
10Sweden93%
11Monaco93%
12UK93%
13Finland93%
14Qatar92%
15UAE92%
16Bahrain92%
Europe Avg76.7%
World Avg48.1%
q=201.
Freedom On The Internet
Lower is better
60
Pos.201260
1Estonia10
2USA12
3Germany15
4Australia18
5Hungary19
6=Philippines23
6=Italy23
8UK25
9=S. Africa26
9=Argentina26
11Ukraine27
12=Brazil27
Europe Avg31.4
World Avg46.7
q=47.
IT Security
Lower is better
61
Pos.201361
1=Ireland0.11
1=Luxembourg0.11
1=Belize0.11
...
58Turkmenistan1.23
59Kazakhstan1.23
60Djibouti1.29
61UK1.34
62Mongolia1.42
63Uganda1.44
64Ukraine1.44
65Nepal1.45
Europe Avg0.80
World Avg0.98
IPv6 Uptake
Higher is better
62
Pos.2017
Ratio62
1Belgium55.4
2Germany41.8
3Switzerland35.1
...
7India26.8
8Portugal26.6
9Ireland26.1
10UK24.7
11Japan22.1
12France18.8
13Canada18.3
14Peru18.3
Europe Avg8.11
World Avg3.82
q=176.

8. National Culture

#charity #corruption #happiness #morals #politics

The United Kingdom has a good long-term record on keeping corruption low, but things have worsened since 2016.

World Giving Index
Higher is better
63
Pos.2022
%63
1Indonesia68.0
2Kenya61.0
3USA59.0
...
13=Nigeria48.0
13=Thailand48.0
15Guinea47.0
16=UK47.0
16=Brazil47.0
16=UAE47.0
16=Philippines47.0
16=Argentina47.0
Europe Avg39.0
World Avg39.6
q=125.
Corruption
Higher is better
64
Pos.2022
Points64
1Denmark90.0
2=Finland87.0
2=New Zealand87.0
...
15Uruguay74.0
16=Iceland74.0
16=Canada74.0
18UK73.0
19=Japan73.0
19=Belgium73.0
21France72.0
22Austria71.0
Europe Avg57.61
World Avg42.98
q=180.

On average in each of the 1990s, 2000s and 2010s the UK has consistently been, precisely the 13th-best each decade, on the Corruption Perception Index.

Happiness
Higher is better
65
Pos.2018
Score65
1Finland7.6
2Norway7.6
3Denmark7.6
...
16Belgium6.9
17Luxembourg6.9
18USA6.9
19UK6.8
20UAE6.8
21Czechia6.7
22Malta6.6
23France6.5
Europe Avg6.06
World Avg5.38
q=156.
Creativity & Culture
Lower is better
36
Pos.2017
Rank36
1Belgium1
2Netherlands2
3Estonia3
...
8Ireland8
9Czechia9
10Luxembourg10
11UK11
12Portugal12
13Finland13
14France14
15Germany15
Europe Avg35.0
World Avg82.0
q=163.
Open Trading, Aid & Development
Lower is better
36
Pos.2017
Rank36
1Ireland1
2Denmark2
3Sweden3
...
32Barbados32
33Mongolia33
34Spain34
35UK35
36Italy36
37Estonia37
38Cyprus38
39Bulgaria39
Europe Avg42.6
World Avg82.0
q=163.

9. Peace Versus Instability

#extremism #human_development #peace #politics #religious_violence #terrorism

11.1. Statistics

#religion_in_uk

Global Peace Index
Lower is better
66
Pos.2023
Score66
1Iceland1.12
2Denmark1.31
3Ireland1.31
...
34Italy1.66
35Kuwait1.67
36Lithuania1.67
37UK1.69
38Macedonia1.71
39Costa Rica1.73
40=Vietnam1.75
40=Albania1.75
Europe Avg1.70
World Avg2.07
q=163.
Peacekeeping & Security
Lower is better
36
Pos.2017
Rank36
1Samoa1
2S. Africa2
3Tunisia3
...
45Bolivia45
46Burkina Faso46
47Philippines47
48UK48
49Timor-Leste (E. Timor)49
50Ireland50
51Norway51
52Finland52
Europe Avg84.6
World Avg82.0
q=163.
Refugees & UN Treaties
Lower is better
36
Pos.2017
Rank36
1Austria1
2Germany2
3Netherlands3
...
9Denmark9
10Switzerland10
11Canada11
12UK12
13Belgium13
14Italy14
15Spain15
16France16
Europe Avg37.8
World Avg82.0
q=163.
Impact of Terrorism
Lower is better
67
Pos.2019
Score67
1Togo0.00
2Mongolia0.00
3Swaziland0.00
...
120Bangladesh5.21
121Saudi Arabia5.24
122Ethiopia5.35
123UK5.41
124Burkina Faso5.42
125Myanmar (Burma)5.51
126Mozambique5.54
127Ukraine5.55
Europe Avg1.62
World Avg2.78
q=150.

11.2. Northern Ireland68

#religion_in_uk #UK

Northern Ireland is a portion of the island of Eire that has remained under British rule since, when in the 1920s, the rest of the Island was granted independence as Britain dismantled its empire. The Protestants of Northern Ireland refused to part, claiming by majority that they would remain part of the UK despite the mainland's wish to leave. The resulting conflict has had the British government pinned down, with feelings running very deep on all sides and militant actions by freedom fighters, terrorists and even government forces all stirring the "the troubles". Sometimes intense criticism of Britain comes from Irish voices who either want the UK out, sometimes it comes from those who want to stop the UK from leaving. It's a no-win situation. At its worst, it verged on civil war, and at its best, peace is obtained largely because both sides have stopped making progress, and the adherence to common EU markets meant that borders could be ignored.

The 'troubles' began in 1968 when a civil rights movement created by the Roman Catholic minority flared into violent protest in Londonderry. [...] The IRA's campaign extended even to the mainland, where not only army establishments, but civilian targets too, were attacked with bombs.

"Conflict in Peace 1963-1999" by John Strawson (1994)69

10. Economic Inequality and Poverty

#capitalism #economics #health #inequality #life_expectancy #social_development

Inequality in Life Expectancy
Lower is better70
Pos.201970
1Iceland2.40
2=Singapore2.50
2=Hong Kong2.50
...
26Austria3.70
27France3.80
28=Germany3.80
29UK4.10
30Hungary4.20
31=Croatia4.30
31=Poland4.30
31=New Zealand4.30
Europe Avg4.86
World Avg14.59
q=184.
Income Inequality (Gini Coefficient)
Lower is better
71
Pos.2017
%71
1Ukraine25.0
2=Belarus25.4
2=Slovenia25.4
...
41Tunisia32.8
42Mali33.0
43=Bosnia & Herzegovina33.0
44UK33.2
45Pakistan33.5
46Armenia33.6
47=Palestine33.7
47=Guinea33.7
Europe Avg31.5
World Avg38.1
q=152.

11. Religion and Beliefs

#beliefs #christianity #france #islam #religion #religion_in_uk #UK #UK_christianity #UK_islam #UK_religion

With over 170 distinct religions counted, the religious make-up of the UK is diverse, complex and multicultural. The 2011 Census shows that minority and alternative religions are steadily growing, as is Islam (at 5% of the population). Less than half of the British people believe in a god and from 2009 the annual British Social Attitudes results has revealed that over 50% aren't religious72. A 2014 YouGov poll saw 77% of the British public say they're not very, or not at all, religious73. Comprehensive professional research in 2006 by Tearfund found that 66% of the people of the UK have no connection with any religion or church74.

However, people continue to put down what they think is their "official" religion on official forms. As a result of this Census Effect in the 2011 National Census, 59.3% of us put their religion down as "Christian"75. Half of those who say they have no religion to pollsters still put one down on the 2011 Census. Even despite this, Christian numbers are substantially down from the 2001 figure of 72%. Religion in Britain has suffered an immense general decline since the 1950s. Between 1979 and 2005, half of all Christians stopped going to church on a Sunday. Four in five Britons want religion to be private, not public, and have no place in politics76. All indicators show a continued secularisation of British society in line with other European countries such as France.

For more, see:

For more, see:

12. Christian Child Abuse in the UK (partial coverage up until 2008)77

The United Kingdom has seen many cases of paedophile priests, including many cases where Bishops and other senior Christians have protected paedophiles, moving them from post to post when accusations surface.

For more, see:

13. Brexit

#belgium #brexit #EU #france #netherlands #politics #UK #UK_politics

The UK's population faced a referendum in June 2016 on membership of the EU. The results were very close, with Leave winning by just a 2% margin (37% Voted Leave, 35% Voted Remain), but many news (and government) outlets scale up the difference by ignoring the "don't knows", and citing "Leave" as "the will of the people"83.

Also in June 2016, the EU appointed Michel Barnier to lead a team of legal experts. A full year later, he complained that the UK had still not appointed a representative to talk to him84. The UK arrived late and unprepared for negotiations, and engaged in a series of embarrassing and harmful name-calling tactics, publicly insulting the very people they were trying to negotiate with85. A month into talks, and Mr Barnier is still trying to ascertain what the UK's stance is on most issues86. The UK government has been surprised by simple facts: It argued that Euratom's treaty only covers uranium even whilst its own scientific advisors cried out that hospitals need Euratom to source medical isotopes from Belgium, the Netherlands and France as the UK doesn't have the specialist nuclear reactors to make its own87. And as July 2017 drew to a close, the UK government finally thought to commission a year-long investigation on the economic and employment ramifications of losing EU workers. Most other responsible governments would have engaged in a fact-finding mission before making the most important decision made for 40 years. Even in 2019, when a last minute "here are the effects you need to prepare for" document was released, the title of the document was "[Insert title of report]".

Brexit within the UK's governing Conservative Party was led by a hard-core of 'Brexiteers' organized into an internal party division called the European Research Group88, borne from a policy of removing as many foreigners as possible from the UK, no matter the cost. To achieve this, they spoke only in positive terms of the ramifications of Brexit and did not have a realistic understanding of the benefits of EU membership for the UK. With this slant, they could not give sensible advice88 nor make practical plans on how to deal with issues arising from Brexit. Most of the prominent "Brexiteers" have exited the scene at various points89, leaving a void filled with politicians who are pursuing a policy they don't think is good for their own country.

It is worth noting that it is not just Conservative politicians who were uninformed about the EU; in 2016 researchers found that the UK's citizens were the least knowledgeable about the EU90. After the vote, data released by Google tragically shows that "the British are frantically Googling what the E.U. is, hours after voting to leave it". The UK has suffered from many high-profile long-term campaigns ran by sensationalist newspapers that have managed to misinform the masses on almost every aspect of EU involvement with the UK91,92.

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