LONDON HAS FALLEN
I studied in London during 1970s amidst the IRA bombings – a time when the government encouraged you to conserve water and do joint showering. It was a tough era and I remember walking almost daily from Queensway to Houghton Street to the London School of Economics in WC2 and back as the underground received … The post LONDON HAS FALLEN appeared first on Egypt Independent .
In the 1970s, the reporter studied in London amid the IRA bombings, a period when the government encouraged water conservation and joint showering. The city had faced bombings during World War II and before and after, but it always managed to survive and thrive. Today, however, the reporter fears that London has truly fallen, not due to external enemies like Hitler or the IRA, but from within.
The reporter was having lunch with Angela Forrester, a senior banker in the City, and Keith Lavell, a prominent lawyer with a top global law firm. The group was discussing the mismanagement of London, with Angela explaining that the Treasury and government policies have caused global investors and business leaders to depart to Monaco, the Gulf, and Italy.
Keith criticized Britain's tax system, exit from the EU, high VAT, and unscrupulous bureaucracy, including the 40 percent death tax that families face when heirs are confronted with after paying taxes all their lives.
The reporter questioned why a UK resident with no UK income and assets in a bonded warehouse in London would face the death tax, to which Keith responded that irrationality was reigning and bringing the UK to its knees with the economy tanking. Angela expressed her confusion over the cancellation of VAT reimbursement for visitors and tourists, as well as the negative impact of cancelled VAT reimbursements on shops closing down and moving to other cities like Paris and Rome.
The reporter pointed out the illogical road closures, narrowed roads, widened pavements, and the "coning" of London, all of which cause significant traffic congestion and frustration.
As they continued their conversation, the rain started pouring down, causing multiple shops to close and people to rush into stores. The reporter noted that while the downpour was brief, it negatively affected travel plans, with people missing flights due to traffic jams and train cancellations. Angela shared her experiences with British carriers, stating that she now avoids them when making onward connections, as delays have become so routine that colleagues joke about them openly.
The reporter reflected on London's former status as a leading and dominant city, contrasting it with the current chaotic Brexit vote and policies that have resulted in a revolving door at 10 Downing Street.
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