Explaining the UK/GB to foreigners

[Woodsey]

Had an Italian colleague ask me about this the other night and tried to explain, my boss pointed me to this which I thought was a rather good explanation 

[Laxie]

You've just saved me HOURS of future explanation!!!  Thank you very much.   

[Claw75]

this could come in handy too

http://realcitizenshiptest.co.uk/quiz.php?n=1

[outragous76]

Very good!

[thetank]

My favourite fucked up thing about the whole situation is that while Great Britain does not include Northern Ireland, Britain does. Britain is a recognised abbreviation for 'The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland' whereas Great Britain is not.

[kinboshi]

My favourite fucked up thing about the whole situation is that while Great Britain does not include Northern Ireland, Britain does. Britain is a recognised abbreviation for 'The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland' whereas Great Britain is not.

Yes, and yet the Olympics team is shortened to GB, when it is in fact the UK.

[kinboshi]

Had an Italian colleague ask me about this the other night and tried to explain, my boss pointed me to this which I thought was a rather good explanation 

Brilliant!

[rex008]

I liked this one of his:



Have to say, I never knew any of that. What it means is that if Scotland gets it's independence back, they'd basically be mahooosive Grimmers. Welching on a deal. Disgusting .

[ManuelsMum]

You've just saved me a giant reveal!   

[Rod Paradise]

I liked this one of his:



Have to say, I never knew any of that. What it means is that if Scotland gets it's independence back, they'd basically be mahooosive Grimmers. Welching on a deal. Disgusting .

He's missed that both countries were under the same king before that  - and the King William refused to back the Darien settlement  & allowed Spain free rein to attack them. So having allowed the failure he took advantage. (And we won't go into Thatcher breaking the deal first.....).

Most ironic is - King Billy is still the monarch most tattooed on Scots - who have a completely different idea of him.

[rex008]

He's missed that both countries were under the same king before that  - and the King William refused to back the Darien settlement  & allowed Spain free rein to attack them. So having allowed the failure he took advantage. (And we won't go into Thatcher breaking the deal first.....).

Most ironic is - King Billy is still the monarch most tattooed on Scots - who have a completely different idea of him.

eh? The Scots got their debts paid off in return for non-moany unification with England (Greece and Germany anyone?). How did Thatcher break that one? Genuine question.

[Rod Paradise]

He's missed that both countries were under the same king before that  - and the King William refused to back the Darien settlement  & allowed Spain free rein to attack them. So having allowed the failure he took advantage. (And we won't go into Thatcher breaking the deal first.....).

Most ironic is - King Billy is still the monarch most tattooed on Scots - who have a completely different idea of him.

eh? The Scots got their debts paid off in return for non-moany unification with England (Greece and Germany anyone?). How did Thatcher break that one? Genuine question.

There was more to it than that & a part of the deal was equal tax rates between the countries - the Poll Tax introduction in Scotland was contrary to the Act of Union. Of course the witch just said that it wasn't allowed to be debated ansd blocked bids to have it heard in court (in much the same way Blair blocked bids to bring the Iraq War into the courts).

[doubleup]

I liked this one of his:



Have to say, I never knew any of that. What it means is that if Scotland gets it's independence back, they'd basically be mahooosive Grimmers. Welching on a deal. Disgusting .

But then the English fckd everyone up with the South Sea Bubble, (Fred Goodwin eventually got revenge with the Royal Bank bubble)