What did you think of the show? (19/01/09)
Michael Ball was tonight's guest.
Anita Rani reported on the millions of Britons living on the continent who have been caught by the global credit crunch. Add your comment.
Mike Dilger visited the Great Bustards on Salisbury plain.
On every One Show this week, Michael Mosley will be investigating 'How to stay young'. Tonight he put blueberries and their super-food status to the test. Do you recommend blueberries? What's your super-food?
And John Sergeant looked at the British love affair with lighthouses. He visited Happisburgh Lighthouse in East Anglia. Its website is here.
Also: Do you look younger than your years? Send in a current photo of yourself here, and tell us the secret to staying young. Your picture could be shown on the programme!
What did you think of the show? Add your comment.
© MMIX~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~35~RS~)
Comments
Michael Ball is wrong - we have access to health services in Spain as we would in Uk - and often the service is much better
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Those poor pensioners living abroad.
Even the Winter Fuel Payments they get will be worth a bit less.
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Most ex-pats go out to live in Spain for the sun. They do not learn the language nor make any attempt to enter into the culture. Many of us here in UK are having to bite the bullet and wait for the Crunch to soften, they should do the same and try to help the economy they signed up to when life was thought to be better there for them
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Please correct your inaccuracies: 1. Spain has a far superior public health system to the UK and it is free for residents. 2. The Euro is strong at the moment, not forever. Stand by...Spain, Italy, Portugal, Greece would dearly love NOT to be in the Euro - for France - watch this space! When moving lock stock and barrel to a foreign country it is a good idea to convert assets to the local currency to avoid fluctuation. Nobody complains in the good times.
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if you sign on with the social security here by being legal, or are a pensioner then your health service is far superior to that available in the UK. Yes many of us are suffering from your collapse in the UK but as usual the bbc is reporting incorrectly looking for senstionalism
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I´m sorry 3€ for a cup of coffee? where are they living marbella puerto banus? average is usualy 1.20€. And . Before everyone is up in arms there is a national health service here just as good if not a little better than the UK, and there is unemployment benefit as well as other benefits that can be claimed. true that there is a property slump here, but no different to that in the UK.
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I have just watched a report about ex pats in Spain being in financial trouble because of the credit crunch. What a lot of nonsense if they cant afford to live in Spain then they certainly wont be able to exist in England. I’m an ex pat living in France, OK the pound has gone down against the Euro so I am now not as well off as I was. But as I bought my house when it was 1.50Euro to the pound if I sell now, the value of my property has increased by about 25% in euro terms. It is still cheaper to live in Spain and France than in England. We were all very happy to enjoy the good times in other countries so now you have to accept the bad. It won’t last forever and when the pound and the interest rates go up again, all will be well. Most people living abroad myself included kept our equity in the UK as the interest rates were far above what was offered on the continent. You cannot have it both ways.
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I cannot believe that again the bbc and media are responsible for hugely inaccurate comments about Spain on peak television. The comments about healthcare and social security are completely wrong. For those expats in the majority that do the right thing and go within the Spanish social system, pay tax and contribute, they are able to benefit from a fantastic health service. My family in the last four years have had heart problems, broken bones and several injuries which have all been handled by the state health service with great speed and skill, something that would not happen in the UK.
Please get some responsible and balanced journalism on Spain, don't get a washed up b-list celeb to comment on areas that he clearly knows nothing about! Greed created the problems that were highlighted, these people did not carefully plan, they took a huge uninformed risk on their future financial planning. Their mistakes are certainly not the responsibility of the spanish economy!
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And while am on a bit of a rant - could the BBC / Media in general take a more responsible approach than forever talking our country / currency down? There is no collapse in Sterling, in fact it has steadily gained against the Euro since the bogus predictions of parity. It has gained against the Auz and NZ dollars. The banks did not collapse, and the sky did not fall in either.
Dear BBC - get your ratings by reporting truths not panic and dooms. Your audience is insulted by scare-mongering arrogant piffle, and you are causing real and unnecessary damage too.
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I wish they would stop those idiots from laughing behind the camera, that's such a naff idea. It reminds me of 1980's TVAm where prats hooted with laughter at every feeble Nick Owen amusing comment, horrible!
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I am an enormous fan of the programme watched by me in my home in Southern Spain. I am however totally dismayed by the biased and inaccurate reporting of expats situation. The medical service my partner and I have received has been secont to none. My partner had a bad accident and I have MS and we have a widowed mother with us. Most people just dont do the research or think matters through. It is true if you are living on a pension then your financial quality of life has taken a tumble - but life was pretty grim before we left UK. I could pick up on a number of points but hope others will also write.
Except !!! Disability payments are a big issue here as UK government have reged on those as a rule. Gone to EU courts for a ruling.
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i am glad so many people are echoing my thoughts but just know the bbc won't air our views......agree with all above comments, come on one show show some balanced reporting for once
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Please please get infomation correct. Spain affords us superb health care under the EU. I know as I have received it.
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We moved to Portugal 6 years ago and find that life is far better than the UK including national health care and social services. There is a system of payment if you are out of work and have paid into the local social security. Yes the rate of exchange with the pound is hurting at the moment but whoever paid 3 euros for a cup of coffee needs their head examined. We are on the "expensive Algarve" and still only pay 1.25 euros for a decent cup of coffee. 3 course lunch can be had for 7.5 euros and is good quality. Villa prices do fluctuate but not to the extent of other areas and if taking monies back to the UK then the rate of exchange works in your favour. We all have to adjust in the current economic climate no matter where you live
Roger M Turner
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As a resident in this wonderful country - Spain - I must comment on a few of the incorrect statements both by your presenter Anita, and by bloggers:
The Health service is free to retired people who are registered. If you are not retired you have to have Private Health insurance.
The winter fuel allowance is only paid IF the resident reached retirement age whilst in the UK. If you are in Spain when reaching retirement age you get nothing. We do have low temperatures here - last week many places experienced heavy snow falls right down on the Costa del Sol.
We are here because we love Spain, we love the history, we love the weather and many things are still cheaper here.
We do become upset at expats who come here and expect to work, do not register with the Town Halls, do not pay local taxes and do not register their ancient cars still runnning on UK plates but with no tax, MOT or insurance.
It is not difficult to learn the language - there are even free courses at many of the Town Halls.
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If you live in France or any European country you will not receive Winter Fuel Allowances unless you had been given them before you left the UK. We have to pay our Taxes in the UK as my husband worked for local Government. The UK takes our taxes but does not treat us as equals. We dont mind paying our taxes in the UK but we would like to receive the benefits that other English tax payers get. We have set up a petition on the 10 Downing Street web site to petition Mr Brown to pay all of us a winter fuel allowance, France is just as cold as the UK
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Mr Childs your flip remark indicating that the people from the north of England are more important than Ex pats is patronising and degrading.To those in the north and us ex pats. Most of us cant afford second homes like yourself. All of us with uk pensions have lost about 1/3 of their purchase value. We live on £15k gross P/A translated thats about 1100€ per month.Of which 30% goes in house taxes. Then there is house and car insurance elecricity and water. I pay tax even on my pitiful pension. There is a story here from me and the other 1/4 million ex pats in France. We cant afford heating/holidays/evenings out/It is a daily effort just to survive. Please dont even suggest that we downside ..in todays market.!!Nor that we return to burden the UK. Stop patronising the Ex Pats!!!!
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I'm a retired expat living in the costa del sol and I am also glad so many people are echoing my thoughts but just know the bbc won't air our views......agree with all above comments, come on one show show some balanced reporting for once PLEASE redress the situation and ask some of us to tell your viewers what a wonderful life is for the retired English people who are living on the Costa del sol. Ha ha, your too busy to take this post - not surprised as I imagine most of the expat population here are as incensed as I am.
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I thought the BBC was even-handed. Not according to your report on ex-pats in Spain, or was it just badly researched? Had you visited the East coast of Spain, and ventured a little bit inland you would have found a completely different situation. But why let accuracy spoil a good story?
I am 66 years old with an old age pension, as has my partner Jean. We live 50 km inland from Valencia, and only pay €1 for a coffee. We receive the same level of free health care as we did in the UK, but of a decidely superior quality. The house we bought 4 years ago has dropped in value to just ABOVE what we paid for it, though we have no intention of selling and CERTAINLY no intention of returning to the UK.
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The Health Care System in Spain, Andalucia anyway, is far superior to the British equivalent. For example, all children have their own paediatrician not a GP . This is indicative of the whole system in southern Spain. Waiting lists are also short in comparison. Us ex-pats don't need Private Health Care in Spain, and neither should any ex-pat who simply needs to register with the authorites.Please amend the comment and impression left by the show's presenters and guests.
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Good point 'blondewithgreen'! Do you think tomorrow's show will have a clear apology for the misleading and inaccurate reporting!
Maybe they could right their wrongs with another more balanced article to include:
- comparing the waiting lists in the comparative health services of the UK and Spain?
- comparing the price and quality of coffee in Spain and UK. I was in London today and spent £2.80 on some brown gear advertised as coffee, and I can't wait to get back to Marbella tomorrow and have a real coffee for a €1.
- show the consequences in both countries of avoiding contributing to the tax and national insurance system
- a quiz starring Michael Ball on things he knows about the spanish social security system! Is it Hairspray or Hairbrained he stars in?
I'll tune into see it, if it doesn't come on, my oneshow viewing record will stick at two shows!
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I am concerned! Am I the only person in GB to think that John Sergeant is mediocre, unpleasant and a really clever manipulator of the media.
It's a bit like the Emperor with no clothes. He was awful on Strictly. His continued prescence made a nonsense of the hard work and commitment of the other contestants.
On the last programme when the award was presented he blatantly pushed himself to the front and hogged the camera behind the winners.
He knows exactly what he is doing.
Remember how he tried to push himself at Margaret Thatcher. Bernard Ingham knew what he needed - a firm push out of the way!
Again, am I the only person in the UK that can see this?
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Anita really had not done her research properly. I suppose the unit fancied a winter break.
Certainly the value of properties has fallen in euros but because the pound has collapsed against the euro most people will still be getting their money back and more.
As an example take a house bought for 150000 euros 3 years ago ( when the pound was around 1.50.) that would have been 100000 pounds sterling at that time. Now with the euro and pound recently appproaching parity that seller only needs 100000 euros to get their investment back .i.e. they can reduce the price of their property by about 30% and still not be losing a bean! The main problem (throughout the world ) is "the Crisis" and the fact that with no lending etc there will fewer house moves.
As far as pensions go they are still worth the same (as they are paid in sterling) except that the currency fluctuation now means that Spain is now as expensive as UK so we are no worse off we are just not as privileged as we previously were. We would not be any better off if we were to return to UK it is just that things here are not as cheap as they once were.
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was looking forwards to the article on the Great Bustard.why oh why does the subtitles have to be high on the screen they obscured these lovely birds. as a severely deaf person i rely on subtitles why are they not at the bottom of the screen like they use to be please put them back at the bottom yours is not the only programme
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HI, I do empathise with anyone in any difficulty. What puzzles me when folk say that they have lost for example £40,000 on a property when went to sell it, in whatever country. Did they paid thousands over what the estate agent valued at at ??. did they buy it £40 to £50 thousand over original valuation. I understand that means they paid to much for the property
Now i realise being cash strapped in any currently is not good and a worry. When ex pats moved to spain and similar destinations they moved there due to the cheap house, cheap food , cheap wine and drink and overall cheaper cost of living. So know in these countries food then reached the same here , and slightly higher.
there are people who have never left the country and still can not get their head above water and their food and property has never been cheap. so lets stopping whinging , no ones moans when they are sitting with 10 times more money then next person until there money goes. And they are the next person, we live in capitilast count
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I also am incensed about your programme tonight about ex pats in Spain. As already pointed out 3 euros for a coffee is laughable. We never pay more than 1.20 and in some places its 1 euro. As in England, you have to look around for the bargains, and there are plenty around here. How about a three course meal for 3.5 euros?? or a 3 course meal plus wine plus coffee in a really nice restaurant for 8 euros . Having only moved out here in August, I can endorse the remark made by another blogger who said if you can't manage here, you have no chance in UK.
Health service is great and free for those over retiring age and for two years for those who have paid their full contributions in UK for 3 years.
Cost of prescriptions are a fraction of those in uk
I always thought the one show was a balanced show but now I know differently.
You proclaim to be in the interest of the public, well surely to do that you have to be honest about your subject.
Oh and today it was 19 degrees!
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Please, keeping youthful is not just about what someone LOOKS like; let's get away from this narrow definition, One Show. My Aunt Molly is one of the coolest people we know; happy to dress up in 'armour' for fantasy games in LARPing (live action role play): try out anything new on the Wii (with sufficient self confidence and humility to still enjoy it and keep trying even when she comes last); and always involved with life around her. For her next birthday, following on her request, we have bought her a fairy costume for her birthday, complete with wings, wand and fluffy tiara. She will get lots of use out of it, and is not quite sure what she wants to be when she grows up. She has had her fair share of tragedy but always thinks of others and looks to the future. She is 89 on 16th February. THAT's youth!
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Another brilliant show.
Thank you.
But did you know that Michael Ball and Peter Kay are actually twin sisters. In their alter ego's obviously!
Why are they not representing us in Eurovision?
- - - and the wonderful comedienne and presenter Jo Brand is obviously the love child of the charismatic John Sergeant! Check out the resemblance and laid back speech patterns!!
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This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
My word, wha a lot of comments about the inaccuracy of the report! Well here is another to ad to the collection! Yes another expat, happy and content in Spain.
Yes there are problems here, but nothing on the scale of the UK. Yes there is a housing slum, and people with their incomes coming from the UK are finding the exchange rate more difficult.
But all in all it is still cheaper to live here. I paid 80cents for a coffee (latte) yesterday and for 1.20€ you get a coffee a doughnut (freshly made) and a glass of mineral water!
As for the Health Service, if you are paying into the Social Security system (as we do) the health service is second to none and no sign of MRSI either! Medication is extremely cheap. Diesel is about 90cents a litre.. Local tax is a few euros a year...need I go on?
I really do think you ought redress the balance with some comments on the next show...
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Following on from the bustard story tonight, I assume that after the New York plane crash last week, the MOD chaps have told any RAF pilots in the Salisbury Plain area: "Don't let the bustards get you down"
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Anita poor reporting on Spain.
Very poor unbalanced reporting but they did do well to find the unfortunate weeping widow who is unable to sell her house. They might however have consoled her by pointing out that she would also have difficulty selling her house in the UK at present but that the reduced asking price will be more than made up by the increase in value of the euro against the pound and this would not be the case if she was selling at a reduced price in the UK as thousands of your viewers will know.
I recieve my pension from UK here in Spain so I have exactly the same amount of pounds to spend whether I am in Spain or in UK. Although it is now slightly more expensive here than it used to be it is still cheaper than UK.
How did Anita manage to find such an expensive cup of coffee? Around a euro is normal. Perhaps she has an expenses account with BBC
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I am a regular viewer of your show but couldn't believe what I was hearing tonight as regards to Michael Ball's comment about the Spanish Heath system. If you are fully legal here, i.e. working and paying your Social Security contributions, then health care is automatic. After retirement, if you have the appropriate forms from the U.K., i.e. an E121, all health care, including prescriptions, is free. (After paying taxes and N.I. contributions all your life in England, you are entitled to this benefit.) Three years ago I suffered from Breast Cancer here in Spain and the treatment I have received is superb and the finest drugs are given me without any question regarding the cost!!! Spain is the fourth best country in the world for the survival from Cancer. I get extremely annoyed when people decry the health care here.
Finally, pray tell me where coffee costs 3€ a cup? In our village it costs only 1€!
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Well done The One Show. For the past few years I have firmly believed that the British Government has been filling the media with propaganda about the 'horrors' of living aboard and in particular in Spain.
Your show last night on the subject of a life fraught with expensive living costs and lack of health care just reaffirmed my beliefs that the BBC is a mouthpiece for a UK government worried about an exodus from nightmare Britain.
Now how about coming back to Spain and interviewing some of the 800,000 people who enjoy some of the best free health care in the world, and a standard of living most overtaxed British residents could only dream about.
Quite an achievement, you found the most expensive cup of coffee in Spain. In most bars, a coffee and a brandy costs between one and two Euro. I'm going to tell all my Spanish friends about the last trip I made to London, where a coffee and a brandy in a popular Baker Street hotel was a snip under 12 quid!
Yours.
A new channel 5 viewer.
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Hi,
I am just adding to the other comments. Yes the health service is free in Spain to pensioners and also if you are legally employed and pay into the system. It is a very good service no mrsa here. The hospitals are spotless and treatment efficient. In the local Health Service hospital my father in law had a prostrate op. 81 years old and the service was excellent. 4 patients to a ward no mixed wards with a private bathroom and toilet between 4 patients. I would like this to be reported to put record straight.
JMP Costa del Sol resident
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3 euro for coffee? They saw you coming!
The only problem with being retired in Spain is the lack of Winter Fuel Allowance.
Wether you get it or not depends on your age when you left the UK.
This is something that you do not find out about until you try to apply for it.
Surely this is not right?
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i tried to send a photo to the one show and found it very difficult with the instructions you give they are vague and i was not sure if the photo went and tried a few times and i still dont know?
i then went to the help video and guess what your reporter doesn't tell you HOW to put the photo into the page some of us need to be shown how to do these things ? and a video explaining step by step would be very helpful and not one on a photo shoot ?
computers are fairly difficult at the best of times for people who don't use them very much and step by step instructions would be a great help
kind regards martin hill
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The reports regarding Spain on last nights show are not entirely true! I live in Spain and have done for nearly 5 years. I have always received excellent health care! A family member had a heart attack 2 years ago here, and was treated free, with emergency services offering helicopter travel to other hospitals in Spain if required. He was in intensive care, and offered treatment straight away! He still has ongoing check ups and is on medication! I myself was also in hospital for an over night stay and was given a private room, excellent service from all the nurses and I noticed it was imaculately clean! Personally i would rather be here any day! I have also received benefits after I was made redundant! The system here is so organised....you simply receive what you pay in! Not like the UK where the government gives out benefits of tax papers money willy nilly to all and sundry!!!
We live quite cheaply here too, bottle of decent wine for 1 euro 50, fresh bread 50 cents, leg of lamb 6 euros! Also our rent here is 550 euros per month for a 4 bedroom, 2 bathroom house with sea views 2 mins walk to the beach! I know where i prefer to be, recession or not!! My partner and I can actually live on 1 salary if needs be!
Get the facts right before reporting...its very misleading, we live in a wonderful country!
Age 39......never going back to live in rip off Britain!!
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i'm actually spanish, and those people here that claim the health care service in spain is free must be living in a different country.
PENSIONERS have it free, but then again, it all depends in which region of spain you are on. andalucia is not the same as galicia or castilla y leon, so this must take into account.
oh and another thing, i'm proud that so many people here love my country, but try not to idealize it. that's why many people decide to move to spain without checking things over and doing things correctly, by misused information that everything is splendid over there and things here are not.
the uk, believe it or not has very good things. i really think you should try and give yourselves some credit!
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Firstly we both love the One Show but the report last night "The Pain in Spain" is just not correct. We live two minutes from the beach in a beautiful little place on the Costa Calida and we love it. As for the drop in the euro on our pensions, yes we are worse off but can adjust to still living a comfortable life much better than in England. We are still English and genuinely feel sorry for the people who are suffering but believe me we are not. The Health Care is first class and the hospitals are spotless, no MRSA here. As pensioners we lead a full active life and cut our cloth accordingly. Sadly returning to the UK would see us very much worse off and claiming benefits. The climate of course is much better which gives relief from arthritis and many other conditions, even my 13 year old dog is better in the 3 years we have been here. We still have cold nights through the winter and I am grateful for our fuel allowance. We receive everything we would receive in England and of course we are contributing to an economy here which is serving us well. The lady with the expensive cup of coffee should look around and drink in a Spanish bar instead of like so many rushing to the English bars and shops all the time, the most we have paid is 1.20 euro and good coffee at that. We have learned the language (to a point) and we stick with the Spanish, why not? we choose to live in their country unlike England where anyone can choose to live and get housed, fed, clothed and looked after - no wonder the country is in chaos. We will happily carry on living here and cope with the ups and downs of the euro.
Spain is a big country please don't choose the most expensive area to research.
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On a lighter note: I've never really registered Michael Ball on the eye candy chart, but it so refreshing to see a happy, healthy and ROBUST man who is clearly enjoying life. Dear old Adrian commenting, "You look like a man happy in his own skin" (robust reference Adrian, bad show!); maybe the delightful Mr C should begin to feel more comfortable in his!
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Enjoyed the show, clearly by what has been written above the comment re health care in Spain, was a valid one for some areas and members of the community of Spain. Michael Ball is a fun guest, great sense of humour. I've seen Hairspray it's a wonderful show.
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Just got back from ASDA - their blueberries are £1.98 for a 150g punnet - eating 11oz of them a day to improve my memory will cost me around £28 a week - in excess of £100 a month - over £300 for the three months needed for me to remember the cuddly toy! Still, it's reassuring to know that licence payers funded three lots of £300 for the guinea pigs to eat all those blueberries to fill that five minute report on your show last night.
Blimey £900 for five minutes tv - that's almost what we pay Jonathon Ross for five minutes isn't it!!
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the film clips about the Great Bustards on Salisbury plain was magnificent, can we see more about these birds in future. As they used to live in Uk 200 years ago, maybe they can be introduced to suitable areas again without being shot at. lets hope so
Robert in Sussex
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Interesting article re Spanish expats.
However I believe it is not possible to receive disabilty living allowance outside the Uk at this time and I would add that not everyone who receives an OAP pension benefits from a fuel allowance either. If out of the country before its implementation one is not eligible!
People who receive their state pensions abroad have already paid into the system, generally for many years, and I do not understand why people in the UK begrudge us getting our money.I also think that if we all came back there would be a large increase in income support for the taxpayer to find seeing as we are all so destitute living here!
20 years ago the pound was worth 200 escudos. Now the pound is worth aprox 1 euro which is about 200 escudos..the difference is that the cost of living has soared wherever one lives.
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After watching the article on people struggling in Spain, I have to say my colleague and I own a property rental company in Benalmadena, we are struggling but I would sooner struggle here than back in UK. Perhaps you should do an article on people like us who have put everything in to their business and are prepared to lower prices etc to be still here at the end of the downturn. We are both in our 60's but come hell or high water or the crisis we shall be still here at the end. These people who moan about being here should think about the great weather and coffee at 1 euro 30 cents and consider the difference in lifestyle between Spain and grey (not Great) Britain.
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I have read all the comments about the expats living in Spain, and agree with some of their comments, and hope they will see the recession through.
However on a lighter note, and different subject on this programme, although I posted a comment on the re-introduction of the Great Bustard in Salisbury plain, a magnificent and endangered species.
unfortunately it seems that no-one else is atall interested in this bird (also lives in Extradamura/Spain), and as the One Show took the enlightened trouble to feature this unique introduction, why is no one commenting on this film of the birds ?
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