Emma Beddington writes about being embarrassed by the state of Britain when her French in-laws visited, citing various ways in which the country compares poorly with France (I saw the UK through the eyes of my French in-laws – and it was deeply embarrassing, 23 April). But she ends on a positive note, describing how her in-laws were impressed on a train when they saw “a lovely group of women sitting next to us in Hawaiian garlands, enjoying prosecco at 8am”. If that is the light at the end of the tunnel, it’s not much.
I can understand Beddington’s “countrybarrassment”. Especially because there is no other country I have been so much in love with as Britain. For some 60 years, I travelled its length and breath, reading its literature, enjoying its arts. Its people were always welcoming – at least, that is what I thought, and I still think that most of the time the friendliness is sincere.
