Britain the most attractive country for work, rest and pray

Britain’s claim of being a “soft-power superpower” has been reinforced by a survey in which it ranks as the world's most attractive country.

Based on its appeal in education, employment and tourism, the UK leapfrogged Canada to become the number one nation for young people, an Ipsos Mori survey for the British Council found.

Tolerance for different faiths and religions also played a role in the landing top spot.

The survey of young adults from 36 countries, carried out before the coronavirus pandemic broke out and Brexit negotiations concluded, gives some credibility to the claim made in the Integrated Review on defence and security, that the UK was a world leader in wielding influence through soft power.

The UK passed Canada to take the top slot with 74 per cent of respondents saying it was the most overall attractive country to visit. Italy, France and Australia made up the rest of the top five, followed by Germany, Japan, USA, Brazil and Russia.

The findings come after the £10 billion ($13.83bn) cut in Britain’s overseas aid budget that was condemned across the political spectrum.

Adrian Chadwick, a British Council director, suggested that “complacency in the face of massive investment and soft power from other international players” could result in the loss of long-term influence.

London Central Mosque could be considered as a demonstration of Britain's tolerance of religions that makes it attractive to international visitors. Reuters

“There's a reason to be cautiously optimistic for the future of global Britain but we need to be realistic about the challenges inherent in maintaining that position,” he said.

There were tangible benefits in people trusting a country that made it attractive for foreign investment, said Bridget Williams, a research director for Ipsos Mori. “Trust and things like equality, respect, tolerance, diversity, social justice and the environment are important,” she said.

Britain also ranked highly among G20 countries for “valuing diversity and cultural difference”.

“The UK scene is open and welcoming, demonstrates respect and tolerance for different faiths and beliefs and we are seen as free and fair, with a strong democracy and a free press and media,” she said.

Britain dropped one place to fifth as a global power but held top position in working constructively with other governments and as a force for good, the survey found.

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In terms of negotiating new trade deals or rebuilding after the pandemic it was vital that Britain was recognised “as a reliable, trustworthy partner willing and capable of working with others”, said Mr Chadwick.

“The world is in urgent need of more collaboration and more connectedness on any number of issues, which means international reputation becomes a premium."

He said 1.4 billion people were learning English with 3 million in the Middle East downloading educational material from the British Council’s learning tools.

But Wayne David, Labour’s spokesman on the Middle East, gave a warning that the reputation as a soft-power superpower would be severely undermined by the overseas aid cut.

“These cuts are having a hugely detrimental impact in places like Yemen, Syria and Somalia ... undermining in the most detrimental way Britain’s good reputation,” he said.

The survey covered 20,612 educated adults aged 18-34 in 36 countries, including the 19 member states of the G20.

The specs

AT4 Ultimate, as tested

Engine: 6.2-litre V8

Power: 420hp

Torque: 623Nm

Transmission: 10-speed automatic

Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)

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Teachers' pay - what you need to know

Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:

- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools

- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say

- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance

- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs

- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills

- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month

- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues

Tearful appearance

Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.

Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.

She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.

A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.

Essentials

The flights
Whether you trek after mountain gorillas in Rwanda, Uganda or the Congo, the most convenient international airport is in Rwanda’s capital city, Kigali. There are direct flights from Dubai a couple of days a week with RwandAir. Otherwise, an indirect route is available via Nairobi with Kenya Airways. Flydubai flies to Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo, via Entebbe in Uganda. Expect to pay from US$350 (Dh1,286) return, including taxes.
The tours
Superb ape-watching tours that take in all three gorilla countries mentioned above are run by Natural World Safaris. In September, the company will be operating a unique Ugandan ape safari guided by well-known primatologist Ben Garrod.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, local operator Kivu Travel can organise pretty much any kind of safari throughout the Virunga National Park and elsewhere in eastern Congo.

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Key facilities

Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
Premier League-standard football pitch
400m Olympic running track
NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
600-seat auditorium
Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
Specialist robotics and science laboratories
AR and VR-enabled learning centres
Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills