Jeremy Clarkson has delivered a scathing assessment of Britain’s future, describing the country as an “unsalvageable basket case” and weighing in on whether he would consider leaving the UK for sunnier shores. The former Top Gear host claimed that many people are thinking of leaving the UK due to the "flatlining" economy, the "stagnant" housing market and the police who have become "pretty much useless".
The 65-year-old added that many towns now "feel like pot-holed no-go areas", and that "everyone is always furious." Writing in his column for The Times, Clarkson said: "It’s easy to convince yourself that Britain is now an unsalvageable basket case, a country that’s slipped into a pair of Fairy Liquid butter trousers and is currently hurtling down the slide of doom into a broken future full of nothing but taxation, crime and disease. The only consolation we have is that France might get there first."
Clarkson, who has become an unlikely advocate for British farmers through his hit Amazon series Clarkson’s Farm, has frequently criticised rising costs and bureaucratic red tape in agriculture. Recently, he took aim at what he calls “crippling” taxes on farmers, warning that increased duties and tighter regulations are making the industry unviable.
The former Top Gear host has also voiced scepticism over Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer’s vision for the country, suggesting his policies will not ease the burden on rural communities. Clarkson previously claimed that Starmer offered “nothing concrete” for farmers and accused politicians of being “clueless” about the realities of running a farm.
Against this backdrop, Clarkson noted the growing appeal of Dubai for disillusioned Britons. "The emirate of Dubai seems to have realised this because subliminally, and liminally, there are adverts for the place everywhere I turn. No income tax. Petrol 50p a litre. The police do what they’re supposed to do and it’s sunny most of the time. What’s not to like?"
However, he admitted that life in Dubai may not be quite the dream many imagine, despite figures showing a surge in interest from Brits. "Figures out last week show that since 2020, the number of people thinking of moving from Britain to Dubai has risen by 420 per cent. There was a 50 per cent jump in the past 12 months alone. And many aren’t just ‘thinking of moving’ – Brits are now the second-largest purchasers of property in the emirate, after Indians."
Clarkson revealed he has fond memories of Dubai from decades ago, but says its modern incarnation leaves much to be desired. "I used to enjoy Dubai back in the early Nineties when there were no people in it and only one hotel. But today, it feels like the bastard love child of Las Vegas and Mickey Mouse. If Katie Price’s face were an emirate, this is what it would look like."
Instead of swapping the UK for Dubai, Clarkson urged Brits to stay "surrounded by friends and family" for three-and-a-half years by which time the "horror of Starmer will have gone."
