Imagine the UK in the year 2057.

What things do you think will have changed? What will have remained the same? Will community/social relations have improved or become worse? Will the British economy still be strong - or will countries like India and China come to dominate over the West?

And finally, will Islamic moderates have prevailed - or will the UK witness the emergence of more extreme Islam?

Of course, it's only speculation - but it's still interesting to hear your predictions.

Different job, different car, different house but the same lifestyle. Last one to leave turn out the lights!

I probably won't be around to see it, but I'd guess that the UK as we know it today will no longer exist as a nation state, for one reason or another. Political upheaval (perhaps at European level) or environmental catastrophe would be my favourites.

If we still have a planet to live on, I'm not sure it's a place I'd wanna be.

I wouldn't like to guess. On a plus point I'll be too dead to see it.

It will probably be some sort Orwellian nightmare if people's behaviour doesn't improve.

I definitely wouldn't be in the UK by then neither will my progeny (god willing), but if things continue at this rate then I'm sure this country will probably be like 28 Weeks Later.

God! I usually consider myself to be a cynical person... but judging by the responses to this thread, I think I'm more of an optimist than most.

Seriously, I don't think the future will be that bleak. The human race has survived untold adversity in the past - I'm sure we'll cope with global warming (there will be some casualties of course e.g half of Bangladesh will be under water in a couple of generations).

But (assuming we aren't all annihilated in a nuclear holocaust) I think there are many things we can look forward to in future Britian. For example, we'll be healthier, live longer, have more technological gadgets than ever before, and be able to travel around the world at our leisure.


When I think about possible future catastrophies though, I don't see global warming being as much of a threat as the clash of religions and ideologies.

Perhaps it isn't very PC to say this, but I am genuinly concerned that radical Islam may gain more of a foothold not just in the UK and Europe - but in West African countries like Nigeria (where violence in the name of religion has been on the increase for a number of years already).

Are we heading towards a "clash of civilizations?"
The real test of community relations will come when there is a major economic downturn or a major event e.g terrorist attack, assassination.

These issues more than any others, threaten to de-rail the future of the UK.

(Let us not forget that much of the UK's wealth stems from the blood and sweat of our ancestors - so we all have a vested interest in her future).

I agree with much of what you have said. There is an old saying that "A pessimist is merely an informed optimist". Perhaps that is appropriate in this discussion.

However, I believe it to be a mistake to dismiss the religious aspect of potential future conflicts. It is true that Western birthrates are in a death spiral (Germany's current birthrate of 1.4 children per woman, will have MASSIVE consequences in the coming decades).
BBC NEWS | World | Europe | The EU's baby blues

Yet, the birthrates for Muslim women in Europe are much higher - especially first generation immigrants. Combined with unprecedented immigration levels, this means that future Europe (and indeed, the UK) will have mainstream religious forces in direct competition with eachother i.e Christianity being replaced by Islam.

This is extremely dangerous.
From Methodist Church to Mosque in Uneasy England - Sepia Mutiny

As I said before, it is possible of course that Islam will undergo a process of modernisation and become more moderate/liberal over the coming years. We know that the vast majority of Muslims in the West are not "blood thirsty terrorists" but ordinary people living out their lives. If they can be integrated into mainstream society... well, the future may not be so bad. The problem is that in its history which stretches back many hundreds of years, Islam has never been modernised.

If Europe cannot absorb Islam, then Islam will absorb Europe.

It's difficult to predict but I can honestly see a Bosnia/Yugolslavia situation developing in Europe.

Moderate Islam must previal for all our sakes. In the coming years, battle hardened jihadists will return from Iraq and Afghanistan with combat and explosives experience. I believe they are going to create a storm in Europe.

You'd better remember to wear a good sun hat...

If global warming trends are anything to go by, in 50 years time, places near the equator will have "comical" temperatures.

Africom is in full swing as the west needs to find new ways of stemming growth in developing nations in light of having to 'go green'.

The ruling elite become more and more paranioid creeping further and further with surveillance plans afraid of the evil they're spreading globally. America will show signs of falling completely, karma for the most corrupt power the world has ever been held hostage by, weak excuses for Africom as they have now enraged a large populace who reside in their own back yard. Destablization begins to be difficult to hide as even the foolish being to ask questions, backs broken due to various forms of tax.

Oyster card becomes, ID card which morphs into a credit card, cash is dead. Demographics has long taken a menacing twist as full profiles are held on the population, armed police, loudspeakers alongside CCTV cameras.

V for Vendetta wasn't just a film.