I enjoy visiting the UK but liked living there much less. Why? Grey weather, overcrowding, extortionate living costs, hooliganism, drunkenness, hordes of "hoodies", dumbed down media and appeasement of Islamic fascism by so called left-wingers.  

But, above all, the UK has become a cynical and nasty place. You feel it in the air as soon as you step off the plane. Rational debate has become impossible. Disagree with someone in the pub and you are likely to get a punch in the face. Perhaps this should come as no surprise when debate between politicians quickly descends into personal abuse and when newspapers go for the jugular rather than analyse issues.   

Watching Ted Kennedy’s funeral service made me realise how different American politics is. Friendships with political opponents and bipartisan alliances are easily forged.

Debates in the senate, for example, are conducted with mutual respect. Redemption for "disgraced" public figures in America is always a possibility. Political opponents will be generous with you. Even former president Richard Nixon received plaudits at his death – probably richly undeserved – but you get my point.

Senior Republicans showed up at Kennedy’s service. Senator John McCain and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger appeared. Former president George W Bush (an arch political foe) kissed Kennedy’s widow and former president Jimmy Carter, challenged for the nomination by Kennedy in 1980, said warm words.

Secretary of state Hilary Clinton, publicly overlooked by Kennedy in favour of Barack Obama during last year’s presidential campaign, was clearly touched. Nancy Reagan (widow of the former president), although not at the funeral, said she viewed Kennedy as a friend. Simply put, America has a generosity of spirit that we lack in the UK.

What a contrast with British politics. Leaving aside cheating MPs, the British house of commons is a zoo. Generosity of spirit? Forget it. Former prime minister Margaret Thatcher fell out with so many of her own side that most of her cabinet had either been fired or gone to "spend more time with their family" by 1990. She and senior cabinet minister Michael
Heseltine couldn’t bear to be in the same room with each other.

The "Iron Lady" and her predecessor as conservative leader Sir Edward Heath hardly spoke at all in the 30 years after she ousted him as leader. Thatcher and former Labour leader Neil Kinnock simply hated each other. Kinnock, in turn, barely spoke to his critics on the left. Tony Blair and Gordon Brown (when prime minister and chancellor) were daggers drawn the whole time. Brown and David Cameron apparently do not get on either.

As for discredited British politicians – former liberal leader Jeremy Thorpe and former Labour foreign secretary George Brown (no relation to Gordon) hardly ever reappeared on the public scene after their public falls from grace. Once you’re disgraced nobody wants anything to do with you. The UK is a petty country compared to the US. Perhaps British politicians should learn from Kennedy’s funeral service and stop wrestling with chimney sweeps.