No no and NO. If you counted India then by population alone Cantonese 11 times and Indian also would amount to 7 times that of the English spoken word.
I feel as if I'll probably come across as predictable on this topic - of that I am. There are lovely places within Britain (indeed the British Isles) but they are the kind of places you like to visit for a weekend. I believe (with absolutely no evidence to support my argument other than casual observation) that the northern Europeans are so hard working and driven towards wealth and status because basically there is **** all else to do with their lives - there are no BBQs on the beach, no renting a boat on a Sunday, no open air restaurants, no cheap and easy living that doesn't involve a bottle of Olde English. Of course there are worse places to live in the world, but there are also much better places. The key seems to be being able to obtain a secure UK style job with a secure UK type salary while living somewhere which also gives you the lifestyle - having your cake and eating it. I also think that's why Australia always tops the charts of best global lifestyle.
Your 2nd paragraph is pretty much what I think too. You should make me a mod on GC. You know you want to.
I keep a second home and spend a fortune on flights, any benefit from personal taxation is outweighed by costs. I'd take UK taxation with the same job and the same wage in Belfast tomorrow, and I'd be wealthier for it. The only reason I end up in tax havens is because that's invariably where the decent work is in my industry.
