I think we are discussing cultural differences and the exchange between the Southwest pilot and the Virgin one where the former mentions "a little freedom" points to this. In the U.K. it isn't only the job of ATC to have SA, but at a controlled airport it is to control. Pilots by and large do what he says. I remember a controller once said of an airfield "all this is mine and nothing moves without my say so." The U.S. seems to leave a little more to pilots.
I am pretty sure that here after both this and the JFK incident the controllers would have been relived of duty afterwards and not sure if this happened. Such a culture is widespread her for a variety of non-accusatory reasons - for example if a train driver passes a red signal even by a little bit the train can't proceed and a new driver must be found.
I fin the concept of an uncontrolled ramp a little extraordinary too. Presume the call "push back and start approved" is rarely heard in the U.S. Could lead to an expensive argument in court I would have thought.
Oh and the use of the word clear for anything other than take off or landing clearance still seems to happen - I must listen for the use of vacate in U.S ATC.
Tin hat on against incoming from the U.S.