Lots of good points by lots of articulate people.
The UK is the only place in the world (that I know of) where you can fly IFR with no more than a basic PPL. Not that that gets you much further, but it is a sign of a positive attitude by the CAA.
I did an IMC rating, many years ago, and find it extremely useful in the UK. I've got a lot of stick over the years from various self-appointed experts and "one-man licencing authorities", who told me it was not valid for flying in real IMC, was a "get you out of trouble" rating, and all the rest. Since none of them have ever flown with me, I treat their "expert" opinions with the respect they deserve. Several CAA-approved examiners seem to think I am quite safe to use my IMC rating, and have signed the document to say so.
I've looked at the CAA and JAA IRs several times in the intervening years, and decided the amount of irrelevant academic brain-stuffing required is clearly meant to dissuade all but strong-minded and affluent PPLs with plenty of spare time to spend getting a qualification for their hobby.
While I was contemplating it, a friend of mine (co-owner with me of a Rockwell 112) spent every weekend for months doing the IR groundschool, took the many exams, and got a PPL/IR. He renewed it once, then gave it up on cost grounds.
So I went to the US and did an FAA IR (in less than two weeks). The FAA accepted all my UK IMC time, the written cost me not a lot and was relatively easy; the checkride was thorough but I managed it; the oral was tough but I managed to pass that too.
Flying IFR in the USA is SO simple - that really is, for me, the model of how flying should be. I'd love to see a properly reasoned comparison between FAA and JAA-land and a justification for all the differences. Wouldn't stand much intelligent scrutiny, I suspect.
However, I can't see the EU bureaucracy EVER agreeing to rationalise the PPL/IR in the way folks on here would like, or towards the FAA approach - more's the pity. We aren't far enough up the priority list, and anyway we can't agree among ourselves what we want.
So the trusty group steed goes onto the N-reg at the next C of A renewal date, and I can fly around Europe using my IR when I need to (not all the time - VFR in VMC is so much nicer), just as I do in the USA.
Does anyone think there's any chance for the UK (or even European) PPL community to get anything changed on this? I wish I did...