@Mary: thanks, but it must be said that my posting he is answering was not really courteous either. I must admit I was a bit, err, carried when writing that.
@DML: at least you agree the UK system is complicated, your pardon, intricate. Looking on from a distance I still find it needlessly complicated. Admittedly the matter of "IFR in class G" is a poser for any airspace regulator. The Germans tried to address it by setting up class F airspace which was activated when IFR activity was imminent, but that wasn't really satisfactory. They now have RMZ's for such fields, and sometimes a TMZ too, and that seems to work better. The one non-controlled IFR field in my country, EBKT, now has an RMZ too.
@GipsyMagpie: terms like "basic service" and "deconflicting service" are another UK oddity, only serving to further complicate matters and to confuse pilots. No other country has them, to my knowledge. Ever wondered why?
@ALL: let it again be clear that I am not against communicating one's whereabouts and intentions, at the contrary.
I continue to regret that the UK has set up a system much different from the rest of Europe, and, by the look of comments here, clings to it. Well, that's up to you - enjoy your little Splendid Isolation! It is certainly a contributing factor to my avoiding your airspace - perhaps a relief to many
