Just a quick question about ol' Maggie

Now I was born in 1991 so have no first hand experience of her leadership. Although I come from a working class background my parents never suffered from much of her legislation, but I've looked into it many a time and can understand how things such as the Poll Tax, unemployment levels, increased inflation, large numbers of business closures, the privatisation and selling off of industry, breaking up of unions and even the Falklands war can impact upon people. One thing I've noticed across this board, and when I used to browse CCMB, was the unwavering hatred towards Margaret Thatcher (Croesy aside).

What I guess I'm trying to say is, was it a case of you had to be there and witness it all to feel that rage?

I mean things certainly feel like they're repeating themselves. Double-dip recession, large numbers of unemployment, the closure of age-old high street institutions, the introduction of ridiculous student fees and even the needless war with Iraq are comparable to the 80's, yet although I feel contempt for the government, more so as I age, I don't have the hatred for Blair, Brown, Cameron et al. that I sense many people have for Thatcher.

Can anyone enlighten me?

You didn't need to be there but it helps!

You are clearly someone who is bright and enquiring so just develop your political consciousness a bit more. My daughter is the same age as you and had a viscous exchange with RAs at uni over Thatcher

Main thing about her was she personified the nasty side of the Daily Mail reader but actually ran the country. Every bit of snobbery and hate was enacted. She picked a fight with the miners and systematically destroyed them using the full power of the state from MI5 downwards. At the end of the day she enjoyed it, which is the difference between her and other PMs from both parties. If it meant somewhere like Bargoed or Barnsley got hurt she actually got pleasure from it

She was a classic hypocrite too - waved the flag but used her family wealth to avoid wartime service for example

Thanks Uwe Seeler.
I think for anyone to fully appreciate her hypocritic nature you'd have had to listen to her spout her nonsense about wanting to be this "house-wife" PM who understood family values, yet did almost everything in her power to take away those working class values, first hand.
When it comes to politics I have my knowledge, but with my studying of science it tends not to go hand in hand, so apart from that which directly affects me and my family, I tend to let the rest slip me by. Your reply has certainly helped me realise where so much animosity can come from though.

angie and i were married with two small children living in a new house when along came the poll tax. our rate bill (council tax) doubled overnight.
when the economic crash came under nigel lawson our house price crashed and interest rates rocketed and we had to sell up and buy an ex council house because we could not afford to stay there.
angie had an assurance policy that matured when we moved, it payed off our bank overdraft.
we live close to the new town of bradley stoke in south gloucestershire at the time of the crash it was dubbed sadly broke. our current next door neighbour used to live there and when they sold up and moved they lost £18,000 on the house sale.
somehow i will not be mourning her passing or putting flowers on her grave

I watched an interview with William Hague earlier and I tend to agree with the way he summed up her tenure. Hague said that Thatcher left Britain in a far better way than she found it. He said she made far more correct decisions than wrong ones, but when she did get it wrong, it was spectacularly wrong.

There is no doubt that by 1990 Britain was no longer the "Poor Man of Europe" that she took over, but successive governments have done their best to dilute the good work she did on the international front, particularly in Europe.

Some nasty comments on CCMB to be fair.

Comparisons with Hitler, etc. are laughable; she was re-elected twice FFS.

Thatcher-bashing has become ‘trendy’ among those who weren’t even born for much of her tenure as PM.

I find ‘Lord’ Kinnock equally abhorrent with his snout in the trough, but wish him no personal ill-harm.

G-ster wrote:Some nasty comments on CCMB to be fair.

Comparisons with Hitler, etc. are laughable; she was re-elected twice FFS.

Thatcher-bashing has become ‘trendy’ among those who weren’t even born for much of her tenure as PM.

I find ‘Lord’ Kinnock equally abhorrent with his snout in the trough, but wish him no personal ill-harm.

That's a good summation. I didn't agree with many of her policies but she chose them misguidedly because she thought it was the way forward for the nation not herself. She was closely followed by leaders such as Kinnock who didn't win an election but ensured that he and his family became wealthy on the European gravy train. Then of course we had Blair and the wicked witch who made, and are still making millions out of the country. Socialists my arse! Strangely, they aren't reviled in the way Thatcher was.
By the way, I'm not a Tory, just someone who thinks most modern politicians (of all parties) are self serving lying hypocrites!

Just watched interview with a miner union spokesman on bbc looked as though he had 6 numbers on lotto

I too think politicians generally are self-serving lying hypocrites.......but Thatcher was worse than most. I can't forgive her for her relentless assault on the most vulnerable in society, the unashamed encouragement of greed and money-making at the expense of others, the destruction of this country's manufacturing base......I shed no tears at her passing.

I am too young to really to comment on the Thatcher days but I would like to put my bit forward on politicians generally whilst we are on the subject.

I think they are an easy target and don't deserve the over-the-top abuse they quite often receive (Remember politicians generally I am not defending MT in any way). I am not saying that all politicians are innocent and don’t deserve any criticism, just that many seem to tarnish all politicians with the same brush, probably the same brush bankers and lawyers are swiped with. It would be nice to hear some more positive news about the people we elect to lead/make decision on our behalf, therefore when criticism comes it would feel more balanced.

I should say at this point that I have fairly recently started working in the politic world therefore you are free to say I am biased etc. I just wondered what others thought? Do you agree, or would you even say that the majority of people don’t care and the only the minority are noisy, or even that the main perpetrators of the abuse is politicians themselves against their peers?

Good Topic R-Dono, sorry taking this away from Maggie.

The biggest problem is the excessive exposure to media that politicians today have. For example, George Osbourne parking in a disabled bay in McDonalds, David Cameron popping off to France skiing etc. Before you wouldn't have known or cared. Now people form their opinions when they see these pictures in the headlines under a damning headline.

Kate1 wrote:It would be nice to hear some more positive news about the people we elect to lead/make decision on our behalf, therefore when criticism comes it would feel more balanced.

Yes it would be nice..............





Nope, can't hear it.

I think the expenses scandal has placed them collectively in the same unloved place as estate agents, where they were followed by the bankers. I think it may be some time before they emerge.

The BBC have just had Gerry Adams giving his views on Thatcher.
Must watch the 10 o'clock news to see what Charles Bronson and Peter Sutcliffe thought of her.

Likewise too young, but I still feel this 'the witch is dead' chanting is completely uncalled for. Have some respect for the dead and their mourners if nothing else

She was brutal... she lacked compassion so her passing will be greeted with little compassion in many quarters



I remember the soup kitchens and handouts... I remember being diverted from the heads of the valleys road I worked in Merthyr when the taxi driver was killed driving in a miner who had broken the strike... The word scab is still used with bitter venom in some villages and towns...

I remember seeing a photographic exhibition at Big Pit showing kids scavenging for coal in virtual rags... Sad, sad times for the Valleys...

May be she had to do what she I'd during her tenure for the UK but she can never be forgiven for the way that she did it...