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The Late Margaret Thatcher


Kingsmills

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Along with countless former miners, steel workers, the families of dead Argentinians, those who can't find decent social housing and many many others, I, for one, am shedding no tears.

 

I'm guessing you'll not be in favour of a minutes silence at our next home game then? :lol:

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Her government made many mistakes and had some terrible policies but she was a necessary Prime Minister.  As a country subsidising loss making industries couldn't continue, the outdated practices of trade unions couldn't go on, the state-owned monoliths that accounted for a large percentage of the economy weren't sustainable, or right.

 

The self-pity and childish egotism shown by those celebrating or self-conciously 'not mourning' is mainly because, in the end, Thatcher won.  She moved the post-War social democratic, statist, corporatist consensus to one in favour of free markets and individual responsibility.  She didn't address many aspects of this - the welfare state, to take a topical example, or healthcare.  However, it's worth noting that every single major political party in the UK (including the SNP for any patriots reading) back her programme.

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Although one has to have some respect for a great parliamentarian like Margaret Thatcher, I feel that David Cameron was well over the top waxing lyrical on TV last night.

Somewhat hypocrital too. No mention it was the Tory party that gave her the boot from office. Do you remember the farcical  ballot for leadership of the Conservatives, Michael Heseltine thretening to fight against her, meetings in smoke filled rooms to rig the election in favour of  John Major.  margaret Thatcher crying as she left Downing Street.

 

The Falklands conflict , the whole United Nations condemmed it, France sold misiles to the Argentine , Americal tried to it's best to pusude her  stop it. Agentine battleship topeadoed without warning ,  

Nicola  Sturgeon would have a field day on her upside down  doll squeak of  "illegal wars", she uses as an excuse for independence. She shuld remember both Tony Blair and Gordon Brown were born in Scotland.

 

Do you remember the Poll tax ?

 

True you would expect David Cameron to make the most out of the demise of Margaret Thatcher , but the truth is she was no saint.

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The inconvenient truth about Thatcher is things would have been much worse under Labour at the time.  Thatcher was only elected so many times due to the utter incompetence and unelectability of her rivals.  Same thing with Blair.  Labour/Tory opposition were so awful at the time that it took the Major/Brown governments to nearly bankrupt the economy to finally get rid of them. 

 

I wouldn't say either were particularly loved or admired.  Or even the best party of the time.  The SDP had the most incisive policies but it was party political allegiance, rather than for the good of the country, that many refused to vote for them.  The results?  Thatcher or the Militant Tendency.  Give me strength!

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Next time Argentina invades the Falklands, even if the UK still exists, it would not have the logistical military capacity to do a damn thing about it other than through diplomatic channels.

Four trident submarines parked of the Argentinian shore would be enuff to deter them methinks lol

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Next time Argentina invades the Falklands, even if the UK still exists, it would not have the logistical military capacity to do a damn thing about it other than through diplomatic channels.

Total tripe. The Argentinians cannot invade as they do not have the economic or military capability to do so since the Islands are too well defended now. They had their chance in '82 and fluffed it. There will not be a repeat. The only way they could gain their objective now would be via diplomatic channels. And that isn't going to happen either. The Uruguayan president has already given an inadvertent glimpse on how the Argentinian premier is viewed on the Southern continent.

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I was not suggesting there is likely to be a military invasion. I  agree that is most unlikely. What I am suggesting is that if that were to happen the UK is not in a position to launch any campaign to recover them.

 

The political landscape changed on both sides. For all their sabre rattling and posturing, Argentina is governed by a democratically elected regime rather than a military junta whilst the UK is not led by an autocratic warmonger with no moral compass.

Edited by Kingsmills
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The inconvenient truth about Thatcher is things would have been much worse under Labour at the time.  Thatcher was only elected so many times due to the utter incompetence and unelectability of her rivals.  Same thing with Blair.  Labour/Tory opposition were so awful at the time that it took the Major/Brown governments to nearly bankrupt the economy to finally get rid of them. 

 

I wouldn't say either were particularly loved or admired.  Or even the best party of the time.  The SDP had the most incisive policies but it was party political allegiance, rather than for the good of the country, that many refused to vote for them.  The results?  Thatcher or the Militant Tendency.  Give me strength!

 

I rather think the banking sector had more to do with the  overspend then anything Gordon Brown did

What do you think he should have done let investors lose their funds?

 

Give me strength

Edited by Laurence
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She moved [...] in favour of free markets and individual responsibility.

You mean greed and self gain/profit at the expense of those around you.  "Greed is good" I believe was the quote.

 

Ding dong the witch is dead.  And I fully intend to sit back when I have the chance and raise a glass to the demise of a person who abused her power due to what I regard as being inherently evil.  Think of me what you will for that.  I do not care.

Edited by KingBeastie
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Ah, well that is a different matter. The UK had adequate warning that a desperate and failing Junta may try a fumble in that direction but for whatever reason failed to act upon the intelligence they were getting in.

Had the Argentinians but waited 9 months, our aircraft carrier capability would have been sold off and our ability to respond consequently hampered. Diplomatic pressure then could have had much more weight and a subsequent invasion would have humbled and embarrassed us. A blue and white flag could be flying over the Malvinas as we speak.

As it was it was a stretch but in the end, they gambled and we won.

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She shuld remember both Tony Blair and Gordon Brown were born in Scotland.

Laurence. I know a lot of people in England get their (mis)information from the likes of the London Evening Standard and the Sun, but you live here so you really should know better.

Independence is not about ethnic Scots. It's about people who live in Scotland (like yourself). Spread it around......

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It is quite amazing that only three people voted against being British all those miles away. Yet I was talking to a guy in Jedbugh only 12 miles from Northumberland who wanted Scotland out of thr UK. Why ?  because he had been a miner in Mansfield and his hated for Margaret Thatcher still riled him all these years later.

 

I disagree with the statement made by Mantis above in its entirety. Although the "sports" , pages of the Sun have an aspect a lot of building workers like to pin on their walls, I feel the Evening Standard , to be about as useful as the Glasgow Herald, a nail behind the WC door comes to mind.

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Many years ago I found myself talking to someone who for a while had been one of Thatcher's personal advisors. He said the only time she ever actually took his advice was when he persuaded her to try Famous Grouse instead of Bells, and it became her tipple of choice.

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Her government made many mistakes and had some terrible policies but she was a necessary Prime Minister.  As a country subsidising loss making industries couldn't continue, the outdated practices of trade unions couldn't go on, the state-owned monoliths that accounted for a large percentage of the economy weren't sustainable, or right.

 

The self-pity and childish egotism shown by those celebrating or self-conciously 'not mourning' is mainly because, in the end, Thatcher won.  She moved the post-War social democratic, statist, corporatist consensus to one in favour of free markets and individual responsibility.  She didn't address many aspects of this - the welfare state, to take a topical example, or healthcare.  However, it's worth noting that every single major political party in the UK (including the SNP for any patriots reading) back her programme.

Oh FFS, we've unearthed the Scottish Tory.
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