he Iron Lady - Maggie

[welsh.goddess]

is deceased

[lhasa.two]

Interesting comments (mostly) on this thread so I won't go over old ground... but just to say I started working in the late 60's and moved to London, so had a first hand experience of what it was like living in the city during both Labour (Wilson and Callaghan) and conservative governments when Heath and Mrs Thatcher were in power. 

Two major issues that I disagreed with with Mrs Thatcher was firstly going to war in the Falklands. The whole war could have been avoided if Lord Carrington had had his eye on the ball. The Galtieri warnings to reclaim the Islands had been coming in thick and fast long before the Argentinians invaded. It's appalling to me that she was forced to start this war based on Carrington's complete lack of ability to see it coming. I know he resigned but I would have put him in the stocks! I don't buy the fact that the party was in the doldrums and she needed something to roust the nation... she had little choice but to go to war once the Argentinians invaded.

Secondly, her deregulation of the banks causing the "big bang" in '86 is largely responsible for the problems we have today imo. By allowing every bank in the world to come to the city and employ "boys" to manage money, to create the "me me" generation which is what we are left with now along with Hedge Fund managers who make best use of the off shore countries to hide money from UK regulators. When she did this, interest mortgage rates were running at 15% and this continued into the 90's. In '87 there was "black monday" when  share prices dropped massively affecting pensions, so is it any wonder people started investing in buy-to-let as an alternative to their pensions. If banking institutions and the government between them can't protect peoples savings why should they be trusted with them.. By such extreme deregulation she allowed greedy and some dishonest people the ability to create the City of London as we know it today. None of the Hedge Funders lost money in 2007/8... As it is, it's business as usual in the City.

 banks, your comment above about Norway is interesting. I much admire the way the Norwegian government have put their oil money to good use helping their citizens. Not so sure it's possible here with such huge population differences of 5 million in Norway and nearly 70 million in the UK... 

[sir_arthur_strebe-grebling]

Having had all my earlier comments censored by the usual suspects, I hesitate to enter this thread again, but there is so much rewriting of history that the context has to be re-emphasised. During the 1970s we had two governments brought down by militant trade unions (Heath 1974, Callaghan 1979) and the country almost bankrupt, needing bailing out by the IMF.

With that background, the country needed a sound economy and the union leaders had to be put in their place as representatives of their members, not as unelected politicians. Wilson had tried, for instance in closing more coal mines than Thatcher did (although no-one wants to believe that) but, just like Miliband now, Wilson depended on union backing to stay in power so he couldn't do too much.

Mrs Thatcher did a great job in reforming manufacturing industry, the City, the unions etc but, sadly, left alone the major monopolies of the BBC, NHS, Police, Post Office etc, which are now the bastions of loony leftism: the smart leftwingers regrouped, stopped trying to use the unions as their way of running the country, and turned to these unreformed bodies to have their unelected way.

And, worst of all, starting during Thatcher's time, the socialists were allowed to take over the schools and their exams, dumb them down and turn schools into places for social engineering instead of education. It is no surprise that the majority of members of the Labour Party are teachers. Even basic education – the three Rs as it used to be called – now has to be provided after the kids leave school, by employers and universities.

[joe_bloggs*]

Hope arthur has checked under the bed :^O

[bankhaunter]

I'm struggling with the concept of the police force being a bunch of loony lefties. 🙂

[upthecreekyetagain]

I'm trying to get my head around the idea that a quarter of all teachers are members of any political party compared to just 1% of the general population

[geographically*challenged]

Having had all my earlier comments censored by the usual suspects, I hesitate to enter this thread again, but there is so much rewriting of history that the context has to be re-emphasised. During the 1970s we had two governments brought down by militant trade unions (Heath 1974, Callaghan 1979) and the country almost bankrupt, needing bailing out by the IMF.

With that background, the country needed a sound economy and the union leaders had to be put in their place as representatives of their members, not as unelected politicians. Wilson had tried, for instance in closing more coal mines than Thatcher did (although no-one wants to believe that) but, just like Miliband now, Wilson depended on union backing to stay in power so he couldn't do too much.

Mrs Thatcher did a great job in reforming manufacturing industry, the City, the unions etc but, sadly, left alone the major monopolies of the BBC, NHS, Police, Post Office etc, which are now the bastions of loony leftism: the smart leftwingers regrouped, stopped trying to use the unions as their way of running the country, and turned to these unreformed bodies to have their unelected way.

And, worst of all, starting during Thatcher's time, the socialists were allowed to take over the schools and their exams, dumb them down and turn schools into places for social engineering instead of education. It is no surprise that the majority of members of the Labour Party are teachers. Even basic education – the three Rs as it used to be called – now has to be provided after the kids leave school, by employers and universities.

Agreed there sir_arthur_strebe-grebling. here Ive changed your words to italic.

[Anonymous]

the police ...............loonie lefties, ah well.

[bookhunter2007]

Mrs Thatcher did a great job in reforming manufacturing industry, the City, the unions etc but, sadly, left alone the major monopolies of the BBC, NHS, Police, Post Office etc, which are now the bastions of loony leftism:

LOL

Will you sue the BBC if they doesn't show rows of flag-waving, sobbing schoolgirls and military personnel paying their last respects on Wednesday?

Some of the reactions in the "PC brigade" press are like something Chris Morris would come up with

First, we had the synthetic outrage and disgust of those celebrating - "taking offense" on the family's behalf. This is what foamers accuse the "PC brigade loonie lefties" of doing.

Then the govt & Mail start hyping & ramping up the cost to the taxpayer, then adding bells and whistles on - all in favour of a PM who wanted a smaller state and private funeral.

And the best, instead of ignoring "Ding Dong" the attack dog right-wing press went into full-metal foam mode, demanding a free-market product is removed/censored because it is "offensive" and giving it the sort of publicity you couldn't buy.

[bankhaunter]

The point is often made that “Labour closed more mines than the Tories”, which is true. However, what’s not considered here is that the closure of 10 small pits has somewhat of a different impact than say the closure of 1 super-pit

Between 1962 and 1978 300,000 jobs were lost leaving about 240,000. who were producing about 55% of that produced in 62.

In 1986 that same 55% was being produced by less than 100,000

In the early 80s companies were subsidised to use british coal and the CEGB was banned from importing it, however it couldn't last costing as it did 1.3 billion pounds annually.

Incidentally Harold Macmillan in the early 60s spoke about the dangers involved in having whole communities dependent on a single large industry, almost prophesising  future events.

One could have thought successive governments would have recognised what might happen and started to put measures in place but they are not noted for thinking that far ahead.

[spawnjohnuk]

Wouldn't that be nice bank,a sensible party who wasn't afraid to rid the rubbish and plan ahead.

The way the outlook looks for team gb ,we are all going to wish we were with MT in next few years lol

[spawnjohnuk]

books,a fiver says T and C Blairs are filmed close up shot crying 🙂

[charliebird123]

Just watched Galloway and the beast of Bolsover on Parl;iament TV.Very entertaining:-)

[bookhunter2007]

beast of Bolsover on Parl;iament TV.Very entertaining:-)

Best speech/rant i've heard from an MP in ages:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=plcp&v=HxI-44683o4

I wish other Labour MPs had that passion and fight.

[spawnjohnuk]

great to see someone isnt just there thinking of themselves,Well said and yep those kind of people needed,he should be leader labour party .

[flower-buds]

Just watched a small clip on the news and to be honest i would of thought they would of used horses that behave better!!