Baroness Thatcher Dead

[In_The_Rough]

Her big political defeat was the Poll Tax. I could never understand the problem with it though, the principal that everyone earning in a household should pay towards local services seemed quite fair. I tend to remember most of the fuss was made by Trotsky type students from the Socialist Workers party (none of them actually worked though)

It was. I cant remember the ins and outs of it that well but I can recall the aggro over it. In my case I had not been working long when it was introduced and so lived at home with parents who both worked, this meant we were paying 3 times what we would normally pay. However a friend of ours earnt more than the 3 of us put together as he was Director of a large company, he lived at home with his wife and son neither of whom worked but he was paying 2 times less than us. This cannot be right surely. I know my Dad went on one of the protests down London and he is a Tory voter like myself and is definitely not a Trotsky type student. I was only young at the time so this may not be 100% accurate.

 

[DappaDonDave]

Slime, my nan lives in Fleetwood as is still able to heat her home! That's even further north of than Preston!

 

[Liverbirdie]

I know many old people, eighty years old or more, who can heat their houses/flats and they live as far north as Preston.
I think that was a rather sweeping generalisation.

So are you not bothered about the ones North of Preston?

Can you hear yourself? Maybe not the rich ones living on the banks of the seaside towns, but I'm on about the old and infirm who can only think about which de-nationalised, corporate, monolithic utilities company to pay £1,500 a year to.

 

[SocketRocket]

It was. I cant remember the ins and outs of it that well but I can recall the aggro over it. In my case I had not been working long when it was introduced and so lived at home with parents who both worked, this meant we were paying 3 times what we would normally pay. However a friend of ours earnt more than the 3 of us put together as he was Director of a large company, he lived at home with his wife and son neither of whom worked but he was paying 2 times less than us. This cannot be right surely. I know my Dad went on one of the protests down London and he is a Tory voter like myself and is definitely not a Trotsky type student. I was only young at the time so this may not be 100% accurate.

I think the premis was that the size of your house or what you earn had nothing to do with your household use of local services, generally the more people in the house the more they consume services. This is something I tend to see as fair just like the rate of income tax, I would prefer there to be a standard rate and the more you earn the more you pay but at one rate.

Anyhow this is not what this thread is about and I shouldn't prevaricate the subject.

 

[Garesfield ACE]

Wouldnt personally"rejoice" in anyones death, but I've waited for the passing of 2 people for many many years.THATCHER and Maradona,for completely different reasons.Like many Northerners have stated on here I also HATE the woman with a PASSION.She destroyed the miners in the North East and caused huge splits in mining families and friends,like my own,some that never ever recovered.Also like others have said I wont say what I really think as I will get banned.Also I am not one bit surprised atbout 90% of people I no who have reacted more or less in that "rejoice" type of way.

 

[Liverbirdie]

I think one thing we can see overall from this thread, is that she managed to split the country in half, of that there is no doubt.

Off to bed now, I won't dance on her grave, but I won't sit back and see a whitewash either.

Good night all, yes all.

 

[In_The_Rough]

I think the premis was that the size of your house or what you earn had nothing to do with your household use of local services, generally the more people in the house the more they consume services. This is something I tend to see as fair just like the rate of income tax, I would prefer there to be a standard rate and the more you earn the more you pay but at one rate.

Anyhow this is not what this thread is about and I shouldn't prevaricate the subject.

No it isn't I agree. However my final thought on that subject is regardless of how many people are in the house the service used is generally the same such as 1 bin to be collected etc so it was political suicide on her part and really was the nail in the coffin as far as she was concerned

 

[SocketRocket]

I find this North/South, Scottish/English diatribe quite remarkable. The size of the chips on some shoulders is concerning you can really feel the depth of what seems real divisive hatred festering.

How on earth can this nation move on with any form of unity while people paint whole geographical areas with the same brush. The comments about people north of preston having problems with heating their houses would be funny if it was not so pathetic, does anyone honestly think all the elderly south of that parallel are sitting with the heat on and windows open.

Give me strength

 

[Sweep]

I won't dance on her grave, but I won't sit back and see a whitewash either..

I don't think anyone is pretending that everything she did was perfect, but the vast, vast majority of what she did was neccesary and this country would be in a much poorer state without her. She offered strong leadership. Something we could do with nowadays.

 

[Sweep]

I don't see that as particularly crass. 250 scots in George Square, Glasgow celebrating her passing - now THAT'S crass.

And therein lies the problem. How can you govern for people like that? People who take pleasure in an old lady's death. She hasn't been a force in politics for 23 years. Now you have George Galloway, a sitting MP, saying he hopes she burns in hell! Isn't he the leader of the Respect Party? Respect? You couldn't make it up.

 

[In_The_Rough]

George Galloway if ever there was a more obnoxious vile man than him in politics. He is a lowlife of the highest order and I hope he gets his comeuppance one day

 

[El Bandito]

I think one thing we can see overall from this thread, is that she managed to split the country in half, of that there is no doubt.

Off to bed now, I won't dance on her grave, but I won't sit back and see a whitewash either.

Good night all, yes all.

I absolutely agree that she polarised, indeed polarises opinion and I have no doubt that she was not perfect. The fact that she can prompt such emotion even now is testament to the impact (for good and bad) that she had on our country and in many ways shaped the political landscape where elections are still fought. I believe that it is great that she provokes such passion, but sad that she provokes such vitriol. Whether we agree with her or not, she was elected 3 times and ran the country for a decade. I am no fan of Mr Blair, but respect his achievement in resurrecting the Labour Party and getting them elected and will certainly not celebrate his passing when it comes.

 

[PNWokingham]

Clause IV was removed because of Mrs. Thatcher. I am old enough to remember the 3 day week. The winter of discontent, weak government at the mercy of unelected unions. If ever a leader came along at the right time it was Mrs. Thatcher. As Mr. Cameron said, she not only lead Britain, she saved Britain. God bless Mrs. Thatcher. RIP.

Well said - I agree - right person at the right time. The country was completely ruined when she came in. Some actions went too far, undoubtedly, and we could have ended up keeping a mining industry if the unions were pragmatic - but I blame them for how it ended up not Mrs T - our competitive position in the global economy improved during her tenure. I would have loved to see our car industry remain British owned and successful - following the slow death during the 70s - but the Germans, Japanese and Indians have at least boosted production to new highs and shown how to run things without the Marxist stranglehold that used to be employed

 

[Smiffy]

She's the best leader of the nation that I have seen in my lifetime and I am sad to see her pass away. I also sincerely hope that her family can mourn in relative peace.

It is pretty low to make political points on the day that she died. People should show more restraint and respect.


RIP Mrs T.

Just about sums it up. Well said Snelly.
I bet myself, and many others like me, wouldn't now own our own homes were it not for Maggie.

 

[chrisd]

I wonder how many people posting actually lived in the era before her election and knew just how appalling the state of the country was and, tough as it was, she almost single handidly turned things round. Unpopular she was, and still is, in mining and car making areas but the pits and factories were being paid for by the tax payer and losing money as if it were going out of fashion. The unions were holding everyone to ransom and, frankly, something had to be done - they would have all gone bust anyway.

The poll tax was her disaster but I remember when it was first mooted and basically it was a sound idea - anyone working in a household paid their portion of tax. I think the problem was that for the moderate amongst us, the actual figure for each of us was set too high. As a pair living together with no kids at that time, my rates went up and not down as I was led to believe it would under the new system!

If you lived through the era, then you are more likely to mourn her passing and regret that the current crop of politicians are pale by her standards.

 

[Fish]

R.I.P Maggie.

Met her a few times whilst serving and more so when she was in office. A true Iron Lady who showed more grit and conviction than any other leader we've had since.

You knew where you stood with her, whether you liied it or not, there was no middle ground or U-Turns like we see now from all parties. The country needs another Maggie now, and quickly.

 

[PNWokingham]

A pretty balanced article attached

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/pol...reedom-for-workers-nations-and-the-world.html

 

[evahakool]

Just about sums it up. Well said Snelly.
I bet myself, and many others like me, wouldn't now own our own homes were it not for Maggie.

Smiffy I to brought my council house, and it helped me move up the property ladder latter in life,but IMO it was her Policys that created
such a attitude of greed and selfishness. I,ve no doubt many benifted from her time in office, but if we put ourselfs in a mining community we would find that they are still feeling the negative effects of her policy's to this day.

I was no fan of Thatcher, but at the same time admired her for what she achieved.

Some of the comments on here are deplorable,even if you disliked her give her and her family some respect..

 

[Ethan]

A pretty balanced article attached

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/pol...reedom-for-workers-nations-and-the-world.html

Charles Moore, the author of that piece is Thatcher's biographer. Hagiographer, more like.

 

[Snelly]

I saw the front page of the Socialist Worker today. Utterly vile.

I am genuinely proud to be everything that the Liberal left hate. An proper Englishman.


Some of the responses on this thread are deplorable too. Some of you should be ashamed.