The legacy of Maggie T.

[David Banks]

I hear you have an election coming up soon, and wonder what the general murmurings are of the Caithness populus.

I had what I believe to be the great good fortune of having moved to Canada prior to Maggie Thatcher's era.

1. Is there a chance that someone of her ilk could be elected with a majority ?

2. Since some time has passed since Maggie Thatcher's era, how is she thought about in retrospect ?

[Aaldtimer]

Oh wow David...dinna get me started on that at this time o' night....grrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

[ducati]

1. Is there a chance that someone of her ilk could be elected with a majority ?

No David, there is nobody of her ilk to elect, mores the pitty

[The Drunken Duck]

Maggie Thatcher left power twenty years ago, the most pressing problem for us Brits now is the mess the current Labour Government have left us in. I didnt agree with a lot of Maggie's policies but I do miss her style. Its ironic that although she was a woman she was our last Prime Minister with any balls.

If you look at the havoc wreaked by the current Government over the last 13 years, Maggie's years were a doddle. She had to sort out the country the last time the Socialist muppets were in charge and left it on its knees, but today there is no one fit to do it. Cameron is too slimy and panders to the "minority" vote like all the other parties. And The Limp Dems cant even organise themselves let alone the country. What we need is a straight talker who wants to get the job done without pandering to anyone. But there is no one on the horizon even close to that.

Believe me David, you made the right choice. If I could afford it I would be out of here too.

[Cattach]

I hear you have an election coming up soon, and wonder what the general murmurings are of the Caithness populus.

I had what I believe to be the great good fortune of having moved to Canada prior to Maggie Thatcher's era.

1. Is there a chance that someone of her ilk could be elected with a majority ?

2. Since some time has passed since Maggie Thatcher's era, how is she thought about in retrospect ?

If we had someone like Maggie in power now we would not be in the state we are in. It is only now that many of us realise what a good PM Maggie was. Incidentally, I am a Lib Dem supporter and not a Tory so feel I can make those remarks and not be accused of doing them to support the present Tory party.

[David Banks]

Maggie Thatcher left power twenty years ago, the most pressing problem for us Brits now is the mess the current Labour Government have left us in. I didnt agree with a lot of Maggie's policies but I do miss her style. Its ironic that although she was a woman she was our last Prime Minister with any balls.

If you look at the havoc wreaked by the current Government over the last 13 years, Maggie's years were a doddle. She had to sort out the country the last time the Socialist muppets were in charge and left it on its knees, but today there is no one fit to do it. Cameron is too slimy and panders to the "minority" vote like all the other parties. And The Limp Dems cant even organise themselves let alone the country. What we need is a straight talker who wants to get the job done without pandering to anyone. But there is no one on the horizon even close to that.

Believe me David, you made the right choice. If I could afford it I would be out of here too.

From this side of the Atlantic, it seemed that Tony Blair also had some 'vision' of where government should rule. The fact that he sided so firmly with George W. Bush on the Iraq and Afghanistan wars was surprising to say the least, and in general he seems to have been a million miles from traditional Labour party policies. I assume he has spent so much on military exploits that (a) the country is in financial trouble and (b) there is bound to be a move back to traditional labour party policies.

Does this mean that all three parties are chasing after the mushy middle ?

[rich]

Mrs. T. would be an additional disaster in today's world as we stagger out of the most stunning depression since the 1930s.

The essence of our economic recovery is co-operation. Say what you like about Mrs. T. she was never one to co-operate with anybody.

I would be interested to hear what she thinks about today's economy but I gather her health is somewhat shaky. In fact, living as I do in Canada, I have forgotten all about her. (Is she dead?)

Anyway the times we live in may produce a great leader but I doubt it and if such a figure does appear then she or he would be of different mettle.

One thing you can say about Mrs. T. is that she was lucky in her enemies. Arthur Scargill, and the Argentinian junta got a jolly good wallop with the handbag which cheered me up immensely. But as an international leader?

No way!


.

[Sara Jevo]

You know how to start a fight lol!

One of the primary motivations for establishing the Scottish Parliament was that Scotland never again would suffer under policies that an overwhelming majority of the population did not want.

The more that Mrs T tried to introduce right-wing policies in Scotland, the more the country voted against her. She just never understood the culture here.

She is still probably the most loathed politician of all time in Scotland.

Thankfully, with another right-wing Government on the horizon at Westminster, we are now shielded from their domestic policies at least.

[Flashman]

You know how to start a fight lol!

One of the primary motivations for establishing the Scottish Parliament was that Scotland never again would suffer under policies that an overwhelming majority of the population did not want.

The more that Mrs T tried to introduce right-wing policies in Scotland, the more the country voted against her. She just never understood the culture here.

She is still probably the most loathed politician of all time in Scotland.

Thankfully, with another right-wing Government on the horizon at Westminster, we are now shielded from their domestic policies at least.

Have to disagree and im sure many center-right Scots would aswell.

Poll Tax being rolled out in Scotland was a political blunder at the end of her tenure but her policies in creating a home owning society in Britain after Labour dragged this country to an all time low in the 70's were critical.

History will be kind to Thatcher.

[Boozeburglar]

You know how to start a fight lol!

One of the primary motivations for establishing the Scottish Parliament was that Scotland never again would suffer under policies that an overwhelming majority of the population did not want.

The more that Mrs T tried to introduce right-wing policies in Scotland, the more the country voted against her. She just never understood the culture here.

She is still probably the most loathed politician of all time in Scotland.

Thankfully, with another right-wing Government on the horizon at Westminster, we are now shielded from their domestic policies at least.

Bang on.

The Tories have no place in Scotland. None.

Never will have it seems.

Long may that be the case.

Thatcher was an evil witch. She used her time in office to wreak havock on the weak and infirm; she attempted to dismantle all that was good about British society, something she did not believe in.

Tramp the dirt down, as Elvis suggested.

[Flashman]

Bang on.

The Tories have no place in Scotland. None.

Never will have it seems.

Long may that be the case.

Thatcher was an evil witch. She used her time in office to wreak havock on the weak and infirm; she attempted to dismantle all that was good about British society, something she did not believe in.

Tramp the dirt down, as Elvis suggested.

What like militant trade unions that could overthrow democratically elected governments.

Thank god for Thatcher!!

[Pastychomper]

I was in school in England when Maggie's reign came to an end, I remember the resounding cheer that went up after the teacher annouced the resignation to the silent class.

In the last few years I've heard more and more said in her favour, so I'd say history (with help from New Improved Pine Fresh Labour) is already being kind to her.

[John Little]

Facebook group about Maggie.-

Looks as if the Establishment want us to pay for Thatcher to receive an outrageous honour; a State funeral when she finally shuffles off this mortal coil. There is no way the most divisive Prime Minister of the 20th century merits a State funeral; the last Prime Minister to have one was Churchill. Thatcher destroyed millions of jobs, ruined the lives of millions of people and their families, crippled our manufacturing, decimated our steel industry and obliterated the mining industry, destroying lives and communities in the process. We are all still paying the price for the years of her misrule and are on our knees at the mercy of faceless multinational corporations thanks to her. Thanks to her we have an energy crisis as we cannot even produce enough fuel for our power stations any more and are dependent on imports, despite having c. 300 years of coal reserves beneath our soil, and our oil wealth which should have been spent on investment, modernisation and training was blown on maintaining record unemployment and went overseas, sold off to privateers and speculators. The Tories closed down one after another of our manufacturing industries, throwing millions of skilled workers onto the scrapheap and deskilling the country, leaving us a low wage, low skill 'service' economy dependent on imports made by skilled workers in other countries who are prospering at our workers' expense. State funeral for the enemy of our people? Not on your Nelly!

It's gone very quiet in the papers about this state funeral farce... where are the Tories championing it?

Have they finally woken up and realised that a state funeral for Thatcher is as welcome as an infection of leprosy..

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2425482332

[rich]

John Little, how then did she ever manage to get elected?
Certainly I would never have voted for her.
But a lot of people did.
Why?

[John Little]

They voted for her because decades of guild socialism left the country broke, the public sector over-manned and huge state industries old fashioned, outdated in their practices and inefficient.

The system needed reforming because by and large it worked in the interests of most people, keeping them employed and maintaining their communities and self respect.

Instead of reform she swept them away and delivered the country into the hands of rich elites who have done very well out of it thankyou, whilst an electorate increasingly marginalised are encouraged to think her good by a supine right wing media.

You asked.

[rich]

Didn't she win two elections?
Brits must be gluttons for punishment!

[Tubthumper]

George W Bush won two as well. We're not alone in our madness.

[Tubthumper]

... . the country broke, the public sector over-manned and huge banking industries old fashioned, outdated in their practices and inefficient.

Just misquoting you a touch there JL. my bold. Familiar?

[Flashman]

It was def more than two elections... three I believe between 1979 and 1990.

1979, 1983 and 1987 I think.

The fact she is even considered for a state funeral says it all, many see her reforms as a hard pill this country had to swallow at the time after years of pathetic Governments that made one of the greatest countries in the world into a complete laughing stock.

Wether this could of been achived without the extreme social upheaval is debatable... she was not called the Iron Lady for nothing.

[rich]

What poitical stripe is the sitting MP for Caithness?
Is anyone on the Org thinking of adopting the surname Thurso?
It makes me think of moats and castles.
What about John Halkirk - or is that perjorative?
I do think it sounds thoroughly reactionary!
And how does Wick feel about this?
No John for you Wick!!!
Talk about the landlord class!
I would be emrrassed.
Perhaps you would all feel better if he became JOHN NORTH OF SCOTLAND.
That would spread the stupidity around and might make it easier to bear....