Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
#1
These days a lot of people claim that there is no difference between the political parties. I disagree with that. There remains a vast gulf between the Conservative and Labour attitudes and to say there isnt is just lazy thinking.
There are many anecdotes being told of Mrs Thatcher this weekend but one article by Conor Burns sets out to me the difference in attitude more clearly than anything else. It is as follows:
quote"""""I remember a few years ago being at a function and Lady T´s Private Secretary asking me to stay with her while he went to tell ´the boys´ that she would be ready to leave in about a quarter of an hour. During that time I introduced her to a businessman who I´d been talking to earlier who was desperate to thank her. I said to her, "Margaret this gentleman would just like to thank you." "What on earth for?" she asked him. He replied, "Lady Thatcher I started my business with the Enterprise Scheme which you introduced. Today I employ over 500 people. Without you it....". At this point he was cut off as The Lady jabbed her finger at him cutting him off, "No, no it is me who should be thanking you. All we did was create the framework. It was people like you who took the chance and made it happen. It was all done for people like you and without you it would all have been just be a theory. So thank you!" I thought that captured the sincerity and the modesty of a very great figure.""""end quote
Well contrast this is to the attitude of Gordon Brown and Labour. He believes in the power of government and that Government should always intervene in every aspect of our lives. Everything good stems from Government is the core of their belief. You just cannot imagine a response such as Mrs Thatcher's coming from Gordon Brown in such circumstances.
There is another thing Conor Burns reminds us of, that contrasts starkly with todays politicians of whatever Party that is also worth repeating here. It really shames the attitudes of so many of today's politicians.
quote"""""The second quality that marks her out as being very different is her authenticity. Her belief system was not merely some dry intellectual creed - it was a code to live by. While many politicians constantly talk of being frugal with public money Margaret Thatcher lived it. It is a fact that is too little known or remembered that throughout her time as Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher did not take the salary she was entitled to as Prime Minister and instead drew the salary of an ordinary cabinet Minister.
Recently I was talking to her about the current debate on Member´s allowances and I asked her why she had not taken her full salary as PM. I knew the answer. "We didn´t need it. DT had done well and our outgoings were not that great. We lived above the shop and worked and worked and worked. And in any case it was taxpayers' hard-earned money." The last four words were given particular force.""""" end quote
Whether you love her or hate her, she was one of the great figures of British political history, one that stands proudly beside Churchill, Disraeli, Gladstone, Peel and Pitt.
On her election 30 years ago today no-one expected her to become such a great figure. We need her clear headedness, strength and resolve again right now to resolve the problems of today.
Guest 674- Registered: 25 Jun 2008
- Posts: 3,391
#2
Barryw
The same maggie like all other tory govts starved councils of money and made it clear she was the enemy of the local councils, and decisions under her were not allowed to be taken by councils but by her govt.
She put councils in a corner by making it easy for council houses to be sold(but never replacing them) and making it difficult for councils to retain council housing stock(labour no better on this)
She took on the trade unions, and created a fear factor, hardly the way to get the best out of any workforce
I have posted on how uneven the playing field became. unions having to have up to date records, but business not having to do anything like this.
Sadly by putting people under pressure of buying council homes we saw parents out to work and kids left to fend for trhemselves, thus the start of the breakdown of family life.
The list goes on and on,
mortgage rates got to 17% i nearly lost my house, sadly many did.
Whilst I also have concerns on labour govt, I cant afford the tories to get into govt
i hope my predictions in other posts are correct
Ross Miller
- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 17 Sep 2008
- Posts: 3,709
#3
She was most certainly a forceful, perhaps even larger than life, personality and clearly was a conviction politician. I still believe it is too early to say if she was (or will be) one of the greats of British political history.
Her time in power will be remembered by many for what they see as the harm it caused to the country, our society etc. Of course there are those that will see it as a time of change, a time of good etc.
For me the negatives outweigh the positives, but that is just my personal view.
As for today's lot, with very few exceptions, they strike me as careerists who are interested in advancement, lining their pockets (mostly within the rather generous rules) and power for its own sake; the concept of public service seems to have flown the mother of parliaments.
"Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today." - James Dean
"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength,
While loving someone deeply gives you courage" - Laozi
Sid Pollitt
#4
There will never be agreement on whether she was a great or hate figure, but are we really hearing a call for the turn of full blooded Thatcherism? I thought Cameron had ditched the old baggage in a response to the realisation that both Hague and Howard had lost elections pitching their campaigns as a return of a party that the British people saw as nasty.
Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
#5
she was a great hate of mine,along with being a pain in the rear end.
