For 10cs and the other rabid Thatcher haters....

[Loosehead]

Here is an article from Fred Forsyth last year when the statue was unveiled. Can you simply tell me what state would we be in without MrsT? she said ther was "No alternative" what is your alternative?

[Loosehead]

so there's plenty of criticism but no actuall suggestions of an alternative! right oh!

[mike1222]

Think what you want of her, but she was the last principled politician (never mind PM!) that we had. She was not always right with some of her actions/policies, but this country was dying when she came to power and she turned it round. What a pity that we are now in an equally sorry state all these years on, mainly due to UNprincipled politicians who are only in it for what they can get out by whatever means, and sod Joe Public (until an election is on the horizon!) - I've said it numerous times, they are ALL like pigs with their snouts in the trough, and it's only idiotic, gullible people who vote for them.

[Loosehead]

ironically and indeed rare among politicians MrsT did not actually ever take the salary of PM she always had the same as the normal ministers. Must be unique for a politician not to take what gravy they can get!

[mike1222]

Steve.5, I stopped reading your reply after this comment, "She even imposed 24 hour TV to keep us occupied & brain dead. "

Oh dear, dear dear!

[flip_flop]

Steve.5, you're a teacher aren't you? Just out of interest, what do you teach?

[jno]

can't think why she didn't take her salary, Loosehead; perhaps we should have asked her millionaire husband if he knew the answer.

As to the alternative, of course there was an alternative. There's always an alternative. Whenever you hear some politician, strike leader etc say 'They've left us with no alternative', you know they're lying. There is ialways an alternative; they just don't fancy it.

[sp1814]

Loosehead

You're asking us to write a political manifesto encompassing social and economic policies based around conditions in the UK in 1979.

Okay, I'll get onto that if you can tell me how to secure a lasting peace in the Middle East.

[flip_flop]

Both very worthy subject Steve - but please tell me you teach them without bias.

[Loosehead]

Ok Steve.5 so you're one of the loony lefty teachers that's been brainwashing the kids. I bet you teach them that all the evils of the world can be blamed in the British Empire too!

jno, ok so there's always an alternative, all I've been trying to do in this thread is find out what it is.

Sp: no manifesto needed just a broad approach that is an alternative of what MrsT did. Just a few bullet points would do.

[Kromovaracun]

How did I miss this thread?

This is just another typical piece of right wing propaganda gloryfying a dictator.

Three free and fair democratic election victories. And ousted from by her political party. Not really the action of a dictator.

Question What did Thatcher actually save the working classes from, apart from employment & rights?

Well, she certainly made things cheaper for them. Plus their utilities weren't being constantly blockaded by over-powerful unions. And the companies they worked for were able to expand.

She even imposed 24 hour TV to keep us occupied & brain dead.

So, Thatcher somehow imposed 24-hour television despite the fact that this was the action of a private company? If so, evidence please.

This plunged Britain into a recession

How is 6% growth a recession? Unless you're referring to what happened in the early 90s. And if you're blaming that on Thatcher, well, that's akin to blaming New Labour for the Credit Crunch.

[Kromovaracun]

Enlighten me.

Do you mean I overlooked the 'She was the first PM to be a targeted by the IRA' nonsense?

Or do you mean that I'm overlooking the unemployment etc.? (Despite the fact that plenty of economists have attributed the long-term rise in employment to the Thatcher reforms, and that the mines weren't sustainable)

What am I missing?

[Theland1]

Heath hated Thatcher.
He said it was immoral to preside over such growing unemployment, so he would have supported printing money, some money, to stock up inflationary pressure, but ease the unemployment.
Maggie said take the medicine now, or it will be worse later.
Red Robbo at BL was typical of the problems she faced.
Scargill - there was never a vote for miners to strike, just picket lines preventing them from working.