Baroness Thatcher.

[billwill]

Jezza gets to go to THE funeral.

Don't let him drive the hearse.

[john.p.clegg]

Oh I don't know...the sooner she gets buried the better...

John

[jimj]

Thatcherite or not, only a small minded person would lack respect.
Will the right wing be celebrating Scargill`s demise? I doubt it.
Jim

[Chancer]

Please, not on this forum as well

[69S4]

Oh dear. What was the name of the eponymous law that says that any internet forum topic with more than ten replies stands a fifty: fifty chance of turning into a slanging match?

[AHM]

At least people on this forum are
a. old enough to have actually been there.
b. have enough intelect to put it in the context of the time.
c. capable of taking responsibility for their own lives... and therefore moving-on some time in the past 30 years.

If you are in any doubt of her greatness as a leader just look at what we had before and since.

RIP Mrs. T

[AHM]

Thatcherite or not, only a small minded person would lack respect.
Will the right wing be celebrating Scargill`s demise? I doubt it.
Jim

Interestingly they are trying to boot him out of his NUM funded grace and favour flat in London.

[john.p.clegg]

Looks like the masses are having their opinions aired...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/22093181

John

[Quart Meg Miles]

If you are in any doubt of her greatness as a leader just look at what we had before and since.

As I recall, we used to have a motor industry and employment in the north of England.

Afterwards we had lots of imported Porsches for under-taxed financers, and look where that lead, and a "service" industry.

[Chancer]

Nothing to do with providing poorly made unederequipped and above all unreliable and expensive vehicles that the public didnt want to buy then?

The motor industry in the North of England now is probably the most successfull in Europe despite being far from the lowest labour cost base, 80% of production is exported.

I was saddened to see this topic raised, especially in the way that it was, i like this forum for its in general disinterest in devisive political and religious topics, I do agree with the comments however that at least many of us lived and worked through those years, more than can be said for those that I have seen making the hatred.

[worzel]

Hi
Thought I'd have a pop!

I confess to never having voted for her (or any other politician for that matter)- so maybe I'm being slightly (!) hypocritical.

Like most people she was a mix of good and bad- the main difference being that in the public eye your faults and good side are sometimes all too obvious. I think she was "of her time"- events pushed her to No 10 and probably nothing would have prevented her rise to power. I can well remember the prevailing mood seemed to be something along the lines of "anything must be better than this lot who are in power)- even James Callaghan observed that the wind was in her favour.

As for her record- I think those who cite her as responsible for everything that's wrong with Britain overestimate her influence (they're also not too well informed I think). She was successful (however you define success) because she actually stood for something and people seem to prefer strong leaders- even if they don't always agree with them. Very few politicians effect long term changes- because unfortunately basic human nature doesn't change (more's the pity) what she seemed to have changed is other countries' view of Britain- our "sick man of Europe" image has certainly altered and that can't be bad can it.

A purely personal last comment- I think many men are actually intimidated by the likes of her- a very bright woman who can slug it out with the best of the bruisers. this is unsettling for some hence the vitriol from some.

John

[CBUEB1771]

I am certainly aware that her legacy is a complicated issue. A commonly held view from the US is that England had become a sad economic backwater before Thatcher's time. We see England as far more vibrant now but I accept that the transformation was not all her doing and I am not an apologist for the London Whale.

[billwill]

My original posting was actually intended as a non-political joke about Jeremy Clarkson.

[CBUEB1771]

Interesting that there has been no mention of Chapman's decision to move Lotus out to Norfolk to keep away from organized labor.

[JJDraper]

I was about to contribute, but thought better of it.

Like modern society in general.

Pick the bones out of that.

Jeremy