I know. One good custom can corrupt the world.

Having lived and worked through the 70's and 80's the early Thatcher Years were 'interesting' to say the least.

She did much that was bad but much that was necessary.

She came in with a plan to smash the unions and did it, the winter of discontent was hell, a 3 day working week and electricity on ration is not the way to run a major country. I can remember going to the electricity board showroom on the high street on my way home from school to look up when we would have power. The uniouns broke govenments, they were unellected and playing at power politics. 

I also seem to remember inflation at about 30%, the country was being bailled out by the IMF for God's sake.

She was however completely batty by the end, her idea of the poll tax was a shambles, she tried it in Scotland and it destroyed the Torries north of the border, and when she brought in into England and Wales it was the begining of the end for her.

She did have one other saving grace, she believed in Parliament, after the Falklands there was a full public enquiry, I wonder if Cameron will launch one after we finally pull out of Afganistan? 

So on balance I admire her, I don't like her and think it's rediculous and stupid to rename a public holiday after her, but I do admire her.

Voted for it.

Hope she festers in the Seven Nether Regions of Hell!

I am NOT joking

Largely as a result of the introduction of the Poll Tax in Scotland by the Thatcher administration, I would argue, Conservative support in Scotland has fallen to the point that, as pointed out on the radio recently, there are twice as many Giant Pandas as Tory MPs in Scotland.

I can not agree, she made our country great again, got rid of the Argi`s..
saved our coal for the future...for when the ruskies cut off our gas...
Kicked the crap out of a lot of hypocritical men.....and never swung her handbag....

Quote from: marie on 06 March 2014, 02:04:00 AM
I can not agree, she made our country great again, got rid of the Argi`s..
saved our coal for the future...for when the ruskies cut off our gas...
Kicked the crap out of a lot of hypocritical men.....and never swung her handbag....

She did not save our coal: the mines were not maintained and it would be practically impossible to get at most of it now.

where there is a will there is a way,lol......

I signed it because I couldn't stand the woman, what she stood for or what she did to get another term in office. I still vote but never Tory because of her legacy. But saying that, I struggle to think of any that are worth a vote nowadays.

My advice is that as it's not broken why try and fix it?

Leave it as it is, that way you can't upset anybody.

An interesting programme coming up next week on the legacy of the miners strike, which is still very raw in affected communities; families not talking to 'scabs' even after all of these years. One interesting point was that in one pit, the miners didn't want to strike, yet the Union told them they had to because that's what the NUM wanted! So much for democracy .

Quote from: Steve J on 06 March 2014, 12:41:45 PM
An interesting programme coming up next week on the legacy of the miners strike, which is still very raw in affected communities; families not talking to 'scabs' even after all of these years. One interesting point was that in one pit, the miners didn't want to strike, yet the Union told them they had to because that's what the NUM wanted! So much for democracy .

I have no sort of sympathy for bullies, but if a minority can ignore policy decisions, we're looking at anarchy, not democracy. Whether this is a good thing or not is another issue.

Quotebut if a minority can ignore policy decisions

From one of those involved in the programme:
"He was appalled at the prospect of industrial action, especially as Scargill had refused to call a national ballot."

I think this sentences speaks volumes, but then that is just my opinion.

I was only a young lad at the time and I always remember the news about someone had been killed by the pickets, I thought they meant the band the 'flyng pickets'. I was rather confused why a rock band was going around killing people.

Gentlemen

I have just asked the clone responsible for the forums to lock this thread.

It was certainly not my intention to stir up any bad feelings here. Before things get into a direction we all want to avoid I have therefore asked to have this thread locked.

Quote from: Matt of Munslow on 06 March 2014, 08:10:00 PM
I was only a young lad at the time and I always remember the news about someone had been killed by the pickets, I thought they meant the band the 'flyng pickets'. I was rather confused why a rock band was going around killing people.

It's what rock has tried to do to music from its inception, isn't it? Why not people too?

Quote from: sebigboss79 on 06 March 2014, 09:14:44 PM
Gentlemen

I have just asked the clone responsible for the forums to lock this thread.

It was certainly not my intention to stir up any bad feelings here. Before things get into a direction we all want to avoid I have therefore asked to have this thread locked.

Not sure why - I dont sense any bad blood - people are airing opinions and I dont see any keyboard warrior sniping going on. I think this has been one of the healthiest off topic line of posts for quite some time.

Please let it continue. If it gets personal thens the time to self destruct the thread

Quote from: Nosher on 07 March 2014, 08:00:27 AM
Not sure why - I dont sense any bad blood - people are airing opinions and I dont see any keyboard warrior sniping going on. I think this has been one of the healthiest off topic line of posts for quite some time.

Please let it continue. If it gets personal thens the time to self destruct the thread

Agreed

We disagree, we argue, we state our point but it isn't personal

Nosher, get2grips

it is still sporty yet I fear it might get to a point where someone feels insulted hence my plea.

Quote from: get2grips on 07 March 2014, 08:03:16 AM
We disagree, we argue, we state our point but it isn't personal

Agreed......Let's keep it like that.
Cheers - Phil

Well all I will say is

Thatcher, Regan and Gorbachov(sorry if I spelt this wrong) DID END THE COLD WAR so we should have a day to all three!!!

Martin

You'll have to include our friends the Taliban. They shook up Russian ideas about foreign policy in a big way.