How Will History Remember Margaret Thatcher ?

[BAYLOR]

Tory Prime Minster from 1979 to 1990 , called the Iron lady because she was tough and uncompromising . Broke the power of the Unions in the Uk most notably the Coal Union lead by Arthur Scargill. Her Pro business economic polices revived the Uk economy from years of stagnation, nationalization and strikes. Unfortunately, they benefited the people with money more then the working class ,lots of whom lost jobs and livelihoods . Won the Falkland Islands War against Argentina. Opposed further economic and political integration with the EU because to protect British Sovereignty.

How would categorize her tenure as Prime Minister and Party leader? How do you think history will remember her? Will she go down as one of the greats?

 

[Foxbat]

Her real achievement wasn't breaking the unions, it was getting everybody to buy their own homes. It looked like a liberating move but, in reality, it was a way to put a ball and chain on the masses. People could no longer afford to strike and put their homes at risk.

 

[BAYLOR]

Her real achievement wasn't breaking the unions, it was getting everybody to buy their own homes. It looked like a liberating move but, in reality, it was a way to put a ball and chain on the masses. People could no longer afford to strike and put their homes at risk.

Union power was part of the problem in the Uk. They'd been allowed free reign to do whatever they wanted to business They wouldn't allow any changes that would cost jobs and that made UK Business less efficient and less competitive. Not a good thing for alot of reasons.

 

[thaddeus6th]

I think she'll always be a divisive figure (not unlike Caesar or Cao Cao in that regard), with strongly held opinions for and against her. Reminds me of an amusing moment I saw on the Sky paper review a year or two ago.

One idiot called her the 'milk-snatcher' (a reference to a leftish rhyme made when, as Education Secretary [I think] she removed free milk from schools). The two other men (one of whom was the presenter and both of whom were older) replied that neither liked the free milk, as it was horrid and warm in summer, or frozen and awful in winter. Whereupon the idiot said he it was before his time.

A leftwing but fairly objective friend of my mother's reckoned Thatcher was right to smash the likes of Scargill but then went too far shutting down mines. It is worth mentioning more mines got closed under Wilson than Thatcher (in the same way manufacturing fell under every PM except Major, it's counter-intuitive and contrary to the general belief).

Blair will have a far worse reputation. Neither right nor left will defend him.

 

[BAYLOR]

I think she'll always be a divisive figure (not unlike Caesar or Cao Cao in that regard), with strongly held opinions for and against her. Reminds me of an amusing moment I saw on the Sky paper review a year or two ago.

One idiot called her the 'milk-snatcher' (a reference to a leftish rhyme made when, as Education Secretary [I think] she removed free milk from schools). The two other men (one of whom was the presenter and both of whom were older) replied that neither liked the free milk, as it was horrid and warm in summer, or frozen and awful in winter. Whereupon the idiot said he it was before his time.

A leftwing but fairly objective friend of my mother's reckoned Thatcher was right to smash the likes of Scargill but then went too far shutting down mines. It is worth mentioning more mines got closed under Wilson than Thatcher (in the same way manufacturing fell under every PM except Major, it's counter-intuitive and contrary to the general belief).

Blair will have a far worse reputation. Neither right nor left will defend him.

Blair and New Labour pretty much adopted many of the economic and foreign policies of the Tories. I suspect that Blair would have come out of it better had he not sent any troops into Iraq and the banking crisis.

 

[Foxbat]

I remember when I visited in Moscow back in the late nineties. I was surprised at how unpopular Gorbachev was when he was seen as something of a hero by the West. I think Thatcher will be the same and be remembered more fondly outside the UK. Blair may be remembered by Bush and that's about it I think.

 

[BAYLOR]

I remember when I visited in Moscow back in the late nineties. I was surprised at how unpopular Gorbachev was when he was seen as something of a hero by the West. I think Thatcher will be the same and be remembered more fondly outside the UK. Blair may be remembered by Bush and that's about it I think.

Thatcher and Blair would have both done very well in US Politics.

 

[The Ace]

In Scotland, probably unprintably.

Remembered ? Yes, we also remember Edward I, 'The Hammer of the Scots.' Revered ? Not in this universe.

 

[Foxbat]

I think The Ace and I can probably agree on this one point: that she's the best weapon the independence campaign has ever had.

 

[BAYLOR]

Very divisive figure indeed.

 

[BAYLOR]

I think The Ace and I can probably agree on this one point: that she's the best weapon the independence campaign has ever had.

Before Thatcher didn't the Tory party enjoy greater popularity in Scotland? ?

 

[Foxbat]

Before Thatcher didn't the Tory party enjoy greater popularity in Scotland? ?

They did to a certain extent. They were never as strong as Labour but they had a few MPs. During the Thatcher years and since then, they have been -more or less- wiped out and never really recovered. They currently have one Scottish MP (and that's an improvement on 1997)

 

[The Ace]

Before Thatcher didn't the Tory party enjoy greater popularity?

Not really. The Conservatives had a slim majority in Scotland in 1955, they lost it in '59 and were subsequently in steady decline. While they entered the '79 election with 16 seats out of 72, and gained 5 (largely due to the collapse of the SNP vote - the SNP subsequently was taken apart and virtually rebuilt), this disguised a 6% swing to Labour.

Once Thatcher left office, the conservative party in Scotland went into meltdown, culminating in their being wiped out in '97 (they've since regained a single seat).

 

[BAYLOR]

In Scotland, probably unprintably.

Remembered ? Yes, we also remember Edward I, 'The Hammer of the Scots.' Revered ? Not in this universe.

Edward Longshanks killed thousand of people in Scotland and ransacked the place . Despicable man.

 

[BAYLOR]

They did to a certain extent. They were never as strong as Labour but they had a few MPs. During the Thatcher years and since then, they have been -more or less- wiped out and never really recovered. They currently have one Scottish MP (and that's an improvement on 1997)

Only One seat? Wow .

 

[BAYLOR]

I do remeber the song Ghost Town and the riots. It was on the news back in the Early 1980's

 

[The Ace]

Edward Longshanks killed thousand of people in Scotland and ransacked the place . Despicable man.

Yes, and we see Thatcher much the same way.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

The Norn Irish would be with the Scots on this one. Not a popular lady. And Mr Springs is a dyed-in-the-wool-Northerner from a colliery town. Nuff said.

He has asked you reference Brassed Off, Boys from the Black Stuff and The Full Monty. Enjoy.

 

[Brian G Turner]

Thatcher's worst mistake was the Poll Tax. Trialled it in Scotland first. The Tories haven't had an MP here since.

 

[BAYLOR]

Thatcher's worst mistake was the Poll Tax. Trialled it in Scotland first. The Tories haven't had an MP here since.

Other then alienating the voters , what was the logic behind that policy ?