Thatcher in hospital for checks

[Churchill]

Spending your sunday evening shoving fivers up your jacksy?
Well it beats Songs of Praise!!

Well, you should know all about religious songs and strange sexual practices.

[shaunbhoy]

Well, you should know all about religious songs and strange sexual practices.

Why, I am not a Mason?

[Churchill]

Why, I am not a Mason?

Apologies, my ignorance of Catholicism matches your ignorance of just about every topic known to man.

Churchill - In "Blatant SB Rip-off" mode!

[shaunbhoy]

Apologies, my ignorance of Catholicism matches your ignorance of just about every topic known to man.

As if you would be capable of a judgment call on anything that did not involve goats and strange naval shennanigans!

[Cheshire Cat]

Council tax is a tax only on property owners. Community Charge is a tax on all people living in that area.

Really? That's not what I understand. I rented before I bought my current place and I was liable for the council tax, not the landlord. So, what's the difference? I know students, priests, benefit-scroungers etc are exempt from council tax, and that lone-residents get a 25% discount, but apart from that everyone pays whether they're renting, mortgaging or owning, right?

Was the poll tax a tax on each person in the residence, rather than on each residence?

[Peoplesoft bloke]

I remember also coming home from shool and there being no TV and just candles because we had no electricity and the 3-day week due to the miners strike. I remember 1974 when there was a government incomes policy when nobody was allowed a pay rise, except on promotion.

Interesting - the above events were under a Tory Government in which Maggie was a cabinet member of course.

Yes - in spite of the current trend for revisionist history, the 3-day week did not occur under a Labour Govenment.

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/r...o/politics.htm

Maggie also increased, yes that's right, increased taxes and public spending in her early years (VAT rates and scope, just for one), and mostly only reduced income taxes for higher earners.

Whilst I hold no brief at all for the current gang of incompetents in charge - Maggie nationalised a bank to stop it going bust during her reign too.

She also famously claimed "there is no such thing as society" - a belief system that has certainly become prevalent (to be fair it's chicken and egg whether she was the cause or effect).

All that said, I'd like a "hate her but grumpily have to admit she did do a few good things" option in the poll - the anti-democratic actions of some unions weren't on, any more than they are when "fuel protestors" try it.

[Bagpuss]

While Thatcher improved some things, I won't argue with that, let's remember other Legacies of the Thatcher years which will stand out worse than anything Blair could have come up with :

The biggest expansion in the state handout dependancy ever

The rise of single parent families

Massive rises in crime

Decimation of industries and livelihoods to prove a point

It's usual for the zealots to just disgregard these facts as none related to her rule but if so it's an amazing coincidence isn't it?

All these things were considered aceptable casualties of the greater good. That being a money supply induced boom that made a few very rich and resulted in an economic crash and recession (sounds familiar)

Let's also not forget were it not for a war she would have been out 1 term into her premiership. Look back on those years without the tinted spectacles and realise there was as much disaster as success.

[KathyWoolfe]

Let's also not forget were it not for a war she would have been out 1 term into her premiership.

I suspect that this is one of the major reasons why Blair supported Bush when he went into Iraq - he thought that it would do the same for him and get him his coveted 3rd term (which it did).

[DodgyAgent]

The biggest expansion in the state handout dependancy ever

The rise of single parent families

Massive rises in crime

Decimation of industries and livelihoods to prove a point

It's usual for the zealots to just disgregard these facts as none related to her rule but if so it's an amazing coincidence isn't it?

All these things were considered aceptable casualties of the greater good. That being a money supply induced boom that made a few very rich and resulted in an economic crash and recession (sounds familiar)

Let's also not forget were it not for a war she would have been out 1 term into her premiership. Look back on those years without the tinted spectacles and realise there was as much disaster as success.

All of those were thanks to the socialist structures that she left in place. And had the self serving left not brought about these disasters in the first place there would have been no need for a Thatcher.

[Lucy]

Sorry to spoil the Maggie love-fest but a few of the problems the country faces now can be traced back to her, like:

- the destruction of manufacturing industry
- the "selfish" ideal that led directly to chav culture and the "me me me" society
- the materialistic attitude that has driven the debt-fuelled economy of recent times

And although she made a difference at the time, I doubt her legacy will remain.

Hence I vote for andyw

Oh get back to the guardian