Thatcher in hospital for checks

[sasguru]

Council tenants were enabled to buy their homes, foreign exchange control was abolished, many state-owned industries including British Telecom and British Airways were privatised, the top tax rate was slashed from 83% to 40%, new laws were created so that landlords could get their property back from tenants (which gave rise to the boom in buy- to-let), foreign students were charged for comimg to British universities, trade unions ceased to be major political forces, the European Union reluctantly gave Britain a big annual rebate, pensioners were given tax relief for health insurance, government spending fell from 45 per cent of the economy to 39 per cent and so on. The list is too long to give in full. As a result, Britain was transformed from being the sick man of Europe to the fastest growing of its major countries
I vote for Maggie

the country that will suffer most in the coming recession.

HTH

[Diver]

the country that will suffer most in the coming recession.

HTH

And I was expecting an intellectually stimulating political debate

Back to tpd

[Cyberman]

She stole my milk!

This is totally untrue, as is much New Labour propaganda. Removal of milk from schools was a cabinet decision while she was Education minister and Maggie voted against this policy. Unfortunately she was outvoted.

[Diver]

This is totally untrue, as is much New Labour propaganda. Removal of milk from schools was a cabinet decision while she was Education minister and Maggie voted against this policy. Unfortunately she was outvoted.

Glad to see someone is awake.

Those of you at the back! "Please try to keep up"

Cyberman is now class prefect

[Cyberman]

Council tenants were enabled to buy their homes, foreign exchange control was abolished, many state-owned industries including British Telecom and British Airways were privatised, the top tax rate was slashed from 83% to 40%, new laws were created so that landlords could get their property back from tenants (which gave rise to the boom in buy- to-let), foreign students were charged for comimg to British universities, trade unions ceased to be major political forces, the European Union reluctantly gave Britain a big annual rebate, pensioners were given tax relief for health insurance, government spending fell from 45 per cent of the economy to 39 per cent and so on. The list is too long to give in full. As a result, Britain was transformed from being the sick man of Europe to the fastest growing of its major countries

I vote for Maggie

Oh, I remember the good old days when I had to get my passport stamped with the amount of foreign currency that I wished to take on holiday under Mr Harold Wilson. 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.

Maggie destroyed 'secondary picketing' and brought in secret ballots so that workers could avoid being intimidated into striking. Strikes were reduced by a phenomenal amount and Britain did indeed slowly recover from being the 'sick man' of Europe. New Labour have never had the courage to tackle the real problems of Britain such as the obscene benefits culture. If Maggie was in power now she surely would have. We need another Maggie!!

[Diver]

Oh, I remember the good old days when I had to get my passport stamped with the amount of foreign currency that I wished to take on holiday under Mr Harold Wilson. 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.

Maggie destroyed 'secondary picketing' and brought in secret ballots so that workers could avoid being intimidated into striking. Strikes were reduced by a phenomenal amount and Britain did indeed slowly recover from being the 'sick man' of Europe. New Labour have never had the courage to tackle the real problems of Britain such as the obscene benefits culture. If Maggie was in power now she surely would have. We need another Maggie!!

Hear Hear

[BrilloPad]

the country that will suffer most in the coming recession.

HTH

and 10 years ago we were the best placed for a recession. unfortunately the worst john major policies were extended massively by BLiar

[The Lone Gunman]

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

Manufacturing was destroyed by the trades unions. It was a dead man walking being supported by government hand outs. Ever increasing pay demands with less and less being produced then going on strike when they didnt get their way was the ethos of the union and the union man.
It had to stop and Maggie stopped it. Some of the industries have survived and even flourished, but that is only because Maggie cut out the cancer that was killing them. The coal mines survived (some) but with massively reduced work forces and improved production techniques. They survived inspite of not because of the unions.
Your other two points are valid. Maggie started the me me me attitude thing and it has had a nasty knock on, but it always seems forgoten that Maggie also tried to promote working to attain those materialistic rewards.
She basicaly said that everyone had a right to whatever they earned.

Since NL came to power that has changed dramatically to if you cant afford it we will make those that can pay for it for you.

[SallyAnne]

And although she made a difference at the time,

Yep - she definately made a difference up here...some people are still getting over it.

[BrilloPad]

Yep - she definately made a difference up here...some people are still getting over it.

IMO the question is do we(i.e. GB) have a future in manufacturing? I think not - others might disagree.

It was better to reposition ourselves then than now.

Though I feel sorry for those who lost their jobs - we really have to nurture the job creators. But in this country the heroes are fottballers/celebrities. Why not celebrate businessmen/scientists/technologists?