Thatcher in hospital for checks

[Cyberman]

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.

So true!! I remember the 1976 FA Cup final and the irony of the flag that said 'Channon Strikes faster than British Leyland'. Also, I remember when the whole night shift at British Leyland were caught out in their sleeping bags.
Maggie indeed cut out this cancer of the 'seventies shirkers' by refusing to subsidise the union culture. She brought the unions to heel and turned Britain into a thriving economy. Don't forget Denis Healey(Labour Chancellor) had to go to the ERM to get a bail-out of multi-billions because we were in such a mess. Maggie was for sure our best ever peace-time Prime Minister.

[NickFitz]

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

[VectraMan]

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

I partly agree. If it's not viable, it's not viable and I don't think we should have the state pouring money in to one sector so we can say we have a manufacturing industry. You can say Maggie destroyed manufacturing, but maybe what she did was bring some realism to it.

[Diver]

Rubbish, she tried to end the handout and holdout society that we had, she set up a system and a long term plan that would make this country great again.
It was the actions of lily livered subsequent prime ministers, both Tory and labour that didn't have the guts to follow through that once again dragged this country down.
We now have scrounging chavs, ineffectual laws, and a country that now belongs to foreigners because they didn't have the balls to follow her example.

[BrilloPad]

I partly agree. If it's not viable, it's not viable and I don't think we should have the state pouring money in to one sector so we can say we have a manufacturing industry. You can say Maggie destroyed manufacturing, but maybe what she did was bring some realism to it.

As someone on these boards once pointed out, we are now better ff than the FRench.

But how do the Germans compete against the Chinese and Indians? Will they ever lose their manufacturing?

[BrilloPad]

Rubbish, she tried to end the handout and holdout society that we had, she set up a system and a long term plan that would make this country great again.
It was the actions of lily livered subsequent prime ministers, both Tory and labour that didn't have the guts to follow through that once again dragged this country down.
We now have scrounging chavs, ineffectual laws, and a country that now belongs to foreigners because they didn't have the balls to follow her example.

Agree totally. And of course by letting Asians do high tech/banking etcetc we offshore everything. One day we will be left with nothing if we are not careful.

We need a PM who understand how important WE are. Instead of sending in the HMRC thugs to give us a shoeing, why not communicate with us?

[Diver]

Agree totally. And of course by letting Asians do high tech/banking etcetc we offshore everything. One day we will be left with nothing if we are not careful.

We need a PM who understand how important WE are. Instead of sending in the HMRC thugs to give us a shoeing, why not communicate with us?

Hear Hear!

[NotAllThere]

She was what Britain needed at the time. At the time, I hated her with a passion.

If you're not a socialist when you're in your early twenties - you've no heart. And if you're not conservative by the time you're forty - you've no head.

[Bagpuss]

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

Bloody hell, I agree with SASguru. Can I add, she insisted on foisting the monerterism experiment on the UK and hence boom and bust. Even it's inventor (Milton Friedman) now admits it doesn't work.

[Diver]

Bloody hell, I agree with SASguru. Can I add, she insisted on foisting the monerterism experiment on the UK and hence boom and bust. Even it's inventor (Milton Friedman) now admits it doesn't work.

You are only agreeing with Sas coz he's a bully and picks on you.

Maggie rules



Hi Bagpuss