Reaction to my Chamberlain News article, Why the Lady is for mourning, has been beyond anything I have experienced in 36 years of journalism.
Some correspondents disagreed with every word, others approved of every word, and some were in agreement with parts but not all of the narrative.
Clearly, the death of Baroness Thatcher has sparked a lively political debate the like of which this country has not witnessed for many years. And that is undeniably positive in an age when politicians and political ideas are viewed, at best, with suspicion, and more often with total disinterest.
Love her or loather her, almost everyone has a view about Margaret Thatcher, even if in many cases her loudest opponents are too young to know any more than myth and hearsay about the conduct of her governments and the challenging times in which she ran the country.
You will be getting a little overdosed on Thatcher articles by now, so I intend to keep this short.
My central point, that Margaret Thatcher must be seen as a product of her times, is as valid as ever. Thatcherism was a logical antidote to the appalling mismanagement of Britain between 1970 and 1979, under the governments of Ted Heath, Harold Wilson and James Callaghan, where rampant, greedy, trade union leaders and soaring inflation rocked the very foundations of society.
Rather than addressing inflation by cutting public spending, these Tory and Labour governments went in the opposite direction, all of them eager not to upset the unions. Indeed, the general belief among middle class Oxbridge-educated Labour cabinet members that the unions would trim wage demands for the greater good of the country was endearing, although as it turned out totally naïve.
“even if in many cases her loudest opponents are too young to know any more than myth and hearsay about the conduct of her governments and the challenging times in which she ran the country”. Hmm. You could very easily change “loudest opponents” to “loudest suppporters” – and include in that Messrs Osborne & Cameron, both of whom were naive & over-indulged children in her worst era.
And another Hmm: “rampant, greedy, trade union leaders and soaring inflation”. Today instead we have rampant, greedy bankers & top businessmen. And I recall pretty dreadful inflation in the mid eighties, too. Mrs T did nothing about that.
And another hmm: “governments went in the opposite direction, all of them eager not to upset the unions”. Today they are all eager not to upset Rupert Murdoch & Paul Dacre at the Daily Mail, plus a few loudmouth business voices and Jeremy Clarkson.
And hmm: the general belief among middle class Oxbridge-educated Labour cabinet members that the unions would trim wage demands for the greater good of the country was endearing, although as it turned out totally naïve.”
Just like the endearing yet totally naive belief that bankers’ bonuses would be trimmed for the greater good of the public, and that banks would use their bail-outs for the greater good of the public, and soaring utility profits will be trimmed for the greater good of the public…hmmm?
It appears to be a very subservient society that is being advocated to suggest we should remember our leaders with respect. I’m afraid the under class that was created out of working class people by her, deserves contempt.
Reflection and debate are critical to creating a society that is able to critique and challenge as well as work together to find solutions.
It might be worth recalling that Blair didn’t really have any policies before he was elected – simply not being Major was enough to win an election. And then there was the promise to stick to previous spending limits.
so it pretty much the same situation that Miliband is in. They have said they won’ t commit to reversing spending cuts and by 2015 Cameron and his mates will be even more disliked.
Blair probably generates as much dislike as Thatcher did and anyideas he has of being seen as a Statesman and having a grand funeral are fanciful. Remember the ‘Third Way’? it was always meaningless nonsense?
Thatcher was not a Good Thing (to use the 1066 And All That classification of history) Once the current nostalgia has died down people will rationally remember how destructive and divisive she was and how she was deposed by the Tories and the press because of her increasing craziness
It is right to remember our leaders with respect. Thatcher was indeed a politician who’s determination made a big difference although I tend to agree that she was riding a global tide of ideas and change at the time.
It is impossible to ignore the divisiveness though. The squandering of oil revenues started under MT, as other nations have done these could have been used to more creatively met the challenges of a changing economy. The benefit state started here.
I have been surprised this week by the lack of empathy shown by many on the right with those communities that still shudder at the mention of the name. There are still many towns and cities in the UK that have never recovered from those days.
For these communities Thatcher will remain a hate figure I suspect. Ever been to Ireland and mentioned Cromwell? It will be like that in some places.
While I wouldn’t argue with much of Paul’s comments I would say this.
All political leaders should aspire to lead on behalf of all and work to improve the lot of all. Thatcher did not even attempt to do that. To adopt such an ideal is not a weakness in my view but a prerequisite of a civilised society.
It is a sobering thought that none of our governments to date have really made a great impact into the healing the wounds that were left after her time in government.
Margaret Thatcher myths
Another excellent piece by Paul. The debate over the last week has seen the reproduction of numerous myths about Margaret Thatcher, which I hope to clarify as follows:
1) Margaret Thatcher removed the daily milk entitlement from ALL children.
WRONG. Under the Education Act 1944, every child up to the age of 18 was entitled to a free third of a pint of milk every school day.
The Harold Wilson government (LABOUR) lowered the maximum entitlement age to 11 in 1968.
The Edward Heath government, of which Margaret Thatcher was the Education Secretary, then lowered the maximum entitlement age to 7 years old in 1971. So children in primary schools up to the age of 7, were still given a third of a pint of milk.
2) Margaret Thatcher said “”Anybody seen in a bus over the age of 30 has been a failure in life”
WRONG. it was made by Loelia Ponsonby, one of the wives of 2nd Duke of Westminster
3) Margaret Thatcher said “”theres no such thing as society”
TAKEN OUT OF CONTEXT. What she said was “I think we have gone through a period when too many children and people have been given to understand “I have a problem, it is the Government’s job to cope with it!” or “I have a problem, I will go and get a grant to cope with it!” “I am homeless, the Government must house me!” and so they are casting their problems on society and who is society? There is no such thing! There are individual men and women and there are families and no government can do anything except through people and people look to themselves first… There is no such thing as society. There is living tapestry of men and women and people and the beauty of that tapestry and the quality of our lives will depend upon how much each of us is prepared to take responsibility for ourselves and each of us prepared to turn round and help by our own efforts those who are unfortunate.’
What she was saying was condemning the use of ‘society’ as a catch-all scapegoat for delinquency and irresponsibility, e.g. ‘The youths in this town have been let down by society, that’s why they smoke drugs all day and have 3 kids each before their 20th birthday’.
4) Margaret Thatcher closed all the coal mines
WRONG. Coal production in Britain reached its peak in 1913. After this date, the coal seams had to be found at deeper and deeper depths, wihch in turn increased the cost of British coal. As the cost of British dug coal became more expensive than foreign dug coal, the number of coal mines and employed miners reduced.
During the 6 year Harold Wilson government of 1964 to 1970, more coal mines and coal miners jobs were lost than during the Margaret Thatcher government.
Harold Wilson government, period 1964 to 1970 – 241 mines closed; 196,000 coal mining jobs lost
Margaret Thatcher government, period 1979 to 1990 – 154 mines closed; 193,000 coal mining jobs lost
When Margaret Thatcher resigned in November 1990, there were 65 coal mines and 49,000 coal mining jobs.
My final words on Lady Thatcher…probably: @ChamberlainFile