General Chat

Brenda, I think anyone in power will in time let it go to their head and yes I do agree that Margaret Thatcher was no exception,

May be we should change the system to where leaders are only allowed 2 terms?

I also agree with what you say about the poll tax, Good idea in principle but implementing it in a fair way is another thing and thats where She got it wrong

Roy

I believe Maggie did let the power go to her head in her 3rd term and became autocratic,but how many politicians do that?.seems it is a trait of a lot of them!

Her ideas and love of her country were sound.
I have been a boss of a team of men and have noted that a lot do not like a woman being more successful than them which creates "sour grapes"

She was a very hard worker.Something had to be done about the unions as they were ruling the government and the country was grinding to a standstill with all the strikes and 3 day weeks.I know the miners etc had a hard time and needed more support,but I don't think all the strikes help,just make matters worse as is beginning to happen again.

I do like fairness.my dad was a shop steward and fought for workers rights,lost his job a few times for standing up for them,but it's the way strikes only make matters worse for everyone.

In politics you are damned if you do,and damned if you don't .decisions have to be made,sometimes they work and sometimes they don't .
In theory the poll tax seemed a good idea.
Like I am at the moment living in a band E house on my own and apart from a little discount pay the same as the same sort of house a few doors away where 7 people live.They use schools ,and a lot more public services than me.

I lived in London in the 80's and there was a family of 17 immigrants living in a 3 bed semi along the road.
These ideas of raising revenue have to be tried..OK it didn't work,so it was changed...that's life.We all make changes and we all wish we had done things another way.
What happened is history.
We cannot change it and anger is only going to make things worse.

Section 28, because I didn't know what it was either

"In British law, section 28 of the Local Government Act 1988 that prohibits local authorities promoting homosexuality by publishing material, or by promoting the teaching in state schools of the acceptability of homosexuality as a ‘pretended family relationship’........ "

http://www.talktalk.co.uk/reference/encyclopaedia/hutchinson/m0022685.html

Sylvia, I would respond to your question 'what is Britain coming to?' , but out of respect both for the deceased and Errol's wish for this thread it is not the time or place.

But ask me later :-D

In the procession for Princes Di's funeral, it was amazing. I did not want to stand at side of road as it left M1 at J15a, but boss insisted and we stood there with our 2 small children.

A very rough looking young man stood next to me. About 18, hoodie, tattoos. Spoke briefly to him and his answer back was spattered with swear words. We were two deep as procession passed slowly by and everybody seemed to be throwing a flower or two on the bonnet of the hearse.

I looked at my young friend and was going to speak again, Tears were streaming down his face. So I put my arm round him instead. Suited executive type hugging a hoodie before DC even thought about it.

That was another Ceremonial State Funeral. Many people stayed away because they thought it was mawkish and over the top.

What a change in mood for this funeral. I would hope protests next Wednesday are low key - because singing Elvis Costello and Billy Bragg songs and dancing and having street parties is not the way to mourn the passing of anyone who has tried her best in life.

PS.

Neither of them are teachers in state schools. One resigned in February and the other runs freelance drama workshops. The Mail spin makes it look otherwise until you read the text.

Playing devil's advocate - when did people lose their compassion?

The Tories are planning cuts in benefits for the disabled, ATOS are trying to force people back to work who are unfit for work. The bedroom tax is hurting some. I could go on.

And, to be fair, I don't think any other death of any politician would have sparked such a reaction. She divided Britain in life and in death.

If you didn't respect someone in life why should their death make any difference?

I hope that I am not condemning all Brits for the actions of a few

I do know better than that


but those few have sprouted from the Britain of today


so why, and how did that happen?


How and why did so many lose any sense of decency, courtesy, whatever you want to call it?

Don't condemn all of Britain for the actions of a few extremists, Sylvia.

There will be demonstrations, I'm sure, we live in a democracy and it's a price we'll have to pay. A few are "seizing the moment" to express their disgust with the Tory government, Thatcher's death has little to do with it really.

I certainly don't condone it, though.

Charming......I hope they will be brought to task.

As you've gathered, I'm no fan, but that is disgusting behaviour from two people in such an influential position

These two news items from the MailOnline disgusts me!


"Two teachers have been unmasked as key architects of Thatcher 'death parties'. Craig Parr (left), a 27-year-old special needs teacher at Labour leader Ed Miliband's old school led chants of 'Maggie, Maggie, Maggie, dead, dead, dead' at a death party he organised in Brixton, south London, on Monday night. Meanwhile, drama teacher Romany Blythe, 45, (centre and right) set up a 'death party' Facebook group asking 5,000 members 'Who wants to p*** on her grave?' "


" "anarchists" are apparently planning re-enactments of the poll tax riots during the funeral procession, and thus wreck her funeral".


What is Britain coming to???

You've brought back some childhood memories for me :-D

It was all very exciting as a child during the three day week. Mom and dad would buy 'pink paraffin' and candles and we would all huddle in the sitting room and play cards and such

Don't fancy the idea much now though!

Lolly, what is 'clause 28' please?

Learning loads on this thread.........................

Some very eloquent speeches from both houses yesterday, in amongst the gut-churning hypocrisy and sycophancy.

Norman Tebbit spoke very movingly and summed it up well. She wanted him to return to government but his obligations to his wife made him turn her down -

"I left her to the mercy of her friends."

Scuse me Robert who scrapped clause 28 then!!

WASN'T ME, ROBERT.

no need to shout Robert :-D :-D :-D

SHE HASNT BEEN IN POWER FOR 23 YEARS , FOR 13 OF THOSE YEAR LABOUR WERE IN POWER, THEY NEVER REPEALED ANY OF HER GOVERMENT LAWS.

WHEN SHE WON HER SECOND TERM IN OFFICE WITH A MAJORITY OF A 144 SEATS, SHE COULD ONLY HAVE DONE THIS WITH THE SOCIALIST VOTING FOR HER

Wrote to Geoffrey Howe many years ago about family history. A thoroughly nice man, steeped in Welshness and yes- I forgot him, Roy :-(

Heseltine also has a Welsh pedigree. Say no more ;-)

You forgot Howe with his dagger

Roy

Mrs T was autocratic. That does not build good teams round you. There was an array of talent working WITH Ted Heath. There was an array of yes men and like-minded working FOR Mrs T.

Who were the people who stayed with her style of domination - Major, Tebbitt, Whitelaw. Who did she alienate? Heseltine, Clarke, Lawson.