I know this is in the Mail (since other media are ignoring it despite the BBC News broadcasting it last night) AND I know I'm biased, but this is just plain sick. One of my local pubs, run by an SNP activist, actually threw party last night. It's fine to hate Thatcher, her policies or even the Tory party- that's called freedom of speech- but this is just way out of order. "Hundreds took to the streets as macabre ‘Thatcher death parties’ were held late into the night across the country, organised by critics of the 'Iron Lady.' Smashed shop windows, paint bombs and police being attacked were all consequences of the Left's sick 'celebration' of Baroness Thatcher's death. In Brixton, south London, riot police were deployed as the crowds, which had been drinking since 5pm, started to become more aggressive smashing shop fronts and throwing paint bomb. In Liverpool, flares and fireworks were set off outside Lime Street Station by revellers, while in Bristol, seven police officers were injured - one seriously - as violence erupted at a street party of 200 people and police were pelted with bottles, cans and rubbish." http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2306165/Margaret-Thatcher-death-parties-The-Lefts-sick-celebration-Brixtons-streets.html#ixzz2Pxy3dtds
Bristol can be a very nasty place at times,usually on a Saturday when Swindon town fans go to visit.or indeed lufc.!. Cheers.....MOT.!!
Is it me or do several of the "partygoers" look like the were not even born when PM Thatcher was in office, or if they were, they were still in nappies. Oh well, any excuse to riot...
No, you're right. I loved the quote from the 24 year old shop steward in Glasgow. The twat was only just born when she was PM.
There was no rioting.. With the greatest respect...Her with the handbag was as much reviled as liked by half the British nation. It is no use putting on rose tinted glasses and ignoring what was...is ..half the population. Scotland as I'm sure you are very much aware Gordon was united for first time in a long long time...by Maggie...and not in her favour. I know you are, were or future to by a Conservative...It means nothing to me..I am apolitical in my old age..But I saw first hand the damage her policies did on lots of folks, places and even my own home town. Folk have the right to express themselves as long as they keep within the boundaries of the law. You get even worse idiots..one of your own Galloway being his usual self...But not everyone can be easily tarred with the same brush. Its no good ignoring half the population. Memories are long...and will stay long. Could you see her statue being put anywhere else than in the Commons? Its there because its the only safe place for it. This should tell us something...And I know foreign members may see a different woman from the rest of us, but thats normal...we see your leaders much different from how you see them. I'm sure from the comments on Obama I've seen on here over the last few years there is not much difference. Obama has been alluded to Hitler on here in the past. I have no personal gripe with Maggie, she was my boss in Cabinet office annexe...well she was my boss's boss in 80's...But I tell you now...the first year she got into power...exercise Scrum half was enacted..a comms paper exercise with the hand of Tory central office on it...It was an exercise for the suspension of parliament and the introduction of Marshal law in the UK. it is not an exercise that I saw before...and since...The powers that be used the experience of this exercise in the Miners strike...Apart from the internment of those classed against the state...I'll never forget that exercise...It was not produced by the military but by the Conservative party and handed to the military to fine tune. As for policies...I'm sure our American cousins will understand the taxation without representation thing....So I'm sure they will not have a problem with looking into the poll tax riots. and coming back and telling us what would happen in America if this tax had ever been hiked on them... Horses for courses...I was behind her in the Falklands too...But rose tinted glasses do not hide the fact from me that in the years before Argentinian invasion she sent her pet right wing minister to islands to tell them in a packed meeting that they should go with hand back to Argentina because no Gun ship was coming over the horizon in the future to help them. The Argentine Airforce reps in the audiance took note and Gchq monitored their signals back to B.A. with glee. Her pet then came back to the UK and had to take the flack from the house when his Boss Maggie deserted him at the despatch box when she saw the house mood. He never recovered his political life. Rose tinted glasses have to be removed at times. Emotions taken out of the debate...She was a great leader of her party...She was a good leader of the country. She was no Churchill. There has never been another Churchill no matter what the press like to say.
Sorry mate, But there's no rose-tinted specs on here. I know there weren't riots in the true sense of the word, just illegal public parties by idiots who have clearly never had relatives who suffered from dementia. I'll be first to acknowledge she was a long way from being perfect, never mind a demi-God. Most of the people celebrating are only doing so because their mates are doing it, same reason they hate her/vote for a particular party in the first place. She actually closed fewer pits than her predecessors on both sides of the house, but to listen to some people you would think she closed them all personally. This article is actually from last summer- http://www.thecommentator.com/article/1497/thatcher_s_achievements_will_long_outlive_the_spite_of_sheffield_s_sons_and_daughters http://the-tap.blogspot.co.uk/
Funny thing is that looking at the photos, those in the streets partaking in the party are too young to have gone through to know any better. Just another reason to cause some damage. I agree Gordon.....sickening.
Well she destroyed our industry, brought in the poll tax, privatised our industry (while her cabinet ministers made fortunes as executives and share holders of these companies), sold the council houses at giveaway prices and never replaced them, cynically exploited the lives of our (and Argentina's young men) to her own ends, invented the greed culture that came crashing down in the last couple of years etc etc etc. I wouldn't hold a party to celebrate her death but those of you abroad (particularly the USA) have no idea of the depths of hatred that some people have for her over here.
That's not a good comparison because he's not dead yet. Jimmy Carter was a very weak and indecisive president. I was too young to vote for him when he was elected in 1976 but he was the Commander in Chief for the entire time of my enlistment. He wasn't a bad person, but I believe that he was in over his head as the President of the United States. When he cashes in his chips I won't throw a party or celebrate his passing.
I tend to agree Bobby. He seemed a decent and honorable man who was a terribly ineffective President. Part of his trouble came from the post-Watergate mess, where for a period of time Congress and the Courts had upset the traditional balance between the branches of government.
I confess to using bricks in the poll tax civil disorder.We could not see how 4 adults living in a 3 bed property,should all pay the poll tax,when his lordship at corsham court,only had to pay one lot ,which was the same as each of us.thanks.
Indeed he is not dead yet...but that is not to what I was alluding...I was alluding to the fact that on forums of all types over the years..I have seen invictive, and some of it extreme against both Carter and definately Clinton...the AOL boards still ring loudly with the sound of spittal hitting screens whenever Clintons name was mentioned by a Brit...It is to this I allude...Your leaders like our leaders are not seen in the same light at home as abroad. You will see good things as I will with yours..as your and my own home policies do not affect me and mine do not affect you. So you like me in the nicest way will be blinkered to faults seen in home countries. I'll take you Obama care for example on this on here in stump last year for a jolly good read and example.
I didn't appreciate her much at the time, but with distance and age comes a bit of wisdom, not something on display in a few places here as Gordon points out. I can see now for example that Britain's " industry " was not destroyed by Thatcher - rather it suffered through a whole host of inefficient practises and vested interests; have you forgotten or even heard of British Leyland and 'Red Robbo', the 3-day week etc etc ..not to mention Scargill and all the others that she took on and defeated, at some cost admittedly. When she came to power the UK was utterly shot, bankrupt and in hoc to the IMF. Credit to her for putting the focus on the individual and individual responsibility...under Thatcher anyone could get on and make something of themselves. Even the Socialist party leader has referred to her today as a 'towering figure' . In fact the Chinese State " People's Daily" summed it up rather well; "Faced with a weak economy, she launched a series of broad reforms from which the British are still benefiting today. Mrs Thatcher, the most distinguished female politician of the 20th century, has left the world with glory and controversy. An era has ended."
We have a socialist party in the UK Falk? Who leads that then? Very broad understanding you have there mate. As you are aware, most of the points you raise can be contested...But I'm tired of this...Heath died not long back...So did Wilson, Callaghan...Wylie...And the little so called Communist that ran Labour at same time as Thatcher in Falklands...Not one of them has had this viteroil. I wander why that is. I'll say again, she was revered and reviled in equal measure. No other British premiere has been it living history. If you wish to silence dissent then those that wish to do so should go live in the historical portion of Europe that many keep referring to over the years...Stalins Russia. It seems that's what many would like. Sorry but no one's mind will be changed by any of this. Accept she alone amongst British leaders is the only one ever to aquire love and hatred in equal amounts. And let those that love her..love her..and those that hate her have that right in this Britain we live in...Or shall we all go and live in Soviet Russia?
On NPR, I think it was yesterday, they interviewed a historian. He mentioned that about 10% of the population never recovered economically from her policies but that 90% of Britains were actually better off afterwards. At least until recent events.
I guess that's where we'd differ. Privatizing industry to me, means returning stolen property. As for destroying industry, any enterprise that requires taxpayer subsidies isn't an industry, but a means of robbing Peter to pay Paul.
