Margaret Thatcher Thread - Read the first post before posting

[I1L2T3]

However much I disagreed with the Thatcher government, there was, I discovered, a human side to the face of the Iron Lady.

 

Mrs Thatcher flew to Bruges to visit survivors of the Zeebrugge ferry disaster in hospital. I too flew to Belgium and returned with a little boy who had been orphaned when five of his family were dronwed. He was the sole survivor.

 

I was unaware that Mrs Thatcher had met this little boy, until a few nights later I received a telephone call at home from her Personal Private Secretay, who was enquiring on her behalf over what was now happening to this little boy.

 

My number was ex-directory, and in any case I thought this was a newspaper reporter attempting to obtain information by a ruse. I refused point blank to discuss anything. The man claimed he was ringing from No 10

Downing Street and gave me his number to ring back. He told me to give my name and to ask to be put straight through to him.

 

I rang Directory Enquiries for the No 10 Downing Street number. It was the same number. I rang, gave my name and asked to put through. The receptionsist said that Mrs Thatcher's Personal Private Secretary was expecting my call and put me straight through to him.

 

The guy thanked me for ringing back and supplying him with the information he was enquiring about on behalf of Mrs Thatcher.

 

I have no doubt from this event that Mrs Thatcher was touched by this orphaned boy's terrible plight and in the aftermath of the ferry disaster she displayed a human and humane side to her character to her otherwise steely persona.

 

I was opposed at the time, and remain so, to much -indeed, most - of what Thatcher did in government. I do not hold with the belief that she made Britain great again. Instead she wantonly destroyed whole communities with her policies - for which she should never be forgiven.

 

But as the funeral hour approaches, and the mourners gather to pay their last respects, I recall this one small incident when the Iron Lady dropped her mask and showed some humanity towards a small, orphaned boy.

 

Great post. Like you I have little time for Thatcher the politician. But I realise there was a human side to her. She was a wife and mum and a good friend to a lot of people. One thing that stuck with me over the years was her visit to the survivors of the Bradford fire in hospital. From the accounts I've read there is absolutely no doubt her concern was genuine and heartfelt. She wanted to be there with those people and she wanted them to know she cared about what had happened to them.

 

There was a very genuine humanity about the woman. On here I've tried to discourage people from celebrating her death and one or two have had a right go at me. Discussing her policies is another thing - I'll argue till the cows come home that she was badly misguided.

[Stan Tamudo]

My favorite teacher was a LITTLE scary, My dad was a little scary, Maggie was VERY SCARY but still I respected her. The teachers I didn't like bored me and never scared me, because they didn't realy care. When somone cares they have to do whats right for you not what is easy and painless.

 

I've always been suspect of people who have to coerce others by being scary Riche. If you're happy with that then so be it but it's not my cup of tea.

[GoLdFInGeR]

I've always been suspect of people who have to coerce others by being scary.

 

I take it you've never been married then?

[Stan Tamudo]

I take it you've never been married then?

 

I'm happily married GoLdFInGer.

Edited April 14, 2013 by Stan Tamudo

[Hillpig]

My view on her has changed, I think this is because I have an international perspective. Before I left the UK in the 80s I was fairly ambivalent about her. Seen from an international standpoint she was a huge presence.

[Ms Macbeth]

Great post. Like you I have little time for Thatcher the politician. But I realise there was a human side to her. She was a wife and mum and a good friend to a lot of people. One thing that stuck with me over the years was her visit to the survivors of the Bradford fire in hospital. From the accounts I've read there is absolutely no doubt her concern was genuine and heartfelt. She wanted to be there with those people and she wanted them to know she cared about what had happened to them.

 

There was a very genuine humanity about the woman. On here I've tried to discourage people from celebrating her death and one or two have had a right go at me. Discussing her policies is another thing - I'll argue till the cows come home that she was badly misguided.

 

I agree. Redrobbo shows the dignity we should expect from anyone in public life. I've lived in South Yorkshire for over 40 years (not just in Sheffield), and I understand how people's lives were affected by some of the policies of the Thatcher government. But I can recognise that she did care about people as individuals. I won't be joining the celebrations.

[Bonzo77]

They track Twitter, Facebook etc...

 

It makes me slightly uneasy but then again if somebody is stupid enough to public incite criminal behaviour they deserve everything they get.

 

I think I'm having a party on the day of the funeral. Just close friends and family, round at mine. Hopefully it will be warm enough to get the BBQ going.

 

Few beers, good food, nice wine. What a day to remember!!

[Owethemnowt]

I witnessed first hand her time in office.

 

I actually witnessed when as Education Secretary she cut school milk for primary school kids.

 

She was totally anti working people, didn't understand community spirit and said there was no such thing as society.

 

I deplore her record. Her legacy is what we have today. No jobs and those without forced onto benefits. Remember, there were jobs. People worked. She did not re-structure industry. She got rid of it. The jobs that replaced solid apprenticeships became service industry ones. That is, serving burgers, retail parks and call centres. All demeening. All minimum wage.

 

The greed she encouraged, the City and banks out of control, leads directly to the toxic banking industry of today.

 

What Atlee nationalised she privatised. Selling the country to her Tory buyers: railways, utilities, banks, building societies. It all went private and it all went downhill.

 

That and so much more.

 

And remember ................. those Welsh Guards who were sacrificed in the Falklands were done so in order to get an unpopular Thatcher re-elected. She could n't win the election. She needed a war. Her popularity amongst the voters was at an all time low. Even her own had fallen away.

 

And the homes the survivors of war returned to were being sold off, council estates, in order to buy Tory votes in areas where people didn't vote Tory. When she'd finsihed selling off the council homes she starved councils of funds as those areas were were not Tory strong holds. Hence, we have the terrible estates of today. The ghost towns too.

 

I saw her at first hand. I was there. And she remains the worst influence on Britain since Hitler. In fact, there is more lasting damage than the Luftwaffe could inflict.

 

Show me a joined up argument in favour of Thatcher and I'll show you a self benefiting individual who profited from her selective actions. People got rich under Thatcher and they are a tiny minority.

 

The poor got poorer under Thatcher. That is a fact. And it happened for the first time in a 100 years.

 

But whole communities were wiped out like a biblical plague had struck. She divides the UK to this day. Geographiclly, her strong hold remains in the South of England. Not Wales. Not Scotland. Not Northern Ireland. But in the South of England. And that is the richest concentration of wealth throughout the whole of Britain. Make tht the South East; Surrey, Berkshire. Where you can't afford to buy a house but Russian oligarchs can.

 

Finally, her own got rid of her.

 

Her minsters. She would not listen. She thought she was immune from politcal attack. She was clearly out of touch, she took on a totally unacceptable 'royal' heir and politically she'd lost the plot. The Poll Tax, which led to the country rioting, and her total unabashed opposition to Europe did for her. Massive political misjudgement on a scale with that of Chamberlaine. He waved a bit of paper. she carried a handbag.

 

I don't rejoice at her death. But I do accept the legitimate right of those who do. People celebrated the deaths of many leaders they opposed. No one held back when Saddam or Gaddafi went.

 

They operated in autocracies. Thatcher went as far as she could in a democracy and that included using the police to beat and abuse protestors.

 

Yet we are seeing the establishment swing into action trying to diminish the social network outpourings by ordinary people. People immediately venting how they feel. Raw and enotional. And honest.

 

The fact that 'Ding dong the witch is dead' has rocketed in the charts and serves as an expression of intense dislike of Thatcher shows the depth and strength of ordinary people's response. She IS loathed still. To this day. In death.

 

How sad. For that is her real legacy. A loathing never before associated with any PM. Well done Thatcher.

 

No matter what Cameron, the Tory party, her old fart cronies, or any rent a gob on TV claims, ' The Witch is Dead' says it all.

 

I hope they cremate her with a coal fire. How ironic. If only there were a stake too. How fitting.

[El Cid]

 

I actually witnessed when as Education Secretary she cut school milk for primary school kids.

 

She withdrew free school milk for children over 7 only. It was very unpopular at the time, but if children drank school milk today, it would not be good for their diet.

[Halibut]

if children drank school milk today, it would not be good for their diet.

 

On what grounds do you say this?