I am somewhat surprised

If i remember correctly (and I was quite young at the time) she took over the PM post at the time the country was gripped by union power and millions unemployed. Yes she had her bad points but which world leader didnt? She had bigger balls than any PM since and wasnt afraid of anyone or saying like it is. The yanks and Russians were shit scared of her. Even when they tried to bomb her in Brighton she was doing a broadcast within days! She made people gain some self worth - working class folk buying their own property, buying shares in things BT and banks and making a few quid out of it too. Poll tax was an issue but was the intention to stop the likes of widow living alone in a house paying the same rates as a married couple on two incomes? If someone was that bad why was re-elected again and again? If only we had another Maggie!

Anyway I dont really like riding in the dark!

 

Deep breath everyone. This topic should DEFINITELY be one of those ones that 'he shall not be named' styles. Everyone has such varied personal strong opinions, which everyone is entitled too!

 

You remember incorrectly. We had pretty much blanket employment until she came to power. Things were a mess in other ways (inflation, for example), but people had jobs. She thought millions unemployed was a price worth paying for her idealogy, and supported the welfare bill with oil, by selling everything off, and by encouraging the financial sector. So we are still suffering from her policies now, because so much of that went wrong and has never been repaired.

 

You do not run a business at a loss in the private sector, why should you in the public sector to just keep people employed, as for mining in the end the coal was running out, costing more to extract, with Unions costing even more. unemployment was on the up anyhow, and with a recession it goes up, history tells us after wars you hit hard times and recessions, the money had to come from somewhere, Selling everything off, well many people did all right out of that. Before you mention it, Housing Shortage was not caused by the right to buy council houses, but again people forget to mention how well off that made a lot of people, the housing shortage is due to the 6 million odd people more we have living on our little island, but then everyone is blaming her for that too. MT did not encourage the banking sector to rob us blind and lend everything to all and sundry, her only mistake there was her belief that people were genuine and like her wanted to help others, not to line their own pockets. MT certainly made some mistakes, but he policies were generally sound, it was her judge of character that let her down, thinking everyone wanted to make the country great, not most people wanting to make themselves fat rich.

 

I'm not going to comment on MT and i agree that politics and religion are better left for other places, this is a good friendly forum with people from all walks of life, IMO there are 2 things which can really fu*k a good forum up and that is politics and religion

 

And toothbrush cleaning!!!

 

, Having a view, is one thing, but dismissing the facts is another

 

Then really, we should be discussing the EU plans for us "bikers". Super MOT's etc., Isn't that polly ticks?

Think I'll stick to playing stupid as the black sheep

 

, they not apply to me

 

Teflon coated?

 

sounds good.. think im gonna nominate you for transport minister .

 

Not really sure what is meant by 'blanket employment' but just had a look and was rather shocked...In 1979 the rate was 5.5% of work force was unemployed rising to an all time high in 1984 of 11.99%! I left school in 1983 and although was out of work for a bit still managed to find numerous jobs! Its just over 7% now.

What ever anyone says she did good and not so good...That is the nature of the job and politics...We should all agree it is healthy to have differing opinions but unhealthy to have a party, burn pictures of her and so on...After all she was no mass murderer, terrorist or dictator like Amin, Mugabe, Hitler etc etc

 

She was good friends with quire a few mass murderers though: http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/04/10/margaret-thatcher-funeral_n_3053015.html
And of course, she did order the sinking of antiquated Belgrano when it was running away.

 

The burning question should really be......."did old Maggie ride a motorsikkle?"
I wonder which one she would have gone for?

 

Was more like a posh side saddle affair......