The late Baroness Thatcher.

[Dark Knight]

never let the facts get in the way of a good rant

[Boris+]

Hi Jay,

Simple (no - not you, just that what you wrote was clear and concise and brief), effective, stunning - your post really hit the spot. Please remind me never to play chess with you!

Em

[Silver_Shiney]

I applaud Ken and DK for their clear, simple-to-understand contributions to this debate.

As has been said, the problem with the mining dispute was down to Arthur Scargill's refusal to accept that some mines were no longer economically viable, and he started making unreasonable demands and behaving in an undemocratic way.

The resulting trouble has been laid solely, unfairly in my opinion, at the feet of Baroness Thatcher. I trust that those fools who are intent on causing trouble tomorrow and at the funeral will be planning to cause as much trouble at Mr Scargill's funeral, in the interests of equality and fairness . To call such people "scum of the earth" is an insult to those who are scum.

[jay-ell71]

Hi Boris, Lucky for you I do not play chess only tennis!!!!! Jay

[oldbluefox]

The resulting trouble has been laid solely, unfairly in my opinion, at the feet of Baroness Thatcher. I trust that those fools who are intent on causing trouble tomorrow and at the funeral will be planning to cause as much trouble at Mr Scargill's funeral, in the interests of equality and fairness . To call such people "scum of the earth" is an insult to those who are scum.

Can we also include all the other Marxists and far left trade union leaders (and a certain leader of the Liverpool Council) whose sole aim was to bring down any government of whatever persuasion which did not agree to do their bidding and forced good, honest men into strikes they did not want?
And can we add successive governments to the list, who have done little or nothing to bring any sort of jobs back to the areas which suffered as a consequence. I see a great deal of hypocrisy as MPs disassociate themselves from anything to do with Maggie Thatcher and suddenly associate themselves with the 'working class' before hurriedly returning to their London pads. I think 23 years is long enough to provide alternative employment to those areas hardest hit and to redress any mistakes which Baroness Thatcher may have made.

[Silver_Shiney]

Quite so, OBF

[Boris+]

Hi Jay -

There's a tennis court (ish) on QE! I tend to giggle more there as opposed to the golf nets where it's all serious!!!

Em

[lioness]

On Question Time last night it was nice to see Ming Campbell and even David Blunkett paying their respects yet still being able to ' debate ' the impact of her and her policies ... only Polly Toynbee demonstrated a need to score points with bitterness, which does her no credit as far as I am concerned.

Of wider interest to me was a young woman from Latvia, ex Russian, who simply could not even start to comprehend how anybody in this Country could possibly be hostile to such a great leader ... perhaps things become clearer from a greater distance.

Couldn't agree more. In the words of Ronald Reagan "Mrs T was bloody marvellous". No, she didn't get everything right - nobody does, but what a leader she was.

[Dark Knight]

Foxy
it is far too easy to blame everyone who has gone before
after 23years and how many governments and PM's, you would think one of them would be up to the job
but sadly it is the blame game and little or no real action
despite what people may or may not think of the results at least MT did SOMETHING, rather than blame everyone else

if after 23 years we are still "suffering " from tory rule, then it reflects very badly on the people who followed MT, as they have been unable to either carry on her policies or provide an alternative strategy that works
constantly harping on about the past, shows lack of vision and ability to go forward.

[Dancing Queen]

Foxy
it is far too easy to blame everyone who has gone before
after 23years and how many governments and PM's, you would think one of them would be up to the job
but sadly it is the blame game and little or no real action
despite what people may or may not think of the results at least MT did SOMETHING, rather than blame everyone else

if after 23 years we are still "suffering " from tory rule, then it reflects very badly on the people who followed MT, as they have been unable to either carry on her policies or provide an alternative strategy that works
constantly harping on about the past, shows lack of vision and ability to go forward.

Well said DK

[Jean W]

I couldn't agree more DK.

[jay-ell71]

How right you are DK... Jay

[oldbluefox]

DK, I agree entirely with you, which is why I put 'And can we add successive governments to the list, who have done little or nothing to bring any sort of jobs back to the areas which suffered as a consequence'.

MT was wrong in not putting something back into those communities but nobody else has either. It appears to me to be rather disingenuous to lay all the blame at MT's door.

[Kendhni]

We are getting a good image of what 'poverty' means in the UK ... we have seen the 'poor' in the streets with their champagne bottles and their ability to fritter away money on a download that most won't even listen to ... obviously much of the whining about 'austerity'' is nothing more than hot-air ... so all-in-all given that the cost of a state funeral will be a fraction of the cost of a download then I reckon she well deserves it and complaints about cost have become non sequitor.

[ChesterfieldJohn]

We are getting a good image of what 'poverty' means in the UK ... we have seen the 'poor' in the streets with their champagne bottles and their ability to fritter away money on a download that most won't even listen to ... obviously much of the whining about 'austerity'' is nothing more than hot-air ... so all-in-all given that the cost of a state funeral will be a fraction of the cost of a download then I reckon she well deserves it and complaints about cost have become non sequitor.

Unbelievable!

[Capt Black]

As a civil servant, my only comment regarding the state funeral for Mrs T is that all civil servants should be given the day off work.

[Manoverboard]

... MT was wrong in not putting something back into those communities but nobody else has either. It appears to me to be rather disingenuous to lay all the blame at MT's door.

We have lived in at least four different towns and villages, that I can presently think of, where their traditional industry also died but either folk moved out of the area, as we did, else they found new work further away or simply stayed put and became bitter.

Are we saying that a high number of people in the pit villages stayed put and did nothing to help themselves but blamed Thatcher rather than Scargill or themselves or are we saying that it wasn't actually possible in a period of twenty to thirty years for them to move elsewhere to restart their lives ?

[Silver_Shiney]

Are we saying that a high number of people in the pit villages stayed put and did nothing to help themselves but blamed Thatcher rather than Scargill or themselves or are we saying that it wasn't actually possible in a period of twenty to thirty years for them to move elsewhere to restart their lives ?

I think you'll find it is easier to pour vitriol on an old lady who is no longer around to defend herself, especially if you are a fully paid-up member of rent-a-mob (mob, here, having absolutely nothing to do with "moby"). Very few people, in this day and age, accept the concept of taking responsibility for yourself.

Stop the world, I want to get off.

[Silver_Shiney]

Unless I've missed something, rent-a-mob's planned celebratory riot in Trafalgar Square didn't take place. Maybe they wussed out because of the weather

[Boris+]

The thing which I don't like about funerals is that there is often somebody who stands up and spouts a load of twaddle about the person who is deceased when in fact there wasn't much of a personal relationship when the deceased was alive.

I don't want that when I go, so it's all sorted, and I have written something relevant for those left behind to give them my words of encouragement; and a list of people to read it.

Maybe if it rains on Wednesday that would be for the best.

Em

[Silver_Shiney]

Maybe if it rains on Wednesday that would be for the best.

Em

The forecast is: "Rather cloudy, wet and windy at times, but with some brighter spells too, and perhaps some sunshine. Mostly near normal temperatures but locally rather warm in breaks."

[Capt Black]

The thing which I don't like about funerals is that there is often somebody who stands up and spouts a load of twaddle about the person who is deceased when in fact there wasn't much of a personal relationship when the deceased was alive.


Em

I got asked to do that once. I declined for the reasons you've put.

[Delboy]

I see that silly song did NOT reach No 1.

Those who paid to download it, would have been much better downloading the following song.

Tina Turner's "Simply The Best"

They could have really danced to that.

[Silver_Shiney]

I see that silly song did NOT reach No 1.

Those who paid to download it, would have been much better downloading the following song.

Tina Turner's "Simply The Best"

They could have really danced to that.

[Not so ancient mariner]

Watching the news coverage regarding the cost of Baroness Thatcher's funeral, I have come to the opinion that those who are complaining about the "waste of money" ("you could employ x thousand nurses for a year for that much!!") are far more concerned about whose funeral it is, than the cost itself.