Mark Thatcher

[AdamW]

Can you honestly see the electorate going for Michael Howard? I think it will be a one horse race.

Possibly not, but on his track record alone I really can't see them voting for Blair either!

Comedy Central screened a brilliant episode of South Park in the US General Election run-up called "Douche and Turd". It was a wonderful metaphor for the choice of candidates, where the kids had to vote for either a "giant douche" or a "turd sandwich" to be their new school mascot.

The moral of the story was, "In life, you will always be voting between a douche and a turd. The important thing is that you vote."

I think it applies just as well in the UK too...

 

[TexMex]

in 20 years will you look back and think "Blair, what a good leader he was"

No, but he certainly isn't anywhere near as bad as Maggie.

The irreverible damage done by Maggie was far more extensive. The miners still don't have any alternative industry. (Whole towns of unemployed folk still exist). The steel industry will never be rebuilt. UK Shipping has gone for ever. Our oil reserves are firmly in American hands, our water companies are still in French hands. Our public transport infrastructure has effectively been asset stripped by the private sector. Huge numbers of small businesses were sucessfully sent to the wall as part of her deliberate massacre. (many many people still haven't recovered from her contempt of the working class).

I think (and hope) that it will be a long, long time before the majority of the electorate will trust a conservative government again.

Back on the subject of Mark Thatcher, I would have loved to be a fly on the wall when he said. "Oh, you mean that attempted coup. Yeah, I did give them some money, but I don't know what they were going to do with it"

Yet there are people in this country, serving time for non payment of their TV Licence. Money talks eh?

 

[jasy]

in 20 years will you look back and think "Blair, what a good leader he was"

No, but he certainly isn't anywhere near as bad as Maggie.

The irreverible damage done by Maggie was far more extensive. The miners still don't have any alternative industry. (Whole towns of unemployed folk still exist). The steel industry will never be rebuilt. UK Shipping has gone for ever. Our oil reserves are firmly in American hands, our water companies are still in French hands. Our public transport infrastructure has effectively been asset stripped by the private sector. Huge numbers of small businesses were sucessfully sent to the wall as part of her deliberate massacre. (many many people still haven't recovered from her contempt of the working class).

I think (and hope) that it will be a long, long time before the majority of the electorate will trust a conservative government again.

Back on the subject of Mark Thatcher, I would have loved to be a fly on the wall when he said. "Oh, you mean that attempted coup. Yeah, I did give them some money, but I don't know what they were going to do with it"

Yet there are people in this country, serving time for non payment of their TV Licence. Money talks eh?

Best thing she ever done was to get rid of the unions power hold over the british economy. The only thing she did get wrong was not taking away the firemans right to strike. I am all for fair working practices and better pay and conditions etc but i as a lot of you will remember the power strikes of the Labour 70's and i will not forget seeing my dad forced to work a 3 day week when he did not want to. So come on she was terrible wasn't she. Did not flinch in the grip of terrorism (ireland) and as soon as someone attacked sovereign territory she was straight on it. And she put a great big finger up to the americans on that one!! But of course i forgot, EUROPE. She would not budge on that either..............well done Tony you muppet!

 

[jasy]

As for Mark. Fair play to him. If you can get away with it, do it!

 

[TexMex]

as soon as someone attacked sovereign territory she was straight on it.

Not quite.
She had plenty of warning about the Argies intentions. She could have prevented a war by simply putting some soldiers out there to defend the place. Instead, she decided to let them invade. This gave her the opportunity to play the situation for all it was worth. (Nothing like having a patriotic cause to unite the electorate behind you).

And she put a great big finger up to the americans on that one

Not quite.
She actually went, cap in hand to the Yanks, to ask for assistance. Unfortunately they pointed out that they also have a "special relationship" with Argentina, so wouldn't get involved.

But of course i forgot, EUROPE.

Don't forget it was Ted Heath (another conservative) that got us into Europe in the first place and rather cleaverly negotiated away, our rights to continue trading with the British Commonwealth.

I have to agree that the Unions needed bringing to heel, BUT apart from this issue, everything else that maggie did was an absolute disaster for the general populus of this country. The Major years, although less damaging, did nothing to put the situation right.

Personally, I think all politicians are scuz buckets, intent on doing their best (for themselves and their fellow snorters). The conservatives have just been a bit more destructive along the way.

 

[david and julie]

Texmex wrote

Personally, I think all politicians are scuz buckets, intent on doing their best (for themselves and their fellow snorters). The conservatives have just been a bit more destructive along the way.

I agree entirely and presume you include Tony Blair as a Tory too.

The old traditional, socialist(labour) party supporters must be absolutely disgusted with New Labour hi-jacking their party. If Tony & Co wanted to start a new slightly left Tory party they should of said so instead of thieving years of good working class intentions. I say this as someone who has never voted labour in their life.

Make no mistakes there is very little difference between Maggie and Tony, except she said what she was and you had the choice, whereas Tony as deceived the very people who trusted him and in many cases don't understand whats happening and vote labour by tradition.

The fact is we have very little choice because we don't live in a true democracy. (if we did we could get rid of that arrogant nazi barsteward and his smirking parasite family couldn't we)

 

[TexMex]

Texmex wrote

Personally, I think all politicians are scuz buckets, intent on doing their best (for themselves and their fellow snorters). The conservatives have just been a bit more destructive along the way.

I agree entirely and presume you include Tony Blair as a Tory too.

Yes, I do. He actually topped Maggies Argie antics with his handling of Iraq. But he could never do as much damage to British Industry as Maggie did. (There isn't enough of it left to damage).

The trouble is, since there is no effective opposition, it has given Tony a free reign. This is rather analogous to the situation with America. While the Ruskies possed a suitable counter ballance, it kept the Americans in check. Now Bush considers himself President of the World (and our sycophantic leader totally agrees.)

 

[IanDB]

Quote:
as soon as someone attacked sovereign territory she was straight on it.
Not quite.
She had plenty of warning about the Argies intentions. She could have prevented a war by simply putting some soldiers out there to defend the place. Instead, she decided to let them invade. This gave her the opportunity to play the situation for all it was worth.

Don't even give her credit for that. At the time we were shutting down parts of our defence infrastructure all over the place. If Galtieri had waited six months we wouldn't have had the wherewithal to do the job. The dockyard workers who got the task force together did so with redundancy notices in their pockets.

There is a story that at the cabinet meeting where the invasion was discussed, there was a deathly hush when Maggie asked what could be done. Suddenly Rear Admiral Sandy Woodward appeared saying that the RN would save the day. Straw to a drowning man. The rest, as they say, is history. I can't see Blair standing outside No. 10 saying "Rejoice, rejoice". I go back to my original point - he comes across better, also his family appear slightly more normal. His son gets p*ssed and falls over in Leicester square whereas Mark T went on desert rallies and got lost. W*nk*r.

 

[TexMex]

The dockyard workers who got the task force together did so with redundancy notices in their pockets.

Task force Cross channel ferries, the queens personal yacht. Talk about scraping the bottom of the barrel. And which of our desparate shipping companies got the refit of the Britannia when it was all over? NONE OF THEM.

This just typified the contempt that Maggies government had for this country. It's industial base was considered just blot on the landscape, and the workers in those trades were just vermin to be oppressed at all costs.

I have to admit, this is a biased oppinion, as I'm not Maggies greatest fan.

 

[pipme]

Marko not out of the woods yet ...
Why sneak into Britain ? Will it be 'fast forward' in the queue for US visa ? ... Remember Blankett !!
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-1445654,00.html

 

[david and julie]

Texmex said.

I have to admit, this is a biased oppinion, as I'm not Maggies greatest fan.

Thanks for clearing that up mate, I would never of guessed it.

I was listening to an article on the radio last week about US visa's. Apparently even if you marry an American citizen they only give you a spousal visa, which can be rescinded if they like. One would of thought this would be the perfect reason to do so.

As I said earlier anyone want to lay a bet as to whether he get's in or not?

 

[pipme]

Mummy'll be calling in favours (slightly) left, right and riight of centre !
I mean, she had better start cashing in favours, owed favs usually die with one. ... I wonder how many she has left in the safe wiv Marko to protect. ....