Originally Posted by Mercedes

So those who are anti Thatcher, do you think Blair and his Government have made life much better for UK? I haven't known so many people who want to get out of UK. I don't know all her politics but I know it was easier for businesses then and her government did encourage people to buy their own houses and be more independent. I actually like the American way of being able to be sacked, because nothing is worse than not being able to get rid of staff that are a waste of work space. The standards were certainly higher under her rule than they are now in the UK. I never heard of any soldier that she sent to war being allowed to get sued or punished for trying to do their job. I personally would rather her or someone with balls like her be in power, than the current British government. Since the Falklands was mentioned it would be interesting of how future generations rate the war in Iraq that Tony has sent us to and how many innocent deaths have/will have been attributed because of it.

Originally Posted by walla1

well, you obviously didn't live through the miners strike.

Originally Posted by Brit'n'TX

like her or hate her, she did the country a great service by breaking the stranglehold the unions had on industry - though the damage they did was probably irreparable and largely responsible for the state of the UK's manufacturing economy today ..

Originally Posted by walla1

it was thatchers policies that have the UK in the state it is in today, not the unions.

Originally Posted by Brit'n'TX

though the damage they did was probably irreparable and largely responsible for the state of the UK's manufacturing economy today ..

Originally Posted by Lion in Winter

The state of manufacturing in the old heavy industries is the same in the U.S. - the heavy industries died. It's not the industrial revolution any more, and that wasn't caused by the unions.

I know we've had this discussion before on here - but the beef isn't so much with her union troubles when she came into power, but her economic policies which drove the north of England into utter ruin and inflicted so much misery on so many people. It's easy to say it was "good for the country" when it's not affecting one's own family. What about that legacy?

And then there's the whole tea party with Pinochet thing...........

And why am I discussing Thatcher over breakfast?

Originally Posted by Brit'n'TX

the same reason I am discussing it at my desk on a saturday morning?

I am not a great fan of MT, just the job she did in bringing the unions to heel ... a job somebody had to do, IMHO ..

Originally Posted by Brit'n'TX

the same reason I am discussing it at my desk on a saturday morning?

I am not a great fan of MT, just the job she did in bringing the unions to heel ... a job somebody had to do, IMHO ..

Originally Posted by walla1

and that is my exact point, she crushed the unions on her crusade but the legacy she left in my communities was devastating.

and what did she do about those forgotten communities?

absolutely **** all.

the things I've seen would make your blood boil.

Originally Posted by Lion in Winter

If she hadn't had the income from north sea oil, she wouldn't have been able to do any of it. No cheap oil or benefits from the income for the people of the UK - it funded government coffers so they could afford to have high interest rates, and the sky-high unemployment that went with the crushing of inflation and the large-scale privatizations.

What the hell are you doing at your desk on a Sat.?

Originally Posted by Lion in Winter

Well that's cos there's no such thing as society Walla. We're not responsible for each other, remember?

Originally Posted by Brit'n'TX

I usually come in on a sat. when Cheryl is working the weekend ... I get her to work by 6.30, then come on to the office ...

Originally Posted by walla1

well, you obviously didn't live through the miners strike.

Originally Posted by walla1

not in thatcher's world anyway.....