My sympathy goes out to her relatives.
I never liked her and will not weep for her. In fact I disliked her intensely.
Maggie and I were poles apart - politically and socially.
At the height of her power in the early 80s I was a paid-up member of the Labour Party, campaigning tirelessly and volunteering many an unpaid hour in my bid to help elect Neil Kinnock.
A formidable politician she undoubtedly was. A true blue ultra right-wing conservative who cared more for dog-eat-dog capitalism than for the masses.
I also never liked the tag "The Iron Lady" given her by the press, and was always of the opinion a more apt label such as "The Ice Maiden" would have been more appropriate.
But I didn't hate her. And I certainly wouldn't want to do what singer/songwriter Elvis Costello suggested in his song Tramp The Dirt Down, written about Maggie, and which he sang; "when they finally put you in the ground I'll stand on your grave and tramp the dirt down"
The Iron Lady has died - may she rust in peace.
I rather gathered she was not well liked where she ruled but as always here in Australia we only ever get the news the government want us to have, or rather the few very rich men who run our entire media systems.
ReplyDeleteWe got the whole Winston Churchill like, much respected female leader bullshirt.
No doubt Tempo - to me Maggie's worst crime was importing coal from Poland to feed our power stations - because it was slightly cheaper - and destroyed hundreds of northern towns that relied on coal mining. Even then the UK had larger coal deposits than Poland yet the pits were closed and unemployment more than doubled literally overnight
DeleteShe could be described as the Marmite Lady: you either love it or loathe it.
ReplyDeleteShe certainly divided the nation, even within families, and she'll certainly be remembered for that.
She had a hand in the beginning of the property rise and eventual fall. Selling off council homes was popular with many who saw how to make a quick buck. But it reduced the number of social houses and she refused councils the right to replace the sold ones.
Her other claim to fame was the introduction of the Poll Tax but she luckily gained favour in the Falklands war, where many of our forces were killed or injured. Once again a politician is saved by going to war.
I did not like her - but one MUST agree that she was undoubtedly a strong woman and a forceful prime minister.
I think her full military honours funeral is NOT warranted. Definitely against this.
I fully agree with you Philip. Formidable but heartless. The Poll tax nearly toppled her along with the inner city riots but she hang on - far too long for my liking.
DeleteI didn't weep either. As for the Iron Lady thing, the newsman said the Russians gave it to her, calling her the "Iron Lady of the West." Of course, the media love such things and probably wished they had thought of it themselves--assuming the newsman was telling the truth.
ReplyDeleteHaha, with the right-wing press one just never knows. It's the same the world over.
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