I didn’t hold a brief for Margaret Thatcher during her premiership. As a self-employed driving instructor, I felt the brunt of the 15% interest rates and the ill-fated poll tax. Suffice to say, my core clientele were young people who suddenly had to find money for their poll tax – or their parents who were likely as not also funding their driving lessons did. Add to this, mortgages heading skyward and it was no wonder my work dropped off sharply. My other major client group was the middle aged returners – who found their mortgage sky-rocketing and their kids an increased financial burden due to the poll tax. Added to this, my own outgoings increased along with those of my clients. It couldn’t go on and it didn’t. I folded the business. So, as I say, I don’t hold much of a brief for her.
However, rambling about my problems aside, there was one area where I consistently agreed with her. That was her uncompromising attitude towards terrorism. Even in the wake of an attack that became personal, she remained firm – don’t give in to the bastards. Terrorists are glorified blackmailers. They seek to change who we are or extort from us their aimed objective by the use of fear. Appeasement simply means they come back for more. Appeasement puts out the message that terrorism works. The response, therefore is not to appease. The response is belligerent refusal to co-operate.
Thatcher is wheeled out this week to comment on the current situation.
Lady Thatcher says Britain must stand shoulder to shoulder with the US in the fight against terrorism.
The ex-Conservative prime minister, in Washington to commemorate 9/11, warned: “We must not falter. We must not fail.”
She spoke as current Tory leader David Cameron called anti-Americanism “intellectual and moral surrender”.
It’s at times like this that you realise she is still around.
“With America, Britain stands in the front line against Islamist fanatics who hate our beliefs, our liberties and our citizens. We must not falter. We must not fail. Today, we are here to remember to pray for the dead and to share their loved one’s grieving. But we also need to renew our resolve that, however bitter or lengthy the struggle, this evil shall not prevail.”
It’s a shame that barely had the first bomb blast echoed into silence than her successors were rolling over in their willingness to concede defeat.
I have to concede that the ‘old witch with the handbag’ has had her moments. Yesterday was one of her better ones.
I don’t mind admitting that Thatcher made mistakes; I don’t mind people pointing out that she made mistakes.
What drives me absolutely bananas is people (why does the name, “Neil Harding” spring into my head?) who imply that something like the 15% interest rate was not a mistakes but deliberate policy.
Anyway, good for her; at least she’s growing old with dignity; you can bet we won’t get that from Blair…
DK
Well, yes, you’d have to be daft to have such a policy. I recall Thatcher exhorting us to go out and start our own busnesses. I did. The timing could have been better… 😐
One thing I agreed with Gordon Brown on was handing management of interest rates to the Bank of England.