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The main thing that I remember about the Thatcher years was the constant threat of unemployment. Earnings related had been abolished, so if you did lose your job you were in big trouble if you couldn’t find another one quickly. But the overiding feeling that I had at the time was that no one in power cared [the ‘on yer bike’ school of politics].It was a time of ‘every man for himself’, and I’m afraid that nothing has changed. Whole communities were decimated – I know I’m sounding melodramatic but I was a young wife and mother at the time and I was very scared.I very much doubt if David Cameron has any idea of what it feels like to be in that position. Yes, I am cynical about politicians in general, and the brave new world that I expected when Labour came to power has not materialised, but I still feel safer with them in power. Margaret Thatcher was also quite open about the fact that she was no fan of the railways, and everything ended up being transported on the roads putting an end to Barbara Castles transport policy.
Similar memories for me Mohat.
I especially remember the 16% mortgage rate on my first house, huge unemployment and constant industrial strife. Cannot ever forgive the miners debacle.
I do not think this kind of presidential style shift with so much focus on the party leaders rather than policies is healthy for any one but the media.
My family did pretty well under a Tory government, and if it wasn’t for the Conservatives I wouldn’t have had a chance to have a private education (thanks to the Assisted Places scheme).
While it’s good to look forward, memories do definitely have a say on current thinking!
Fantastic Tory reply Mesh!
Very pleased your family and you did so well under a Tory government.
Sod the rest of the country who did not
There have only really been two "conviction" Prime Ministers in my lifetime.
Margaret Thatcher made me join Labour.
Tony Blair, as a result of his invasion of Iraq, made me leave them.
There are a few things I would like from my leaders – intelligence and scruples to name two – but the conviction that you are right no matter what the evidence is not one of them.
but the conviction that you are right no matter what the evidence is not one of them.
Good point.
Obviously, Blair had this quality and he felt he was justified in lying to the British people and to parliament because of this.
I’m not sure Brown has it.
He’s been "no balls Brown" so many times (taking so much sh!t from Blair about the handover and chickening out of speaking out about the Iraq invasion) that it makes me think he’s just very ambitious and is smart enough to know the battles he can’t win.
That’s why this "conviction politican" stuff gets on my tits so much; he’s clearly the exact opposite.
And don’t start me on this "moral compass" nonsense. Yeah, he’s got a compass and, wherever you go in the world, the hand points directly towards his self interest.
Steve
There have only really been two "conviction" Prime Ministers in my lifetime.
Margaret Thatcher made me join Labour.
Tony Blair, as a result of his invasion of Iraq, made me leave them.
.. me too.
Was he right not to call an election?
Was he right not to put the EU treaty/constitution to a referendum?
Should he have known about the big party donor using 3rd parties to make donations?
Was the handling of the Northern Rock crisis good or bad or nothing to do with him?
Was arriving late to sign the EU treaty/constitution a piece of bad judgement or unavoidable?
25million people’s bank details lost by govt. dept. Is Brown culpable?
No idea how many illegal immigrants have arrived here. Should this besmirch Brown?
Armed forces kit/accommodation deficiencies. Can Brown take the rap for that?
Cabinet appointments (e.g. Peter Hain, Jacqui Smith), Des Browne – good or bad?
Does he even have a mandate ?
What do forumites think?Has any prime minister past or present ever been up to the job?
politics are boring it’s no wonder you call yourself insomniac
sorry insomniac, it’s just that I don’t really care about politics and I’ve never liked any prime minister.Find it difficult to see how people say ‘I don’t care for politics, it’s all boring etc etc’ For crying out loud, you have a vote. Use it, unless you don’t give a toss who runs our country.. which I can’t believe. I just don’t understand people who do not vote on the the basis that don’t really care. WHAT?
I think that David Cameron is a figment of his own imagination…a chameleon like creature who doesn’t really exist at all…..
Just as he flies off to Japan for a junket and just before he goes on holiday to the seaside for a week, at a time when the country’s economy is in freefall with people struggling to pay bills and mortgages on homes that are tumbling in value and struggling to put fuel in their cars, at the same time being told to expect lower pay rises while MPs not only continue to vote their own pay and expense increases but are also seemingly being outed at the rate of one a week for fiddling their expenses, the Scotsman who has presided over our budgets and economy for ten years tells the English populace that if they didn’t waste so much food they wouldn’t be so badly off.
Who is advising and writing for this clown – Forrest Gump ?
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