A day to remember
Well I have always remembered this day well since 1990 and the announcement that Maggie Thatcher was to resign as Prime Minister. I was told the news just after I had started a mock English GCSE exam by a teacher who was a Labour sympathiser, I was jubilant at the news but it was very hard to concentrate for the rest of the exam. Even at that age, I had a keen interest in politics though it would be a few years before I took a more active involvement or even join the Labour party.
For me, Maggie Thatcher was the only Prime Minister I could remember and up until then she had been Leader of the Tory Party since just before I was born. Love or hate her and there was little in between she did change the course of this country and how it worked and she had a significant influence in changing the direction of the country. While the Labour party was opposed to issues like the right to buy, it was the right thing to do in hindsight and gave many the opportunity of owning their own home.
However, as a Prime Minister she did immense damage to many parts of the country and the effect on public services was huge and it took until the election of a Labour Government in 1997 for things to improve. Through her economic policies, it was a Britain that went from bust to boom and back to bust and comparing the economic record between 1979-90 compared to the record since 1997 shows how much of a better state Britain is in economically.
The day is also memorable for being the 3rd anniversary of England World Cup win in Australia(and may be the last for some time judging by recent performances) and of course it was also the day that John F Kennedy was assissinated in Dallas.
For me, Maggie Thatcher was the only Prime Minister I could remember and up until then she had been Leader of the Tory Party since just before I was born. Love or hate her and there was little in between she did change the course of this country and how it worked and she had a significant influence in changing the direction of the country. While the Labour party was opposed to issues like the right to buy, it was the right thing to do in hindsight and gave many the opportunity of owning their own home.
However, as a Prime Minister she did immense damage to many parts of the country and the effect on public services was huge and it took until the election of a Labour Government in 1997 for things to improve. Through her economic policies, it was a Britain that went from bust to boom and back to bust and comparing the economic record between 1979-90 compared to the record since 1997 shows how much of a better state Britain is in economically.
The day is also memorable for being the 3rd anniversary of England World Cup win in Australia(and may be the last for some time judging by recent performances) and of course it was also the day that John F Kennedy was assissinated in Dallas.
posted by Martin Whelton at 8:54 pm
2 Comments:
Well Martin. Hope you are well, long time no talk? I too recall the end of the Thatcher era, not being as old as you though the memories aren't as vivid. I think I recall being worried as to what impact it would have on the then impending Gulf War?
mayn, i feel old now! you said you MT was tory leader since just before you were born; I only remember her as PM,she was the first i recalll!!! for good reason, but I have a horrible memory of being assertive and saying (in response to a "women cant achieve" style comment) that we have a woman PM. oh how I cringe now.i respect her for being a woman PM but only for that, i utterly disagree with her policies. mayn, its weird being reminded of her being PM on tv.....
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