Quote:
Originally Posted by HappyMan
In short the Tory Party of the Thatcher reign took Great Britain from being the 3rd poorest country in the EU to being one of the richest. Thatcher took the risks that were needed to encourage wealth, pride and entrepreneurial-ism. Thatcher changed britain for the better and that is why they were in power for so long. Remember the 70's? Let's not go back there, eh!
One of the biggest problems with Britain is it's disdain for wealth and wealthy people. We are embarrassed to be wealthy but desire to be wealthy! a contradiction. However, on the whole british people are quite wealthy when we travel to other countries due to the pound being valued higher than many other currencies.
You know the Labour Party of 1997 has done some good things too! We need to stop throwing the baby out with the bath water and start looking at what is best for britain.
High unemployment was the result of building a better, more efficient country, developing different technologies and preparing for the future. It was also about beating the unions and the satanic hold they had on business. I am not throwing the baby out with the bath water when it comes to unions - people need unions to portray their views at the highest level of business - what unions shouldn't do is attack business for being in business.
If you are to label the Tory party as that of the Thatcher era, then you have to label the Labour party of that of the Kinnock/foot era! Again, don't throw the baby out with the bath water. Not every thing or everyone is bad. Of course people make mistakes.
If we are to change Britain we need to stop arguing over the fine print and develop strategies that empower people to grow!
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I am too young to remember the 70's
Thatcher might have increased the wealth of the country, but it was only at the top of the tree that people saw the benefits. She hated the working classes with venom, and ensured that as little as possible of the wealth created ever reached them. I am fully aware that the unions were there own worst enemy, but the ferocity she used to try and destroy them went far beyond reasonable, and has left Britain with a workforce that is one of the easiest to exploit in the 'old' Europe.
Her term in office also encouraged the 'me me me' attitude. This has helped to create the selfish society we live in today, where people only care about themselves and sod everyone else. It was the rise of the 'something for nothing' attitude. I want my bins emptied, I want police on the beat. I want lots of new motorways. But I want to pay much lower taxes! We want cheap products, we get cheap products, our Civic been a good example of cost cutting
And at the bottom of the tree, her policies also helped create the despair and alienation that is all too prevalent now among the young and poor. She created a generation that couldn't get work because there was no jobs, and had to live on benefits. So when the economy did get better, a whole generation thought, why bother, we have lived off benefits for so long, we may as well continue. They then pass this attitude onto the next generation, and so we find the fodder for Daily Mail stories.
The Tories have tried to change in the last few years, but it all seems to be about PR and image, rather than substance. How else do you explain how a buffoon like Boris Johnson is the candidate for mayor of London. And you definitely can't still label Labour as the Foot/Kinnock era, as the are only slightly left of the Tories now. Tube PPP anyone?
I am a trade unionist and Labour supporter, but I feel ashamed of the Labour party. Not only because it has failed on too many of it's promises, but also the unending PR bulls**t. There's that phrase again, PR.
I would love to see some consensus politics in Britain, and get away from the childish antics of parliament.
Lets take the best ideas, put them into action, and support the staff that have to make it work. The constant changes to the NHS and the railways is why the management can't actually concentrate on providing services. They are always too busy trying to work out how to get the next re-organisation to work
Although we have differing political views, and very different opinions on Maggie, I agree with most of your list of answers in post 53 of this thread.
I think it basically boils down to 'bring back some confidence, sanity and common sense'
