The Greatest Woman of Our Time

You may have noticed the recent colour changes on the blog out of respect to Mrs Thatcher, it will probably stay like that till after her funeral. Not sure what I'll be doing for that but in the mean time Baroness Thatcher's family say they'd like to see donations to the Chelsea Pensioners rather than flowers etc. (donate at http://www.chelsea-pensioners.co.uk/ ), also you can leave a condolence here https://pm.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/condolences/ .

Margaret Thatcher was a dragon slayer. She destroyed the huge problems haunting the country that would have led unchecked to the nation's terminal decline.

Thatcher gave Britain a good handbagging till it became prosperous again.

Thatcher destroyed the socialist's dream of Britain. In the 1970s Britain was heading for a command economy with the state in control over industry, business and ultimately people's lives. We almost fell over the edge. The signs were very clear in the 70s. Industry was dead, unable to compete with any country in the West, with nothing left to replace it. Why had this happened? Because industry was under state ownership reliant on subsidies to keep going.

What made this worse was the crisis in British Politics. The 1970s was a real question of 'who governed Britain', the Trade Unions or the Government? The Government and most people were really in fear of background socialism taking over and the constant strikes were rightfully seen as signs of this. It's no wonder that the Labour PM Callaghan said "that if I were a young man, I'd emigrate." By taking on the economic problems of the UK Thatcher was defeating moves, or indeed passive inaction, to turn the country into a socialist state.

Margaret Thatcher cured the country also of the so called 'Suez Syndrome'. Government was willing to see a terminal decline in the UK, not just economically but also in its weight on the world stage. Just over a decade after Britain freed the world, we looked spent. Other countries openly called into question our seat on the UN Security Council. Our country was also openly mocked by Ugandan Dictator Idi Amin by offering food aid to a Britain during times of blackouts. Discounting the Falklands War, which was the real and obvious turn of the tide, Thatcher as a person brought Britain back to the top table. Her personal patriotism, relationship with President Regan and Mikhail Gorbachev combined with her taking on the Common Market for a rebate are just some of the things she did that made Britain Great.

Thatcher made the country we live in today.

But we must keep fighting for her beliefs. Keith Joseph said once that 'Keynes is dead', how very wrong he was. Even the Conservative led Coalition wants to continually spend, spend, spend. The Left, for the obvious reason that she destroyed what they stood for at the time, want to portray here as heartless and just ripping up the North for spite and wealth of her and close friends. Of course they make no mention of an increase of 23% in people's real wealth. Don't think Thatcher is the end of Thatcherism. As she said after the 1997 General election 'the fight back starts now'.

RIP Baroness Thatcher