To some she was a deal maker who could make things happen. A person who had the steely resolve to push her ideology regardless of the cost. Unfortunately her idealism was limited to those who would succeed - those who didn't were expendable.
This type of Tory-ism had last seen the light of day, pre-war when "noblesse oblige" was part of the way things were, the class divisions were entrenched and the society was based on "entitlement" - not by today's benefit scroungers but by the established upper class - born to rule.
She is known as a grocers daughter,to symbolise her lower middle class background but this was no corner shop.
A successful father, a leading light in the local politics of his town, he nurtured her in both business and politics, far from the millions of people who were struggling to make ends meet.
Parliament had a special session calling back MPs from all over the country to eulogise and genuflect towards this ideological prima-donna. Many Labour MPs stayed away to acknowledge their dislike of Mrs Thatcher and the few who turned up were low key in their praise. But one, Labours Glenda Jackson, struck out with a writhing tirade against the Iron Lady reminding everyone in the Commons of the damage that Mrs Thatchers policies had inflicted on large swathes of the UK.
The Tories were apoplectic, hearing Jacksons tirade but it reminded me of the ideological divisions that used to exist between the parties before Tony Blair captured Labour and castrated the concept of socialism, realigning Labour into New Labour, a middle of the road, Tory look alike !!
No comments:
Post a Comment