1 Comment August 19th, 2008 by ThunderDragon
David Cameron:
I’m going to be as radical a social reformer as Mrs Thatcher was an economic reformer, and radical social reform is what this country needs right now.
Margaret Thatcher in her time realised that the big challenge was reviving Britain’s economy, and we should recognise that the challenge for the modern Conservatives is reviving our society.
It’s dealing with the issues of family breakdown, welfare dependency, failing schools, crime, and the problems that we see in too many of our communities.
As much as I applaud the sentiment, as social reform is definitely the challenge for any incoming Conservative government, comparing himself with Margaret Thatcher seems a bit like blowing the dog whistle.
It also, really, seems a bit silly. Thatcher was - and is - an incredibly divisive figure. Claiming the be the “new Thatcher” will alienate a great many people. That Cameron is making such comparisons demonstrates that he is confident of having a greater claim on the votes of the majority than Brown and is instead intending to ensure that he keeps his core voters on side.
With the use of the ‘T-word’, Cameron is laying a claim to being both a Conservative and a social reformer with it. He’s using his dog whistle to try and have his cake and eat it. If he’s lucky, he may well succeed.
Image: The Sun
2 Comments July 16th, 2008 by ThunderDragon
According to the Mail, she will be given a State funeral when she dies at some point in the future. If this is true, she will be the first Prime Minister since Churchill to be accorded this honour.
This is of course called “no less than she deserves” from some quarters, and “an insult” from others.
Personally, I can see both sides. She was a Prime Minister who achieved a lot - whether what she achieved was good or bad depends on your viewpoint. And on what you emphasise - saving the economy from collapse after the disastrous Callaghan government, or stopping free milk for schoolchildren and ending the tyranny of the trade unions.
Thatcher was the first Prime Minister of the 20th century to have won three general elections with their own party forming their government, and the first female Prime Minister ever. She was chosen by the people as their Prime Minister on three separate occasions, with large margins. Whilst there is no denying that she was a divisive figure, she won 42.7% support in 1987, her final general election.
So she deserves a State funeral.
However, it is just as arguable that Tony Blair - who also won three general elections with a large majority - should have a State funeral as well. And why not? I detest him and what he has done/caused to be done to this country, but I don’t begrudge him that. Why? Because I’m not riven with class hatred like some.
Let’s just hope that neother of them die for a good long time yet, anyway.
1 Comment February 2nd, 2008 by ThunderDragon
Nicked from CentreRight.
