Debate about Thatcher will keep going

SINCE the death of Lady Thatcher, the media has been filled with programmes, articles, comments and letters covering all shades of opinion. There have been the syrupy euphoric sentiments of how she saved Britain. On the other side the dislike and outright hatred of others have been expressed with forceful determination.

The truth will lie somewhere between the two as, like most politicians who rise to be Prime Minister there were good elements to her work, but some were mediocre and some which were not good at all. However, it is rarely the way of people these days to view those in office in such a way, they are either good or bad.

The person who carries the burden of being Prime Minister is on a losing streak whatever he or she might do. Churchill is rightly regarded as a national hero, but that was not always the case. He was criticised for most of his political career, became a heroic leader between 1939-1945 and then was dumped by the nation. His later years back in office were very dependant on loyal parliamentary supporters. His beloved British Empire modernised into a looser assembly of the Commonwealth of which some parts are good but others perhaps less so.

In opposition the purpose is to discomfit the Government so it is easy to criticise, but when do the critics come up with a statement of what they would do? Rarely if ever. It will be like that with the Thatcher era and will be consigned to the history books, where the same pros and antis will be expressed in student research papers well into the future.

One thing is a racing certainty, I would not want the job and I doubt many others would or if they did would be commented on in any other way but, some good, some mediocre, some bad.

From: Don Burslam, Elm Road, Dewsbury Moor, Dewsbury.

IT might be timely to look at the limitations of our so-called democracy. It is quite evident that the decision about the funeral was taken by unelected officials who may or may not have been leaned on by politicians.

There was no sense of the public’s wishes in the matter and indeed a poll has shown that 60 per cent would have preferred the funeral to be “privatised”.

Judging by your columns, the opposition to Thatcherism was/is far from being confined to the usual suspects. It is often that, thanks to the first-past-the-post system, governments of all parties have been responsible for controversial measures, having been voted in by a minority of voters. A considerable number of MPs were not wanted by a majority of their voters. These were inevitably the results which decided the election.

On top of this we have the House of Lords which has the power to affect legislation despite being composed of a motley collection of life peers, hereditary ones and otherwise, and Bishops. A golden opportunity was missed to reform this dog’s breakfast. In my opinion, our democracy leaves a good deal to be desired before it can truly reflect the will of the people.

From: Maureen Hunt, Woolley, near Wakefield.

MARGARET Thatcher certainly deserved a ceremonial funeral of this magnitude. The presence of the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, together with the subsequent Prime Ministers and dignitaries from abroad, was a mark of respect in which she was held. People with such strong convictions and powerful personalities are never going to be universally loved. Respect is their trademark. Perhaps they also tend to be difficult to work for and to live with. Churchill was surely not easy.

Many of us in Yorkshire were so proud of Mrs Thatcher when she entered Number 10 for the first time. She gave us hope. We believed in her and she did not let us down.

Baroness Thatcher was a truly Great Briton who will never be forgotten and whose place in history is secure. Sadly, we will never see her like again.

From: Tim Mickleburgh, Boulevard Avenue, Grimsby.

IT is noteworthy that on the day of Margaret Thatcher’s funeral, figures were released which show unemployment in the UK remaining stubbornly above 2.5 million. For it was under the late Prime Minister that the jobless total first exceeded that level in post-war Britain. Not that it seemed to worry her at the time, it being a price worth paying to fight inflation and the unions.

However, she should have been concerned, as much of this job loss was structural, in the traditional industries like coal mining and steel. Consequently without the necessary investment, pit towns and the like remained unemployment blackspots even in the boom years. That’s why you’ve got generations on benefits, and a high welfare bill. Now that all the eulogising has ended, the Government needs to get to grips with this real legacy of the Iron Lady, and create the work needed to make Britain great again.