Divisive, but she made the right decisions

From: Martin Fletcher, Savile Close, Emley, Huddersfield.

SO the most decisive politician 
of the last 50 years or more has died. The whole of the North will be rejoicing and the Labour cabinet will be doing a jig round the table.

A Durham miner said on the news that she destroyed the mines. Maybe, but so did the miners and the public in 
general, but they will not admit to that.

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How and why was it cheaper to import coal from Poland? Ask the miners’ unions. Ask the public who changed to gas central heating and did not need coal.

We did not owe these people a living. I can imagine the cry now from the EU if we said ban coal imports.

Shame on these bitter twisted people.

None of the politicians today can match up to her or make a proper decision.

From: Malcolm Hanson, Gwendolen Court, Southolme Walk, Boroughbridge.

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SO certain members of the public, mainly the mining communities, are gloating over the death of Lady Thatcher.

These people conveniently forget that it was a man by the name of Arthur Scargill who led them into battle against Mrs Thatcher.

Can you imagine what would have happened if Scargill had won. Scargill for Prime Minister? I think not.

This is the man who thinks his union members should pay to keep him in comfort for the rest of his life.

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Mrs Thatcher fought to reduce the power of the unions and won. If my memory serves me correctly, she also did a good job standing up to the IRA threats.

It is a great pity that we don’t have a leader like her now.

From Mrs EA Henry, Larchfield Road, Doncaster.

THANK you Margaret Thatcher. You freed one of our sons and three of our sons-in-law from dirty, dangerous work deep underground.

Yes, they had hard times when the pits closed but they are now healthier, happier and in work that suits them better, than they would have been if they had spent another thirty years in coal mining.

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Our son-in-law Thomas Beardsley made the greatest change. He was a colliery fitter. He is now a history professor and the enterprising curator of The Old Manse, Concord, Massachusetts, where he introduces visitors from the 
US and abroad to the 
personal lives of writers Hawthorne and Emerson who once lived there.

Any reader visiting the Boston area should call in and enjoy a guided tour. The Ghosts in the Garret await you.

From: F Wyatt, Pocklington.

MARGARET Thatcher came from and represented the views of probably 70 per cent of the population as opposed to the proletariat sheep led by goats and the unspeakable posh boys who believe they have a divine right to rule.

One must accept that she was, at times, abrasive and exasperating but then no one is perfect. As we say in Yorkshire, what you see is what you get.

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The world knew just where they stood with her and for what. They respected her for it. It is a great shame and to the detriment of this country that too many politicians of both sides are mealy mouthed and placatory. Weakness is always exploited.

Long may you be remembered as a great Briton, Margaret!

From: Phil Hanson, Beechmount Close, Baildon, Shipley.

I WAS very saddened to hear the news of the death of the lady who was, without doubt, the best politician this country has produced since Churchill. However my sadness was compounded by the quote played on the BBC of a Durham miners’ representative who still has not worked out that she was RIGHT to remodel the coal industry and much more.

God bless Margaret Thatcher for all that she did to stop our country being run by left wing trade unions and the taxpayer having to bankroll BT and many other state-run businesses that had monopolies, enabling them to screw the consumer!

Anyone who doubts how Thatcher saved us has never driven an Austin Rover, the company that made rubbish cars as standard!

From: DS Boyes, Rodley Lane, Leeds.

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AT my daughter’s wedding in 1999, I said in my speech that the next good news might be Mrs Thatcher’s demise, yet what was she today? A poor old woman suffering from dementia who died of a stroke, hardly worth any adverse comment from me.

Maybe the NUM and Arthur Scargill’s attitudes helped the closure of the coal mines, many of which were on borrowed time in real terms, as I realised when driving an eight-wheeler wagon to pits and coke plants etc all over the country for a couple of years in the late 1960s.

But “New Labour” in its 13 years of office did absolutely nothing to restore the fortunes of any of the industries decimated by Thatcher. I could never eulogise Thatcher but, being a realist, I know full well that Labour has been no better.

From: John Watson, Hutton Hill, Leyburn.

WE happened to pass through London on our return from holiday and the streets were piled high with rubbish waiting to be collected.

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This was all a result of the Labour government not being able to negotiate with the unions during the winter of discontent.

Margaret Thatcher had to contend with this legacy.

How I wish we had a Thatcher in today’s Government. She would have seen off Abu Qatada, dealt with immigration, and 
given a quick no to the gay marriage fiasco.