Pages

Wednesday 10 April 2013

Margaret Thatcher

I was there.

I was there when the top rate of tax was 98%. Yes, if you made £100 more, they government took it all except £2. Of course, if you made a loss, the government didn't give you compensation. This distorts the risk of doing business.

I was there when the miners went on strike; we had electricity cuts every day and used candles, Hurricane lamps and a Tilley.

I was there then industry was put onto a three day week because of the miners.

I was there when the miners were saying "It's a difficult and dangerous job", and I used to think, well then, maybe we shouldn't be deep-mining coal?

I watched with disbelief as Arthur Scargill destroyed the miner's union, with only a little help from Thatcher.

I was there when the rubbish piled up because of the binmen's strike, and the rats had a bonanza.

I was there when the gravediggers went on strike and dead bodies couldn't be buried.

I was there when inflation was running at 30% per year, and the prices in shops went up every day.

I was there when a military dictatorship invaded the Falklands. And we took it back.

I was there when my hard-earned money was being given to lame-duck industries so that we could keep these loss-makers going - at my expense.

I was there when, if you wanted another black (the only colour) telephone and line, you had to ask the Post Office and wait six months.

And I was there when the Thatcher Revolution happened, the Rule of Law was substituted for the Rule by Unions, insane taxation was abolished, monopolies like the Post Office were abolished and state (the customer is a nuisance) industries were sold into private hands.

If you weren't there, you have no idea how it was.

And no matter how much the Lefties yell and chant, I don't hear any suggestions that we return to the   pre-Thatcher shambles.

No comments:

Post a Comment