It's What Everybody Is Talking About. One Might As Well Join In

[poliphilo]

Most British Prime Ministers leave behind a legacy of indifference. Who today feels strongly about John Major or even Gordon Brown? The two exceptions of recent times are Tony Blair and Margaret Thatcher. Blair unites the country in contempt; Thatcher divides it.  She's been out of office for nearly a quarter of a century and still commands adoration and hatred.  Dividing a nation and keeping it divided is a rare achievement.  I can't think of any other person since the Civil War who has managed to pull it off.

That is why a state funeral is not in order. If they paraded her through the streets the way they did the Duke of Wellington or Churchill or Princess Di there would be a mixed hail of roses and rotten veg. Public order could not be guaranteed.

The BBC seems to think it needs to suspend normal programming in order to talk and talk and talk about her. It's in danger of wearing out the patience of at least half of us (probably more like three quarters to be honest).

Comments

[ingenious76.livejournal.com]

I didn't think Diana deserved a state funeral.

I would contend your assumption that Blair unites the country in contempt.


And, actually, people possibly do feel strongly about Major and Brown - Brown because he is seen by some as responsible for the credit crunch, as it happened on his watch, and Major due to the fact that he's viewed by some as betraying Thatcherism. How do you know?

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

At the time the Diana funeral seemed right. In retrospect I'm less sure.

Does Blair still have admirers outside the Westminster hothouse?

I think Brown and Major are both on their way to being forgotten. I would guess the people who have strong feelings about either of them represent a tiny minority.

(I'm rather fond of Sir John Major, as it happens. No-one who loves cricket and the music hall can be all bad)

[ingenious76.livejournal.com]

Really? So the fact that Major had to navigate seven tricky years including the rows over Europe, the Clinton Presidency's attempts to wade into Northern Ireland, not to mention a deep recession and the waning respect for the Royals is forgotten?

And he shagged the grotesque Edwina Currie. The man had hidden depths.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Yes.

OK, political groupies like you and I remember some of this stuff but most people don't. It's not of lasting significance.

Major is probably best remembered these days for the cones hotline.

[puddleshark.livejournal.com]

I can see I'm going to have to avoid the television for the next week, at least. And probably the newspapers...

It's not that I have any personal hatred these days. She was merely the vanguard of the everything's-for-sale and sauve-qui-peut philosophy - an idea whose time had come. And anyway, I'm too busy hating George Osborne this week.

But I wish it were possible for someone in the public spotlight to seriously question her legacy, examine the long-term results of her policies, without being vilified by the media.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Strange isn't it? A large proportion of the country detests her memory and legacy and yet there's no one in public life to speak up for us.

[(Anonymous)]

There is a fair obituary from Neil Kinnock on the BBC website. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-22067028 ie it doesn't pull its punches. Avoiding the tv will be better otherwise I may be throwing things at it. I am trying to dream up something I could do to protest while the gun carriage rolls around London with Mrs T.
Love Jenny x

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

It's going to be a very interesting funeral. They're going to have to shut London down if they want to keep things seemly.

[davesmusictank.livejournal.com]

I concur on that

[ibid.livejournal.com]

I'm glad I'm out of the country.
I loathed Thatcher, but I am inescapably a child of her Britain. I've been trying to work it out all day.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I've been surprised at how measured the coverage has been. Usually when someone this important dies it's wall to wall eulogy, but with Thatcher every report, every tribute has acknowledged how much she was hated. Channel 4 News interviewed Alexei Sayle- and he wasn't kind.