tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10161538.post6208033632201642646..comments2023-09-23T15:53:32.202+01:00Comments on SongsWithoutWhich: "Winter of '79"Alessandro Vitellihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04530297519259498586noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10161538.post-89550539418052496382013-04-12T19:30:00.509+01:002013-04-12T19:30:00.509+01:00Thankful to read a piece set in context about the ...Thankful to read a piece set in context about the current, soon to be forgotten, cause célèbre.Island 41https://www.blogger.com/profile/18146500031150452375noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10161538.post-65158862420602853842013-04-12T10:35:38.651+01:002013-04-12T10:35:38.651+01:00PPS. The whole 'punk/new wave' movement wa...PPS. The whole 'punk/new wave' movement was as much fuelled by a desire to be rid of prog rock as it was a political retort. Lydon made mention of how awful Callaghan's time in power was. Paul Weller and others wanted a return to the so called 'better times' of the sixties. The only thing that really was remarkable about that decade was the pill!Russell CJ Duffyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00519621428036481426noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10161538.post-3314410630352507052013-04-12T10:21:55.942+01:002013-04-12T10:21:55.942+01:00I cannot recall anyone PM who has really had visio...I cannot recall anyone PM who has really had vision. I am too young to remember Clement Atlee so my political recall begins with Harold Macmillan. Now he, much like good old Winston (he of the state funeral and savoiur of this nation) were true blue Conservatives. The Iron Lady was not. She will always, as your article suggests, polarise opinion.Elvis Costello once famously said he would not dance on her grave as he wouldn't want to dirty his shoes. As much as I admire the man as a songwriter I cannot help but smile.<br />Not one leader of my nation has ever led in the way I would like. Not one Tory nor even those of the Labour party.<br />I don't like Margaret Thatcher for reasons I shall mention later BUT, she did restore national pride with her decisive action with the Falklands conflict and she most certainly did make Britain a free market nation and a world presence again. The free market of course was inherited by Blair (a red Tory) who then took it one stage further hence the current state of financial crisis but again that is another issue. <br />With all politicians balance should be applied when judgements are passed.Thatcher wasn't all bad anymore than she was all good. She came to power at a time when Britain was down on its knees. She did not apply vision, if she had she wouldn't have closed the pits only for the next lot to open them again due to need for fuel, but she did react with authority and she did repair the economy BUT she did not love Britain; she did not even love England: she loved London and the South East and as much as I benefited from her methods those other Brits, Scots, Yorkshire folk, Geordie's and goodness knows who else suffered.<br />Thanks to Margaret Thatcher we are now the fourth wealthiest nation in the world. But never forget at what a cost.<br /><br />PS. Another fine post.Russell CJ Duffyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00519621428036481426noreply@blogger.com