tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12845739.post8043575415845073384..comments2023-11-03T15:48:35.688+00:00Comments on Paul Linford: Stop Thatcher!Paul Linfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01977920120772282561noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12845739.post-10294018223891189262007-01-29T22:48:00.000+00:002007-01-29T22:48:00.000+00:00I had/have no admiration for Thatch at all, Paul, ...I had/have no admiration for Thatch at all, Paul, but I doubt this "bitter social division" thing you write about. The booming bit of the mid-to-late 80s saw a blurring of social classes - I'm an oik from the absolute slums of Cambridge (don't be fooled by the city's academic/media image - there is another side), but I mixed with, and formed friendships with, people in the 1980s that I would Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12845739.post-58457457158231292472007-01-27T15:42:00.000+00:002007-01-27T15:42:00.000+00:00In terms of historically important achievements, w...In terms of historically important achievements, which affect several generations (as opposed to simply running the country well, which affects only on those alive at the time), the two greatest PMs are Clement Atlee and Edward Heath (for taking Britain into the EU). <br /><br />Mrs Thatcher in future years might also be remembered for signing the Single European Act, which tore down all trade snowflake5https://www.blogger.com/profile/14700425293614182769noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12845739.post-16420297536991196812007-01-26T20:45:00.000+00:002007-01-26T20:45:00.000+00:00Kevin Theakston from Leeds University has written ...Kevin Theakston from Leeds University has written an analysis of the top ten in 20th century, based on a MORI poll of academics, published in my recent Politics -UK 6th edition and ranks the resultant top ten as:<br />1. Attlee<br />2. Churchill<br />3. Lloyd George<br />4. Thatcher<br />5. Macmillan<br />6. Blair<br />7. Asquith<br />8. Baldwin<br />9. Wilson<br />10. Salisbury<br />11. skipperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02632351344359303404noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12845739.post-79300670312346018052007-01-25T19:01:00.000+00:002007-01-25T19:01:00.000+00:00"For the record, I would place Churchill at No 1 i..."For the record, I would place Churchill at No 1 in any all-time list of Premiers"<br />I think that's why he was left off the list. He would be the obvious winner!<br />BTW Have you read Hennesey's book on postwar PM's. Very good.Paul Burginhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06718135185726733792noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12845739.post-80663737676217487982007-01-25T18:54:00.000+00:002007-01-25T18:54:00.000+00:00I appreciate the point you make, Paul, but while i...I appreciate the point you make, Paul, but while it's popular to draw comparisons between Iraq and Suez, there are clear differences.<br /><br />With Suez, Eden was the prime mover. With Iraq Blair was not. Neither does Blair's 'dodgy dossier' bear comparison with the secret meetings at Sevre, the 180-degree turn on collaboration with Israel, the outright lies told to Parliament, the UN and MorrisOxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11952846056079111473noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12845739.post-66715084331641282622007-01-25T10:18:00.000+00:002007-01-25T10:18:00.000+00:00For some reason the Beeb left Churchill off its li...For some reason the Beeb left Churchill off its list, I can only assume because they thought it would make it more interesting.<br /><br />For the record, I would place Churchill at No 1 in any all-time list of Premiers, purely on account of the fact that he saved the country. But in a list of peacetime premiers since 1945, I would probably place him between sixth between Heath and Home. He Paul Linfordhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01977920120772282561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12845739.post-70430577184335431952007-01-25T10:01:00.000+00:002007-01-25T10:01:00.000+00:00Churchill was a peacetime PM too, or doesn't he re...Churchill was a peacetime PM too, or doesn't he really count?<br /><br />Btw hope you're enjoying Belper life - I'm grew up nearby in Kilburn.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12845739.post-27609595445469135932007-01-25T09:00:00.000+00:002007-01-25T09:00:00.000+00:00[Suez] was a much darker episode in Britain's demo...<i>[Suez] was a much darker episode in Britain's democratic history than Iraq. It was collusion, it involved lies to Parliament, the UN, the Commonwealth and our Allies, and keeping the truth from cabinet members, diplomats and senior civil servants.</i><br /><br />I have the greatest respect for you MorrisOx, but aren't you being a trifle naive here?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12845739.post-26618885034871652272007-01-24T22:46:00.000+00:002007-01-24T22:46:00.000+00:00The risk with a list like this is that recent succ...The risk with a list like this is that recent successes or failures are magnified by live exposure while those of the past are dimmed by distant memory.<br />I'd agree completely with Eden's position at the bottom of the list, though the man didn't go bonkers. He was sick, certainly, from all the drugs he was forced to take after that appallingly botched operation. But blame for the Suez fiasco MorrisOxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11952846056079111473noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12845739.post-10551654761913431222007-01-24T22:43:00.000+00:002007-01-24T22:43:00.000+00:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.MorrisOxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11952846056079111473noreply@blogger.com