History will show that today we lost our best ever Prime Minister

Thatchers Government also stole pensions

Bus Employees Superanuation Trust. </p>

Took years of legal action to get our money back.</p>

 

So basically, what you're saying is...

...if TB has made your life better then, hey, to Hell with everyone else but if he's f**ked you over you're just being cynical - get over it...

The sort of attitude that actually reminds me of eighteen years of Tory rule but, after all, you are bigging up a man who, on countless times, has expressed his admiration of Mrs. Thatcher and her policies so maybe he's accomplished everything he ever set out to do...

 

Fair enough but I stand by what I say

Police do very well for themselves in comparison to most and in terms of dangerous jobs I suggest you look at some statistics for fatalities and injuries in industry, particularly construction.

Nurses also do dangerous, low paid, stressful jobs and get a raw deal in comparison with the boys in blue.

 

A rare occasion Nudge - I agree with you

The best in my lifetime for sure (40 years)

As a caller into the radio said this evening - we won't realise how good until he's gone.

Then again, I don't fall into your 3 categories.

 

RE: Well - I've read them all and my conclusion is this

Of course he comes over as an honest and likeable bloke - he's a lying two faced git.

 

All the best to the nurses because the government really does screw them over.

I may not have said it, but I have 100% support for anyone who gets out of bed in a morning (or in the middle of the night) and goes out to work a dangerous job. There's no competition here.</p>

In regard to police pay - it's a contentious issue and I think us agreeing to disagree is sensible.</p>

 

Let's be right...

Anyone in the public sector gets screwed over big-time - if not by insulting pay-rises then by being scapegoated by a LABOUR government for all the problems of the world. Perhaps we all oughta join useful careers like business consultancy or become a Big Brother contestant. All that money sloshing about the country for people who contribute not a jot to society and, when it comes to pay rises for nurses, the government says the cupboard is bare...

 

Me too.

I'm not sure what's going on. Iraq a HUGE mistake, but not a lie. Everything else absolutely tip-top. Be interesting to archive this thread and come back in ten years when the Tories have had another cack-handed stint in power.

 

That's just the point though, isn't it...

This is the best we can hope for - whether Iraq was a con-job or not it was still an absolute disaster displaying a complete lack of judgement and naivety on the part of the government but, because the other lot would've done exactly the same (I'm under no illusions about that, by the way) we have to act like it ain't really a big deal...

So we vote for one set of liars / incompetents (delete as per your preference) because the other choice is not worth considering. Ah, democracy...

 

Speaking as Old Labour

I have found Tony Blair a big disappointment. </p>

Too much pandering to the middle classes and not enough focus on the very hard working poor. In my experience the hardest working people in the Country are the worst rewarded.
</p>

Rip off UK is still here and we are all the victims.
</p>

Maggots in board rooms are still awarding themselves massive pay rises whilst proudly advertising the fact that their shop floor staff are paid minimum wages.</p>

Taxation for the very rich is too low at 40%. </p>

The massive tax give away by Thatcher has still not been recouped and the richest individuals in the Country are still getting richer on the backs of both middle and working classes.</p>

Neither has the massive Industrial give away of by Thatcher been corrected.</p>

Having said that Tony Blair will go down in History as the Greatest &quot;Peace Time&quot; Prime Minister.
</p>

 

Most sincere and likeable PM I've known

Plus he's put much, much more money in my pocket via the Working Families Tax Credit than the Tories did under Family Credit. Excellent PM for the working class. His tenure will also be remembered for the magnificent management of the economy and bringing peace to Northern Ireland. Sure he made mistakes - who hasn't over 10 years in their job - the biggest being too much fawning and arse licking of the Yanks. Overall though a job well done. Having said all that, others are entitled to their opinions, after all a lot of it is down to personal experience and there will be those who have ended up worse off. Where there's a winner, there's always a loser.

 

Agree with every line of that, JC...

The gap between the rich and the poor is bigger than it has been in some time and it shows no sign of shrinking...

 

RE: "The police officers ...aren't getting paid very much"

Come off it. My son's a policeman and his wage beats mine as a civil servant of 22 years by a country mile.

 

Don't do politics, 'tis a load of old Balericks.</p>

This is summert Blair-related that I find mildly amusing though...</p>

http://www.boreme.com/boreme/funny-2006/blair-clash-p1.php ff </p>

 

Ah democracy...

3-400,000 floating voters in the marginal constituancies every four years ? sham

 

yeah, but......

.....his old boss would have been the bst prime minister, had he lived.

John Smith, i really think, was the best pm we never had.

 

I agree with you on that

Very intelligent and shrewd man.

 

If you are politically minded

then why be so naiive? Politics isn't just about ideas. You need to get into a postion of influence and/or power to have a chance of applying your ideas. That means compromise and going with the tide (of public opinion even!) on occasion. Just because those that you mention choose to speak out when they have lost the chance to have the power doesn't make them any less honourable.

 

RE: Agree with every line of that, JC...

I will probably get slagged of for this but an old mate of mine of happened to be in a management position when Thatcher had her Great Industrial give away.</p>

That particular National Company was split up and sold off for a fraction of its real value in a so called management buy out. The assets of each company was used as security for the Bank loans. So in effect the management team didn't risk one penny of their own money. In fact the company was profitable in all areas so the managers couldn't lose. </p>

Many of them sold up within a year or so and walked away with various amounts from &pound;3 million to &pound;5 Million.</p>

This was the Nations assets which Thatcher gave away. </p>

Following a major incident a few years ago in which quite a few people died one of the companies received quite a bit of publicity. Socialist Worker put posters up around the Country which listed the salary of its top directors. To my surprise
my old mate was on the list at &pound;260k a year. He sold out a year or so later and made a reported &pound;58 Million.</p>

Some might say good luck to the people who benefited but we as a Nation were legally robbed or our assets. Much in the same way as the Russian people were robbed of their National assets. Roman isn't at Chelsea for the good of his health.
</p>

</p>

 

I like what Michael Foot said about Blair

How could you call anyone who joined the Labour Party when I was the leader a careerist.