Margaret Thatcher Day Options

[Simon Kirby]

Having it's second reading in the Commons today, a bill to call the late August bank holiday "Margaret Thatcher Day".

I can understand that admirers of the late prime minister, her policies, achievements, and attitudes, may want to celebrate the lady's legacy by naming the holiday in her honour, but I don't agree that it's appropriate.

It's un-English. We as a nation are typically self-deprecating and modest and we don't ordinarily go in for this kind of hero worship. Naming a bank holiday after the Tory politician would put her in company with Jesus as the only other individual to have a holiday named after them, and even to her staunchest advocates I would hope that comparison was an accolade too far. It's something they go in for a bit in the United States with days for Christopher Columbus, Martin Luther King and George Washington, but I don't see that as a good precedent.

It's also divisive. She was undeniably a remarkable individual and no one would deny that, and very many hail her as a national saviour, but she was also the most divisive prime minister we've ever had and very many see her as the embodiment of the most hateful Tory class oppression and injustice, and naming a public holiday in her honour rubs the noses of half the country in the sh1t.

To name the holiday in her honour would be triumphalist and would do nothing but stoke division.

[On the edge]

I'm certainly not convinced about a day either. We could do something far more permanent such as renaming Thatcham, Thatcher. Only a few letters different, so very cheap to implement.

[Simon Kirby]

I'm certainly not convinced about a day either. We could do something far more permanent such as renaming Thatcham, Thatcher. Only a few letters different, so very cheap to implement.

It could twin with Margate.

[Simon Kirby]

I'm certainly not convinced about a day either. We could do something far more permanent such as renaming Thatcham, Thatcher. Only a few letters different, so very cheap to implement.

Thatcham Broadway - Mathew 7:13.

[motormad]

. Naming a bank holiday after the Tory politician would put her in company with Jesus as the only other individual to have a holiday named after them

At least Thatcher was a real person...

[Simon Kirby]

At least Thatcher was a real person...

Of course she was...

[On the edge]

Anyway, all these crocodile tears from the Tories wanting to 'honour' her. They didn't listen to the likes of us who wanted her stuffed and put into a museum when she was actually in office! Yes, you are partly right with the analogy MM - but she was betrayed by all her disciples, not just one.

[Exhausted]

Anyway, all these crocodile tears from the Tories wanting to 'honour' her. They didn't listen to the likes of us who wanted her stuffed and put into a museum when she was actually in office! Yes, you are partly right with the analogy MM - but she was betrayed by all her disciples, not just one.

After the way the banks treated us, I wonder if they should officially be renamed 'public holidays'.

[Andy Capp]

Thatcher Day is a ridiculous idea. She did a remarkable job of becoming Prime Minister, but save for breaking the grip of the unions, she didn't do much good when she got there.

[spartacus]

I'd much rather we celebrated Dennis Thatcher Day - G&Ts all round!!

[spartacus]

But anyways.. it's a Private Members Bill from a Conservative MP of the Continuity Loony Right. We might as well be discussing 25th December becoming Gerry Adams Day. It's a childish act of provocation and just proves that some MPs have little to do other than fill their time with nonsense in Parliamentary hours....

tbh I'm more surprised that no MP has (yet) proposed a 'Mandela Day'.... Whatever the private feelings might be there wouldn't be a single public figure that would dare oppose it.



The current discussion on the other hand has upset the usual bunch of soap dodgers and malcontents which is a bonus. There's even petitions against it. Imagine the rage as all these unwashed types huddle round their poverty laptops and taxpayer funded broadband frothing at the mouth filling in their petitions.

[Lolly]

Having it's second reading in the Commons today, [url="http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2013-14/margaretthatcherday.html"]a bill to call the late August bank holiday "Margaret Thatcher Day"

To name the holiday in her honour would be triumphalist and would do nothing but stoke division.

I couldn't agree more. And haven't the MP's who are proposing it got anything better to debate? Or work to do in their constituencies? Good to see that RB isn't one of the sponsors.

[spartacus]

Thatcher Day is a ridiculous idea. She did a remarkable job of becoming Prime Minister, but save for breaking the grip of the unions, she didn't do much good when she got there.

When you point out the fact Mrs. T closed fewer coal mines than her predecessors in the Labour party, you are indeed in league with the devil.
Harold Wilson was a man from the North and was Labour, hence his closures were a painful necessity.
Mrs. T was a woman (pah) from the South (toff) and was Tory (puke), hence the closures were just vindictive.

Many people won't engage in political debate, but simply regurgitate propaganda, and would've hated Maggie even if she'd found a cure for cancer.

[MontyPython]

To name the holiday in her honour would be triumphalist and would do nothing but stoke division.

I am sure that the left wingers would feel so appalled that they would forego their days holiday and go to work for no pay in protest!

[On the edge]

When you point out the fact Mrs. T closed fewer coal mines than her predecessors in the Labour party, you are indeed in league with the devil.
Harold Wilson was a man from the North and was Labour, hence his closures were a painful necessity.
Mrs. T was a woman (pah) from the South (toff) and was Tory (puke), hence the closures were just vindictive.

Many people won't engage in political debate, but simply regurgitate propaganda, and would've hated Maggie even if she'd found a cure for cancer.

Yes, Mrs T was a remarkable PM. Shame she was stabbed in the back by the very MPs who think she should be deified now. Regrettably, she fell into the trap many leaders fall into. That is surrounding herself with useful idiots and failing to ensure a sustainable succession. That lead to the nuclear disaster of John Major's government.

[Andy Capp]

Yes, Mrs T was a remarkable PM. Shame she was stabbed in the back by the very MPs who think she should be deified now. Regrettably, she fell into the trap many leaders fall into. That is surrounding herself with useful idiots and failing to ensure a sustainable succession. That lead to the nuclear disaster of John Major's government.

She might have been stabbed in the back, but rightly or wrongly, the poll tax did for her. Many families, mainly low paid left and right wing, saw their household bills go through the roof, and when you upset everyone, you are politically in trouble. I think she become an anachronism and I also have a hunch she started to go round the bend.

She was needed to realign the country, there is no doubt about that, but some of the things we might consider 'great' are now actually coming home to roost. Home ownership, deregulation in shares and borrowing, rail privatisation, etc.

[On the edge]

She might have been stabbed in the back, but rightly or wrongly, the poll tax did for her. Many families, mainly low paid left and right wing, saw their household bills go through the roof, and when you upset everyone, you are politically in trouble. I think she become an anachronism and I also have a hunch she started to go round the bend.

She was needed to realign the country, there is no doubt about that, but some of the things we might consider 'great; are now actually coming home to roost. Home ownership, deregulation in shares and borrowing, rail privatisation, etc.

Quite so, and therefore just like any other Politician, feet of clay. Certainly not justifying any 'special day'!

[JeffG]

I am sure that the left wingers would feel so appalled that they would forego their days holiday and go to work for no pay in protest!

I'm sure you wouldn't need to be a left-winger to do that. Just not a right-winger. Let's have a Genghis Khan day while we're at it.

[MontyPython]

I'm sure you wouldn't need to be a left-winger to do that. Just not a right-winger. Let's have a Genghis Khan day while we're at it.

I meant that I bet they would still take the day off whoever it was in remembrance for!