Vegas & The Aftermath - Diary

[Jon MW]

A few simple facts.

Now one cared about the Falkland islands before it was pinpointed by Thatcher as a tool to save herself in the Conservative party and increase her popularity with the British public.
...

a) When did Thatcher ever do anything designed to make herself more popular or keep the Conservatives in power?
b) More importantly losing a war or committing to a long expensive war doesn't make you popular - aren't you drawing conclusions from the result of the action rather than considering whether it was a +EV move to start with?

(a)probably resigning would get my vote, most people would say the right to buy,
(b)when the falklands broke out there was a fierce sense of patriotism in this country,at the time it was hard not to be affected by all this, there where lots of people i knew who where convinced at the time this was a con to boost national pride ,maggie had made us a great country once again, these people where shouted down as being militant,she won a landslide victory at the next election so i don't see how it didn't help there election chances.looking back i think both sides took advantage of the situation to gain political popularity at home,i have always thought history will remember Thatcher for what she was a very cold clever dangerous woman

And until Tony Blair started praising her that is exactly how she was remembered.

and right to buy is an outright disaster for the UK housing market.

a) That's true right to buy was a good trick to undermine Labour and consolidate Conservative support - but it still held true to core Tory values.
Not re building the social housing stock was a disaster for the UK housing market - not the right to buy scheme.

b) Declaring war would give a short term popularity boost, but it would be followed by a huge backlash if the war wasn't over relatively quickly and painlessly - and there were no signs at all at the time that this would be the case. The only way Thatcher could have used it for a political lift was if she was a big gambler and this doesn't really fit with her overall profile.

[pokerfan]

A few simple facts.

Now one cared about the Falkland islands before it was pinpointed by Thatcher as a tool to save herself in the Conservative party and increase her popularity with the British public.
...

a) When did Thatcher ever do anything designed to make herself more popular or keep the Conservatives in power?
b) More importantly losing a war or committing to a long expensive war doesn't make you popular - aren't you drawing conclusions from the result of the action rather than considering whether it was a +EV move to start with?

(a)probably resigning would get my vote, most people would say the right to buy,
(b)when the falklands broke out there was a fierce sense of patriotism in this country,at the time it was hard not to be affected by all this, there where lots of people i knew who where convinced at the time this was a con to boost national pride ,maggie had made us a great country once again, these people where shouted down as being militant,she won a landslide victory at the next election so i don't see how it didn't help there election chances.looking back i think both sides took advantage of the situation to gain political popularity at home,i have always thought history will remember Thatcher for what she was a very cold clever dangerous woman

And until Tony Blair started praising her that is exactly how she was remembered.

and right to buy is an outright disaster for the UK housing market.

a) That's true right to buy was a good trick to undermine Labour and consolidate Conservative support - but it still held true to core Tory values.
Not re building the social housing stock was a disaster for the UK housing market - not the right to buy scheme.

b) Declaring war would give a short term popularity boost, but it would be followed by a huge backlash if the war wasn't over relatively quickly and painlessly - and there were no signs at all at the time that this would be the case. The only way Thatcher could have used it for a political lift was if she was a big gambler and this doesn't really fit with her overall profile.

maybe someone could start a maggie thread and take their pointless arguments elsewhere

[boldie]

maybe someone could start a maggie thread and take their pointless arguments elsewhere

 

Nothing anyone likes better than being told off by someone who registered 1 day earlier.

[kinboshi]

Quick question about piers.

Why??

Peer pressure from other seaside resorts.

 

Now go hang your head in shame.

Sorry, I'll disap-pier now....

[Jon MW]

....
maybe someone could start a maggie thread and take their pointless arguments elsewhere

In what sense would you say it was pointless?

[Rookie (Rodney)]

Make sure you are at Luton tonight!!

[gatso]

this is a proper pier, the longest wooden one in Europe @ 511 metres (although they did finally reinforce a few of the legs with concrete a souple of years back).



it's been around for c. 100 years now and no sign of a fire, I guess 'cos it has very little insurance value. the very end of it is used by ferries, the rest of it for courting ladies

[Royal Flush]

A Weston-Super-Mare resident said she thought she could smell something burning.

She was right!

[bobby1]

A few simple facts.

Now one cared about the Falkland islands before it was pinpointed by Thatcher as a tool to save herself in the Conservative party and increase her popularity with the British public.
...

a) When did Thatcher ever do anything designed to make herself more popular or keep the Conservatives in power?
b) More importantly losing a war or committing to a long expensive war doesn't make you popular - aren't you drawing conclusions from the result of the action rather than considering whether it was a +EV move to start with?

(a)probably resigning would get my vote, most people would say the right to buy,
(b)when the Falklands broke out there was a fierce sense of patriotism in this country,at the time it was hard not to be affected by all this, there where lots of people i knew who where convinced at the time this was a con to boost national pride ,Maggie had made us a great country once again, these people where shouted down as being militant,she won a landslide victory at the next election so i don't see how it didn't help there election chances.looking back i think both sides took advantage of the situation to gain political popularity at home,i have always thought history will remember Thatcher for what she was a very cold clever dangerous woman

Very true to an extent, the Argie govt had apparently planned to invade the Falklands later in the year but as their political lives needed a major boost they brought forward the planned attack by many months which in the end helped quicken their demise as they didn't have everything in place at the time they invaded.


So as a way of courting favour it was the Argues that invaded for a moral boost to the Country and government , what options does that then leave the owners of the Island other than defend their territory?

It may have helped to boost the popularity of Thatcher and her govt but in the end it was a no brainer to defend surely and if we had come back with our tails between our legs they would have struggled to retain office.

[Karabiner]

The Falklands War also inspired the classic Sun headline:

"Stick It Up Your Junta"

[AndrewT]

The Falklands War also inspired the classic Sun headline:

"Stick It Up Your Junta"

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2002/feb/25/pressandpublishing.falklands

[Karabiner]

The Falklands War also inspired the classic Sun headline:

"Stick It Up Your Junta"

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2002/feb/25/pressandpublishing.falklands

Interestingly (to me anyhow), The Sun was from it's outset and for many years a right-wing  tory rag, until "new labour" arrived and then it crossed the house.

What price it crosses back for the next general election ?

[Longy]

If I was to set a line on who the sun back in the next election, the Tories would be very strong favourites.

[neeko]

I am sure that the Sun will back (a) the party that will win, and (b) the party that will sell it most copies.

[AndrewT]

The Falklands War also inspired the classic Sun headline:

"Stick It Up Your Junta"

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2002/feb/25/pressandpublishing.falklands

Interestingly (to me anyhow), The Sun was from it's outset and for many years a right-wing  tory rag, until "new labour" arrived and then it crossed the house.

What price it crosses back for the next general election ?

Murdoch doesn't care which party his papers support, as long as they're the winners.