Thatcher and Me

I am in no way a lover of politics though I do at times find it fascinating. There is much talk and discussion at the moment on the legacy of Margaret Thatcher. This is to be expected, but for me it is an insight into the period I grew up in. There is much to learn from the period of her premiership. It has reminded me of how little I knew at the time. I, like many youngsters, hated the news - I'd much rather watch cartoons, Doctor Who or the Wombles. It's probably why I love rediscovering my past, watching old news bulletins of the day or browsing archived copies of newspapers. It's all about filling gaps.
I was always aware during the 1980's that we had a female prime minister and that the people around me didn't like her, not simply because she was a woman, but because of her policies. I would hear my parents bemoan the fact that she had upset another section of society. It led me one day to write about her at primary school, calling her a 'cow'. I remember my class teacher laughing at the time but I worried for many days that I would be arrested and taken away for making such a comment. It was a real and palpable fear, completely ridiculous of course but it was what I believed would happen.
There were of course significant moments in her tenure such as the Falklands invasion and subsequent war with Argentina. Her meetings with Ronald Reagan didn't seem that significant back then but today, I can see that they were incredibly important and helped shape the world we live in today. The relationship she developed with the then president of the USSR, Mikhail Gorbachev certainly contributed to bring about the end of the Cold War.
I have heard many criticisms from those who fell victim to her economic policies and battles with trade unions. They are right to feel bitter. But I also hear praise for her unstinting resolve in the face of crisis and the way she changed Britain from a country on the brink of economic ruin to one of prosperity. It's not all bad.

Mikhail Gorbachev: 'I said to Margaret that I had no instructions from the Politburo to persuade her to join the Communist party of the Soviet Union. She broke into laughter'.