Mitya Pearson does not seem to have done much research in this rather shallow article for Left Foot Forward: http://www.leftfootforward.org/2013/09/the-thatcherite-legacy-is-a-paradoxical-conservative-party/
The distillation of Thatcherism can be summed up in three words - free to choose.
Yes, we urge you to live within your means. Yes we tell you moderate things are stable (mediocre firma should be written on John Major's gravestone). Yes we want everyone to stand on their own two feet and support themselves (with a gentle shove for those a little slow in getting off their backside).
But at the end of the day you are free to choose.
You want to lie in bed until midday? You are free to do this. Just don't expect others to support you financially.
You want to max out your credit card and run up debts you don't intend to pay back? You are free, within the law, to do this. But don't be surprised if you lose your credit rating and institutions stop trusting you.
You want to vote in Labour councils and Labour governments that are totally incontinent when spending other people's money? You are free to vote these people into office. Just remember the gleeful note left by Liam Byrne telling us there was no more money left after thirteen years of Labour maladministration - these people will take all your hard-earned taxes, squander them on vanity projects and wasteful fol de rols and then laugh in your face.
There is no paradox in Thatcherism.
At the end of the day we value freedom above everything.
And if (as will happen from time to time) a Labour government comes along and blows out all the candles we will light them up again.
(candle quote from Betjeman).
The distillation of Thatcherism can be summed up in three words - free to choose.
Yes, we urge you to live within your means. Yes we tell you moderate things are stable (mediocre firma should be written on John Major's gravestone). Yes we want everyone to stand on their own two feet and support themselves (with a gentle shove for those a little slow in getting off their backside).
But at the end of the day you are free to choose.
You want to lie in bed until midday? You are free to do this. Just don't expect others to support you financially.
You want to max out your credit card and run up debts you don't intend to pay back? You are free, within the law, to do this. But don't be surprised if you lose your credit rating and institutions stop trusting you.
You want to vote in Labour councils and Labour governments that are totally incontinent when spending other people's money? You are free to vote these people into office. Just remember the gleeful note left by Liam Byrne telling us there was no more money left after thirteen years of Labour maladministration - these people will take all your hard-earned taxes, squander them on vanity projects and wasteful fol de rols and then laugh in your face.
There is no paradox in Thatcherism.
At the end of the day we value freedom above everything.
And if (as will happen from time to time) a Labour government comes along and blows out all the candles we will light them up again.
(candle quote from Betjeman).
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