Maggie in Craylands
February 12, 2013 2 Comments
There have been ten Prime Ministers during my life. Of those that I can remember Margaret Thatcher is comfortably the worst. Whilst I admire her political skills, her divisive and vindictive policies were deeply damaging.
My views on the Grantham grocer’s daughter will not tally with everyone in my corner of Essex. Essex, it has to be admitted, was largely in thrall to her.
This is not the reason why I find it odd that Basildon want her statue. Despite my many reservations about her tenure as PM I concede that she changed Britain for ever. Notwithstanding her anti-feminism she still managed to strike a chord for her sex by virtue of her being the first female PM – a unique feat still.
Basildon may have been a barometer seat which signalled her successes in 1979, 1983 and 1987, but it has no other claim to her. If Baroness Thatcher’s statue must go anywhere I would have thought that Grantham, Finchley or Westminster have far better claims.
I wonder whether Basildon Borough Council is having a flight of fancy. Wherever it goes, though, the Iron lady’s marble representation is likely to attract attention; whether this is admiration or ridicule does depend on your perspective.
What with the ‘BASILDON’ sign next to the A127 where it meets the A176 you do wonder what will be the next piece of artistry for the borough – a statue of Alice for this No-Wonder-Land?
An Essex Man of Letters – The Last Cuckoos.: Wrap up! http://an-essex-man-of-letters.blogspot.com/2013/02/wrap-up.html?spref=tw …
You’re quite right about Thatcher’s statue Julian but it does show just how much out of touch the Basildon Tory Cabinet is. I was at the cabinet meeting where Cllr Buckley made the suggestion, I mistakenly thought it was made ‘tongue in cheek’ but it appears they are serious. Cllr Ball thought that the suggestion was most appropriate, provided it was at no expense to Basildon Council Tax-payers and Cllr Blake became excited at the prospect! For myself I conjure up the image of Basildon people people dismantling the statue, remember like people pulling down Sadaam Hussein’s in Iraq?