No. Her death wont be any more important than anyone elses and alot less important [to me!] than others.

I just voted, and I'm quite gobsmacked that it's neck and neck at the moment!!! There I was thinking WE were in the minority too!

plus 2 thats couldn't care less I am not suprised by this

Well said!!!
I remember my Dad, who all his life had been a staunch Labour man, when Thatcher got in she promised all kinds to the man with the small business. My Dad had a painting and decorating business which had been built up by hard work and word of mouth in Liverpool.
4years into Thatcher he went the way of a lot of "small business' " broke. He was a widow and bringing up two children paying all his bill including rent.
Dont anyone dare say he didn't work hard enough. It killed him!

but lots of them small businesses flourished exceptionally under her government - I have anecdotal evidence in my family - in my friends families to back that up. I know of several people who were able to build small businesses into larger business that employed a fair share of people on the back of it - politics really only goes as far as a persons own front door - but just as you say your dad didnt flourish - and i dont doubt he was hard working - so many many people did flourish.

You know people say "never discuss religion or politics when in company as the company often turns nast" How true is that.
When it comes down to it, it is ultimaltey people's personal experiences of the Thatcher years and sorry but mine where not the rosey rimmed ones that some people here feel they where.
Hey ho that's politics! However it is interesting that the North/South divide is explicite here in opinions of Tory/Socialticsim.

Sorry to hear about your Dad Elaine, and yes, it was difficult at the start, because my own husband was made redundant 3 times in a year, we had a big mortgage to pay, so I took the step of starting up a small business on my own, and it was because of her that I was able to get the loan from the bank to start it up, it took off so well, that 5 years down the line I just had to sell it because it had got out of hand, I just couldn't cope with it anymore, but it got us out of trouble and sent us further up the ladder. Getting on in life is all hard work, and a lorra lorra luck as our Cilla would say Had I NOT done what I did at the time God knows where we would be now though with the job situation, so there WERE opportunities to be taken at that time, and yes, she did help me by letting the banks release my funding to start me off on the right road.

Now, talking about socialism, there's something I've always wanted to know since I was a teenager. NOt having ever been interested in politics, I wanted to know what socialism was, and this chap tried to explain it to me by asking me "if you were sitting at a table of 10 people, you all had to work hard for a day's slice of bread, but only 5 of you managed to earn that slice, Socialism is, that you have to share yours with the other 5 people, so would you do it?" I won't tell you my answer Is that Socialism then, some of us have to work hard and pay for those who don't want to work then? I'm only asking! I know what Capitalism is, but I really, honestly don't know what socialism is, shame on me!

I didn't 'vote' because I don't see the poll?

Well I have got to say that financially as a self employed person those were without doubt the best years I have ever had.

As I have already said I made a fortune driving lorries while the miners strike was on. I was able to buy my own home because of the council house sale, and the tax system worked well.

elaineb I do feel sorry for your dad, but I have to say that he was does fit into a very small minority of self employed people who didn't make money in those years.

That sounds more like Communism to me Helena54, but hey I'm no expert.
The concept of the haves giving to the have nots is fine in principal, but then you get people who scam and cheat the system.
So I think Socialism was born on some of the principles of communism but its an ideal that in reality would not work.
1. The haves tend to be Conserverative and that speaks for itself.
2. Communism leaves no forum for democracy.
3. Socialism, as I said is (I beleive) a spin off of Communism and so open to abuse.