Portillo - 'Thatcher cared about the working man'

[purenarcotic]

I was frankly speechless at the following statement, but thought you lot would enjoy a good laugh at the sheer ridiculousness of it:

Michael Portillo on This week: 'I think the problem the coalition government has is that there is not the same direct link to the working man and woman that Thatcher had because she was the daughter of a grocer. She had a direct and understanding link to them.'

I... I... I don't even know.... Argh.

 

[Pickman's model]

bicycles all round

 

[purenarcotic]

bicycles all round

 

[weepiper]

Kate Middleton's family were miners you know, she's just like us.

 

[Pickman's model]

Kate Middleton's family were miners you know, she's just like us.

unemployed?

 

[purenarcotic]

Kate Middleton's family were miners you know, she's just like us.

Oh yes, so down to earth and in touch!

 

[Puddy_Tat]

we need a :bollocks: smiley for things like this...

 

[Kidda]

The Fairy Job Mother was lovely though. Like a fluffy JobCentre Plus drone.

 

[Nylock]

'I think the problem the coalition government has is that there is not the same direct link to the working man and woman that Thatcher had because she was the daughter of a grocer. She had a direct and understanding link to them.'

Pass me the fucking sick bag...

 

[butchersapron]

I was frankly speechless at the following statement, but thought you lot would enjoy a good laugh at the sheer ridiculousness of it:

Michael Portillo on This week: 'I think the problem the coalition government has is that there is not the same direct link to the working man and woman that Thatcher had because she was the daughter of a grocer. She had a direct and understanding link to them.'

Could they explain the same things better if they did?

 

[purenarcotic]

Could they explain the same things better if they did?

I would expect not.

'We have had direct dealings with you, but we're still cunts. So we're going to fuck you over regardless.'

 

[agricola]

As absurd a statement as it is, Portillo is not wrong - Thatcher was closer to the working man than this mob of Etonians and political-class hangers on are. Whether she cared about the working man is clearly another matter however, though I would still say what little she did care is still more than Cameron.

 

[Puddy_Tat]

Pass me the fucking sick bag...

 

[butchersapron]

As absurd a statement as it is, Portillo is not wrong - Thatcher was closer to the working man than this mob of Etonians and political-class hangers on are. Whether she cared about the working man is clearly another matter however, though I would still say what little she did care is still more than Cameron.

How was she closer to the working man?

 

[Puddy_Tat]

How was she closer to the working man?

In all seriousness, she probably was closer to a certain type of working man than the likes of Cameron (and arguably the Millipedes) are.

The sort of working man who has aspirations to 'better himself', wouldn't dream of joining a union, and is quite happy to piss on his colleagues in order to get that first level supervisor sort of job, but knows his place and doesn't get ideas too far above his station...

 

[butchersapron]

So a tory.What did she change?

 

[paolo]

As absurd a statement as it is, Portillo is not wrong - Thatcher was closer to the working man than this mob of Etonians and political-class hangers on are. Whether she cared about the working man is clearly another matter however, though I would still say what little she did care is still more than Cameron.

I can only take from that you mean populist. Cheap council houses, war, that kind of stuff.

Eye-catching right wing policies work on all class levels.

 

[agricola]

How was she closer to the working man?

What PT said, plus of course one did get the impression that she actually knew what working people were.

 

[butchersapron]

What did she offer to the w/c not tories,that's what i'm asking.

 

[Nylock]

unemployment, victimisation, demoralisation, lack of self-esteem, -to name but a few

Oh yeah, and shares in british gas...

 

[Nylock]

Thanks

 

[agricola]

What did she offer to the w/c not tories,that's what i'm asking.

Very little, but the w/c at that time got more from her government than they do from this mob.

 

[ViolentPanda]

As absurd a statement as it is, Portillo is not wrong - Thatcher was closer to the working man than this mob of Etonians and political-class hangers on are. Whether she cared about the working man is clearly another matter however, though I would still say what little she did care is still more than Cameron.

Arguably Thatcher was actually more distant from "the working man". She was a member of that stratum of the middle-classes that is forever aware, and forever ashamed of, any working class roots. She revelled in telling people how her father was a town alderman, a member of the town's chamber of commerce etc (and supposedly a Mason), but not about his humble origins. She then went on to marry an ex-public schoolboy in what was arguably another leap away from any working class roots.

So, "closer" is a matter of perspective. I doubt she'd thank anyone reminding her of her working class antecedents unless it benefitted her politically to acknowledge them.

 

[trevhagl]

I was frankly speechless at the following statement, but thought you lot would enjoy a good laugh at the sheer ridiculousness of it:

Michael Portillo on This week: 'I think the problem the coalition government has is that there is not the same direct link to the working man and woman that Thatcher had because she was the daughter of a grocer. She had a direct and understanding link to them.'

I... I... I don't even know.... Argh.

i thought he'd calmed down over the years but obviously not, how the fuck could anyone say that???

 

[purenarcotic]

i thought he'd calmed down over the years but obviously not, how the fuck could anyone say that???

By being a spectacular moron.

 

[nino_savatte]

As absurd a statement as it is, Portillo is not wrong - Thatcher was closer to the working man than this mob of Etonians and political-class hangers on are. Whether she cared about the working man is clearly another matter however, though I would still say what little she did care is still more than Cameron.

She was from a petite bourgeois family. The petite bourgeoisie are no friends of the working class.

 

[junglevip]

I think he (portilio) meant 'hated'. I am going to join a devil worship cult and desecrate her grave when she pops it; wearing only a miners hat and flip flops

 

[JHE]

Obviously, Thatcher didn't care about working people in general, but she cared about getting enough working people's votes to win elections. For some time she had the political nous to do so. Electorally, the policy of selling council houses at a knock-down price to their tenants was a very good move for the Tories.

 

[elbows]

She had a better link to them via The Sun than many manage.

 

[Puddy_Tat]

Obviously, Thatcher didn't care about working people in general, but she cared about getting enough working people's votes to win elections. For some time she had the political nous to do so. Electorally, the policy of selling council houses at a knock-down price to their tenants was a very good move for the Tories.

Indeed.

Many tory politicians are very good at playing to the "salt of the earth" types (particularly the non-unionised and / or self employed ones) but thinking "ugh, vile unwashed common people" behind the smile and often saying so as soon as they think they are among their own people again. They have generally been better at not getting caught or reported saying so as soon as they think the microphone is off.

I'm not convinced that the Cameroon contingent have that ability.