I disagree with Colin Hampton and The Derbyshire Unemployed Workers Centre and with several of your Facebook contributors.
I do not want to dance on the grave of Baroness Thatcher: I want her to live for many, many more years to come.
As a contributor to The Derbyshire Unemployed Workers Centre – “One Fund For All” – you may think I am at odds with the centre.
To say Mrs Thatcher ‘did some damage’ must be the biggest understatement of the 21st Century. I would not describe the destruction of the mining and engineering base of Chesterfield and that of a multitude of other regions as ‘some damage’.
To describe the poll tax as merely ‘damaging’ is another gross understatement. The poll tax forced the break up of families when parents could not afford to pay for their offspring who were still living at home.
Many young people were abandoned to conditions of homelessness and poverty.
As far as I can see, the only good she did was to make the rich even richer – hence the current cabinet which is made up of multi-millionaires.
I would not describe the promotion of greed, avarice, self interest and looking after No One as ‘good’.
It is right that she hasn’t been a Government Minister for over 20 years, but that does not mean the effects of her premiership ended when she gave up her position.
Just look at the drug culture which is rife in all areas now. I know drugs have been around for much longer than the past 20 years, but in those days these drugs were used for recreational purposes, not as a daily necessity as they are now for many young people.
She was responsible for creating an uncaring society where some young people will never know what it is to go out to work for a living wage or to belong to a Trade Union.
She created a society where drugs, cigarettes and alcohol are the only means of escape from the daily grinding poverty and hopelessness.
This town once had Bryan Donkins and Chesterfield Tube Works,both employing hundreds if not thousands of men.
We once had Trebor Bassett and Markham Works, again employing hundreds if not thousands of workers.
A short distance from Chesterfield were coal mines, GKN Sheepbridge and a host of other companies who no longer exist.
I never realised that the creation of a Baroness was a reward for leaving industrial areas barren!
Now back to me being ‘at odds’ with The Derbyshire Unemployed Workers Centre.
As I said previously, I hope Maggie lives for many, many more years. I also hope that for every second of every day of those years she suffers the pain, anguish, misery, hopelessness and despair which she left to ordinary people as a legacy of her time in office.
I know my wish will never come true whereas the sentiments on the t-shirts that were sold by the Derbyshire Unemployed Workers Centre will resonate with ordinary people for the rest of their lives.
I will not be dancing on her grave because I would not waste the diesel driving to her grave, or the shoe leather if she is buried within walking distance of my home, but I will be in contact with Colin to buy the t-shirt if they are not sold out by now.
David Fox
Via email
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