Posted on 04/08/2013 9:13:19 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
Say what you will about the rest of her legacy, but when it comes to the economic disaster today known as the euro, Margaret Thatcher was downright prophetic. In a delightfully acidic speech delivered before Britain's House of Commons in 1990, and posted below, she summed up her feelings about European integration: "No. No. No."
Specifically, Thatcher opposed to the idea of handing political power to a European parliament, giving up the pound for a single European currency, or handing over its monetary policy to a European central bank. As she put it (in the blunt way only British politicians can):
Perhaps the Labour party would give all those things up easily. Perhaps it would agree to a single currency and abolition of the pound sterling. Perhaps, being totally incompetent in monetary matters, it would be only too delighted to hand over full responsibility to a central bank, as it did to the IMF. The fact is that the Labour party has no competence on money and no competence on the economy -- so, yes, the right hon. Gentleman would be glad to hand it all over. What is the point of trying to get elected to Parliament only to hand over sterling and the powers of this House to Europe?
Ouch.
Thatcher's stance towards a greater Europe was a bit more nuanced than some now remember. In that same speech, she said her government would support the idea of a "parallel" European currency that could co-exist with the pound -- a sort of trial run for potential future integration. And it wasn't just her Labour opponents pushing for Britain to become part of a more federal Europe.
(Excerpt) Read more at theatlantic.com ...
I guess Ronald and God are welcoming her to Heaven and talking about how bad Obama is doing for FREEDOMS!!
On 1 November 1990 Geoffrey Howe, the last remaining member of Thatcher’s original 1979 cabinet, resigned from his position as Deputy Prime Minister over her refusal to agree to a timetable for Britain to join the European Exchange Rate Mechanism.
In his resignation speech on 13 November, Howe commented on Thatcher’s European stance: “It is rather like sending your opening batsmen to the crease only for them to find the moment that the first balls are bowled that their bats have been broken before the game by the team captain.”
His resignation was fatal to Thatcher’s premiership.
The next day, Michael Heseltine mounted a challenge for the leadership of the Conservative Party. Opinion polls had indicated that he would give the Conservatives a national lead over Labour.
Although Thatcher won the first ballot, Heseltine attracted sufficient support (152 votes) to force a second ballot. Thatcher initially stated that she intended to “fight on and fight to win” the second ballot, but consultation with her Cabinet persuaded her to withdraw.
After seeing the Queen, calling other world leaders, and making one final Commons speech, she left Downing Street in tears. She regarded her ousting as a betrayal.
THAT, marked the end of an era of great leaders IMHO.
And Pop John Paul II.
I agree 100 percent.
I helped “cover” John Paul when he visited Living History Farms in Des Moines back in the 70s. I’ll never forget it.
Reagan and Thatcher were of course special, but you met a living saint in JP II.
And so it was. She accomplished so very much that was beneficial to Britain but jealous slugs in her own party stabbed her in the back.
Conservatism in on the rise here.
A Tory led coalition, and UKIP the biggest rising party. Clampdown on immigration and benefit culture. Not perfect, but we are getting there.
I think that's happened to a former governor of Alaska as well.
Got that right
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