Noel Gallagher: 'Britain was better under Margaret Thatcher'

[InOne]

He makes some good points. Noel for PM


http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/showbiz/news/a363982/noel-gallagher-britain-was-better-under-margaret-thatcher.html

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/moslive/article-2094856/Noel-Gallagher-It-better-Margaret-Thatcher.html

[Niall]

He's off his head. Absolute twat. Thatcher is one of the reasons this country is in such an economic state at the moment. :bored:

[King Gizzard]

Rubbish. Stick to music noel

[Ammi]

I don't really agree with him tbh. He's just getting old. Violence has always been a part of society, but you notice it more when it's your childrens safety than when you were young and it was your own. There are changes for sure, but a lot of them are positive ones.

[MTVN]

Noel Gallagher a Thatcherite, wouldn't have guessed it

[InOne]

He doesn't say he supports her, he's on about society and general attitudes at the time mostly.

[Crimson Dynamo]

He's off his head. Absolute twat. Thatcher is one of the reasons this country is in such an economic state at the moment. :bored:

How do you work that out?

[Ammi]

He doesn't say he supports her, he's on about society and general attitudes at the time mostly.

I think he's looking back through rose coloured spectacles, because he's proably worried about his kids...it's understandable, we've all heard our parents and grandparents say.....'when I was a lad.........'

[Crimson Dynamo]

I think he's looking back through rose coloured spectacles, because he's proably worried about his kids...it's understandable, we've all heard our parents and grandparents say.....'when I was a lad.........'

this

[Kizzy]

What is it about money that turns people tory!...

[MTVN]

What he seems to be saying is that because things were worse they were better, and that because the situation was so crap for so many people it made their music and art a lot more meaningful or something, I don't think crime and general disorder is a lot worse today than it was 20/30 years ago either. I agree with Ammi, seems more like he's just got rose tinted glasses on tbh.

[joeysteele]

From all I have heard from family and friends families too and from all I have read of the period of her Premiership between 1979 and 1990,I would not have been a supporter of hers so cannot agree with much Noel says.

She was undoubtedly a leader who stood no nonsense and was very strong but she turned working man against working man and also presided over the largest unemployment. and home repossessions, had 2 recessions in that time as well.
There are some similarities now as to then but what she didn't have was the worldwide crisis that hit the last Labour govt,(who were badly prepared for the event in full truth), or the mess this coalition Govt has had to take over from that Labour govt.
Thatchers recessions were largely only confined her home front in the UK and possibly even of her making too by bad economic policies.

Without the revenues from North sea oil and also the selling off very cheaply of the energy companies and other state owned industries,the economic and financial record of her time as PM would have read extremely negatively probably.

Noel Gallagher is a brilliant songwriter, musician and he sings really good too but in 1997 he was well involved with the Tony Blair bandwagon and certainly wasn't saying anything like this then. I rate Noel highly but best he holds back on politics.

[Ammi]

What he seems to be saying is that because things were worse they were better, and that because the situation was so crap for so many people it made their music and art a lot more meaningful, I don't think crime and general disorder is a lot worse today than it was 20/30 years ago either. I think he's just got rose tinted glasses on tbh.

Yes indeed, that's what my grandad said about WW2 times as well....but I doubt it was 'better times'

[Kizzy]

things are worse, a lot worse statistically if you look at the increase in gun and knife crime in some of our inner cities its evident. Its due to cultural and social change rather than political change though.

[fruit_cake]

It's very different, we had no internet or anything back then. I don't think Thatcher is really relevant. It's been a long time since she was around. People were less self obsessed back then though imo

[Livia]

What is it about money that turns people tory!...

That's a bit of a wild generalisation. You think everyone who's below a certain salary votes Labour?

There are lots of working class members of the Conservative party, just as there are some very rich "champagne socialists" in the Labour party.

The economy was better under Thatcher, whether you like her or not. The Tories inherited an unstable economy from Labour and built it up. Nothing happens over night, but eventually interest rates went down, unemployment went down we had a strong pound... then Labour got in and for ten years steadily spent all the money, sold off our gold reserves, plundered our pension pots... then lost a General Election to the Conservatives. So once again the Conservatives have inherited an unstable economy from Labour. It's like a vicious circle.

[Livia]

It's very different, we had no internet or anything back then. I don't think Thatcher is really relevant. It's been a long time since she was around. People were less self obsessed back then though imo

It's twenty two years. The blink of an eye in historical terms. That's like saying nothing pre-Internet is relevant.

[MTVN]

That's a bit of a wild generalisation. You think everyone who's below a certain salary votes Labour?

There are lots of working class members of the Conservative party, just as there are some very rich "champagne socialists" in the Labour party.

The economy was better under Thatcher, whether you like her or not. The Tories inherited an unstable economy from Labour and built it up. Nothing happens over night, but eventually interest rates went down, unemployment went down we had a strong pound... then Labour got in and for ten years steadily spent all the money, sold off our gold reserves, plundered our pension pots... then lost a General Election to the Conservatives. So once again the Conservatives have inherited an unstable economy from Labour. It's like a vicious circle.

Unemployment? Surely she can't be credited for reducing that, it soared under Thatcher to the highest point since the Great Depression, sure she managed to bring down inflation but at a very high price, and Thatcher's economy wasn't particularly stable either, she also oversaw two recessions as well as a crippling boom and bust period

[Kizzy]

but i love making wild generalisations... It is a worldwide recession, you cannot blame labour for squandering money and then suggest the tories rock up on white chargers to save us all. We are indeed living in a very different world from the 1980s, and i would suggest one of the governments biggest expenditures is defence. Followed by welfare, as our country has swelled considerably. Conservative governments historically have been known to protect those with money and target the poorest in society, more recently there has been a shift by those working class voting conservative the 'essex man' for example. does this prove that all who have money vote tory? maybe not but we are seeing a shift in attitudes towards the poor, back to a lazzez faire ideology.

[fruit_cake]

It's twenty two years. The blink of an eye in historical terms. That's like saying nothing pre-Internet is relevant.

No it's not like saying that at all. It's like saying that Noel believes Britain was better under Thatcher, and I disagree and believe that things like the internet are more important to social change in the last 22 years than the relevance of not having Thatcher as prime minister.

[MTVN]

I don't think Thatcher is irrelevant at all, Blair took New Labour down a Thatcherite path, we've got a Thatcherite PM in power now, the Falklands is still disputed territory, the Unions have never regained the strength they once had and she started the process of privatisation which is still ongoing today, it's hard to deny that she still has a lot of relevance in the political world

Edit - oh sorry, you mean culturally, hmm I'm not really all that sure about that, I don't know a lot about what life was like for most people back in the 80's

[arista]

I don't think Thatcher is irrelevant at all, Blair took New Labour down a Thatcherite path, we've got a Thatcherite PM in power now, the Falklands is still disputed territory, the Unions have never regained the strength they once had and she started the process of privatisation which is still ongoing today, it's hard to deny that she still has a lot of relevance in the political world



Edit - oh sorry, you mean culturally, hmm I'm not really all that sure about that, I don't know a lot about what life was like for most people back in the 80's



Yes Blair the New Secret Tory.

[arista]

It was all better under Thatcher': Noel Gallagher on Britain's glory days, turning his back on drugs and the end of Oasis



Nothing wrong with saying that.

[Kizzy]

nothing right with it either...just a generalisation, everyone thinks their era is the best, when you are young and hedonistic. Now he has a romantic nostalgic 'this is england' image, If he had been a fella out of work struggling to support a family in the 80s he might have had a different view of maggie?

[Kazanne]

IMO,it was Labour that brought this country to its knees,now it has to be propped up again and it will be hard ,but it HAS to be done,no one likes it but as they say you have to be cruel to be kind.

[Jesus.]

IMO,it was Labour that brought this country to its knees,now it has to be propped up again and it will be hard ,but it HAS to be done,no one likes it but as they say you have to be cruel to be kind.

How are Labour to blame for the current financial crisis? It is a worldwide financial meltdown.

You can't cut your way out of a recession, you have to spend money on infrastructure so that people are back to work and have money in their pockets again, which they in turn pass on to businesses.

Thatcher destroyed industry in this country, and wiped towns off the map. Her own cabinet were even telling her to forget about the north. Imagine that.

[Kizzy]

a tory invention...outsourcing, everything we used to produce steel, coal, textiles blah blah is now imported. thats why we have no work and the cost of importing all the stuff we need is astronomical, all so fatcats can save money on labour, put the industry abroad and pay them peanuts...but us northerners wont be marching to london from jarrow this time, will be marching to the DSS for a crisis loan.

[Mystic Mock]

IMO,it was Labour that brought this country to its knees,now it has to be propped up again and it will be hard ,but it HAS to be done,no one likes it but as they say you have to be cruel to be kind.

The Conservatives need to get rid of David Cameron if they want any improvments for this country I think.

[Jesus.]

Is she dead, yet?

[MTVN]

The Conservatives need to get rid of David Cameron if they want any improvments for this country I think.

And replace him with who, Osborne? I'm no Conservative but he's actually done a very good job as a leader, even in the situation we're in now with all the recent troubles most people would still far rather place their trust in him than Miliband

[Mystic Mock]

And replace him with who, Osborne? I'm no Conservative but he's actually done a very good job as a leader, even in the situation we're in now with all the recent troubles most people would still far rather place their trust in him than Miliband

I would take Gordon Brown again than keep David Cameron as leader as his just a Labour man really with the way his running the country at the moment.

Also what made my mind up about David Cameron was when The Riots happened and it took him almost a week just to come close to sorting the situation out,when any other leader would have sorted it all out within 2 or 3 days.

Also don't forget the comment about go and hug a huddy when his was running for Prime Minister.

[arista]

Is she dead, yet?

No.



The Queen Is also Older And Alive

[Jesus.]

No.



The Queen Is also Older And Alive

How about now?

[arista]

How about now?

No Alive and Well.

[Scarlett.]

I don't like the Tories, never have, but David Cameron is probably the only person in the political world at the moment who seems to have any idea how to run a country? I mean could you really see Milliband being a decent PM?

[arista]

I don't like the Tories, never have, but David Cameron is probably the only person in the political world at the moment who seems to have any idea how to run a country? I mean could you really see Milliband being a decent PM?

True


Very Valid Point

[Jesus.]

I don't like the Tories, never have, but David Cameron is probably the only person in the political world at the moment who seems to have any idea how to run a country? I mean could you really see Milliband being a decent PM?

David Cameron is ideologically opposed to the needs of most of the people in the country. This Eaton educated, multi-millionaire is cutting services to the most needy in society. He's cutting the safety nets away from the poor whilst not one banker has been prosecuted for their financial crimes.

Just because the leader of the opposition is not a good politician, it doesn't mean that our standards have to drop to their level.

Politicians need to improve to our level, and not we sink to theirs.

[Livia]

Multi-millionaire Tony Blair went to Fettes in Edinburgh, don't see anyone on the left kicking up a fuss about that. In fact, more than half of Labour Party MPs have been privately educated. But if a Tory is privately education it's a stick with which to beat them, supposedly.

The financial mess was in full flow long before the Conservatives came to power. No bankers have been prosecuted by the Conservative Party in much the same way that no bankers were prosecuted under Labour. The Fred Goodwin/RBS scandal happened under Labour. They didn't even ask him for his knighthood back, so how anyone would imagine that bankers should be prosecuted now the Conservatives are in charge smacks slightly of double-standards.

[Jesus.]

Multi-millionaire Tony Blair went to Fettes in Edinburgh, don't see anyone on the left kicking up a fuss about that. In fact, more than half of Labour Party MPs have been privately educated. But if a Tory is privately education it's a stick with which to beat them, supposedly.

The financial mess was in full flow long before the Conservatives came to power. No bankers have been prosecuted by the Conservative Party in much the same way that no bankers were prosecuted under Labour. The Fred Goodwin/RBS scandal happened under Labour. They didn't even ask him for his knighthood back, so how anyone would imagine that bankers should be prosecuted now the Conservatives are in charge smacks slightly of double-standards.

If I was defending Labour and Blair you'd have made some decent points. But I didn't. I am way to the left of the centre-right Labour party. There is a plague on both their houses as far as I'm concerned. It's just that the current ruling party (Forget about the LD's), is waging a war on the poor and most needy, whilst protecting their friends. Labour would have done the same but to a lesser extent. They certainly wouldn't have demonised people on benefits, though, the way the tories have.

I say this as someone who was fairly privileged growing up myself. Although not on the same level as Boris, David and the rest of the Bulingdon Club.

[Livia]

If I was defending Labour and Blair you'd have made some decent points. But I didn't. I am way to the left of the centre-right Labour party. There is a plague on both their houses as far as I'm concerned. It's just that the current ruling party (Forget about the LD's), is waging a war on the poor and most needy, whilst protecting their friends. Labour would have done the same but to a lesser extent. They certainly wouldn't have demonised people on benefits, though, the way the tories have.

I say this as someone who was fairly privileged growing up myself. Although not on the same level as Boris, David and the rest of the Bulingdon Club.

My points about the current Labour Party were valid, regardless of your own particular point of view. But, as you say, there there is no 'left' in British politics now. One politician I really admire both as a politician and as a human being is Tony Benn, although I don't always agree with him. Born to a privileged life but a real left-winger. I wonder what the Labour Party might be like if they had more politicians like him instead of the insipid champagne socialists who run it now.

I agree somewhat with the benefits point you raise, however, we both know that there are people claiming benefits to which they are not really entitled, or because they are better off on benefits than they would be if they were working. How do you flag up those people if not by reforming the way benefits are allocated? Labour does not generally reform benefits because those people who receive them are (generally) traditionally their voters.

I say this as someone who, unlike you, does not come from a fairly privileged background. I come from one of the poorest (Labour) Boroughs in east London. I worked hard for my degree while working to support myself. Nobody ever handed me a damn thing. Yet I grew up surrounded by people who live their life on benefits, housed by the council, who had their values and work-ethic handed down to them by parents who had lived the same lifestyle.

[Mystic Mock]

Am I the only that thinks that there isn't a normal right wing party to oppose Labour and Conservatives as both parties policies are more to the left now?

[Kizzy]

yes, i would go as far as to say the liberals under clegg are still reeling from his new views...It was during my degree (supported soley by student loan) that i found a love for sociology, and a realisation that some are predestined to fall into benefit traps. It also follows that a re-education is what is required not punishment. Some may be able to 'pull themselves up by the boot straps' others need a helping hand to ease out of the poverty trap... I did

[Tom4784]

She had her good points and her bad points, it'd be hard to be a PM in that time and not be despised. it's the same now as no matter who won the last election they would have been unpopular regardless just because unpopular decisions will have always had to be made due to the current climate.

[Mystic Mock]

She had her good points and her bad points, it'd be hard to be a PM in that time and not be despised. it's the same now, no matter who won the last election they would have been unpopular regardless just because unpopular decisions will have always had to be made due to the current climate.

Which is both the Tories and Labour's fault in the first place when paying millions off to currupt Governments like Zimbabwe,and joining America on two wars that was nothing to do with us.

[lostalex]

I agree with him. I love Meryl Streep, she's awesome. <3

[Jesus.]

Am I the only that thinks that there isn't a normal right wing party to oppose Labour and Conservatives as both parties policies are more to the left now?

That's insane - the conservatives are going down the right wing policy faves of trying to privatise healthcare to the free market, demonising the poor, cutting benefits, anti-europe etc.

The problem is the lack of a left wing, not the lack of a right wing. Labour are a centre right party these days.

How much more to the right do you want to go? BNP?

[Mystic Mock]

That's insane - the conservatives are going down the right wing policy faves of trying to privatise healthcare to the free market, demonising the poor, cutting benefits, anti-europe etc.

The problem is the lack of a left wing, not the lack of a right wing. Labour are a centre right party these days.

How much more to the right do you want to go? BNP?

No I don't want the BNP,I actually want a sane right wing party not two left wing parties,I mean David Cameron is as far from right wing as any sane left wing person could go.

And Labour right wing?:joker: Labour are like the 2nd most left wing party after The Respect party.

[Jesus.]

No I don't want the BNP,I actually want a sane right wing party not two left wing parties,I mean David Cameron is as far from right wing as any sane left wing person could go.

And Labour right wing?:joker: Labour are like the 2nd most left wing party after The Respect party.

Well you currently have an insane right wing party too busy implementing right wing policies (privatisation of healthcare/immigration/tough on the poor/benefits), whilst a centre-right opposition allows it to happen.

Just because parties are traditional left/right wing, they don't stay that way unless their actions back up their ideology. Cameron is very right wing, and Labour have moved to the right.

I am left wing, and there is no party advocating the implementation of left wing policies to get us out of this mess.

[Jack_]

I'm pretty sure most people consider Labour a centre right party nowadays, after Blair's reign with New Labour.

As far as I understand it, Labour are further right to the Conservatives than the Lib Dems are.

[Mystic Mock]

Tony Blair was a fake bastard,he ran Labour probably more right wing than all former PM's before him,but he was still very,very left wing like with the prison sentences being shorter and excusing criminals for everything.

[Jesus.]

Tony Blair was a fake bastard,he ran Labour probably more right wing than all former PM's before him,but he was still very,very left wing like with the prison sentences being shorter and excusing criminals for everything.

That's just completely wrong. Blair wasn't anywhere near as right wing as thatcher, and he also wasn't very, very left wing either. Blair switched between centre left and centre right depending on various issues.

I don't ever remember Blair pardoning criminals and excusing them for everything. However, our prisons are bursting with people. We have been running a costly and ineffective war on drugs for decades as one major **** up.