I remember where I was when Thatcher quit - and I'm still smiling

I was connected a London Bridge presumption level waiting for the Peckham train. Announced dryly implicit the tannoy, astir passengers cheered and broke into wide smiles. It was 34 years agone this Friday, 22 November 1990.

Where were you erstwhile Margaret Thatcher quit?

I was connected a London Bridge presumption level waiting for the Peckham train. Announced dryly implicit the tannoy, astir passengers cheered and broke into wide smiles. It was 34 years agone this Friday, 22 November 1990, yet the representation remains caller for those live astatine the time.

Because Thatcher was a unspeakable PM: mean, hateful and spiteful. Unemployment and inequality soared. State assets, the household silver, were sold cheaply astatine knock-off prices to spivs and speculators. The roots of assembly location shortages and privatised water, state and energy rip-offs were planted backmost past by her.

She hammered coal, steel, shipbuilding, people and dock workers and their commercialized unions portion enriching City wide boys. Communities successful erstwhile coalfield and deindustrialised areas ne'er afloat recovered, cause and societal scars inactive disfiguring villages and towns that Thatcher robbed of hope.

Even what’s billed by existent believers arsenic her top triumph was successful world a bloody nationalist disaster, diplomatic and subject errors losing the Falklands to Argentina’s subject junta earlier 255 members of the British equipped forces died recovering them.

Thatcher was a consequential PM for the harm inflicted implicit a agelong reign of panic lasting 11-and-a-half inglorious years. Tory MPs throwing their Iron Lady connected the scrapheap implicit the loony tune canvass taxation was a satisfying mo if motivated by desperation to prevention their ain skins successful a palmy ploy.

She yet jumped earlier she was pushed, advised by Cabinet colleagues to formally measurement down to debar an adjacent much humiliating toppling. Dejected Thatcher departed Downing Street successful tears six days aboriginal connected 28 November, crying for herself, arsenic John Major moved into No 10 and the swap helped the Cons with the 1992 General Election.

But 22 November was and is the time the Iron Lady rusted. Many of america astir backmost past callback precisely wherever we were the mode others bash proceeding the assassination of JFK, John Lennon’s execution oregon the decease of the Queen.

So wherever were you? Remember it fondly. Never forget, ne'er forgive Thatcher for what she did.