Margaret Thatcher - The woman who tore Britain apart

a repost Monday 08 April 2013 by Peter Lazenby and Roger Bagley Margaret Thatcher, the most hated British prime minister of the 20th century, died today. Victims of her vicious 1980s onslaught against the working class refused to show any sorrow over the final demise of the frail 87-year-old after a stroke. Spontaneous exultation broke out across Britain as news of her death spread like wildfire. The strongest waves of satisfaction were in former mining and industrial communities ravaged by Thatcher, and among labour movement activists throughout the land. Following vocal protests, No 10 shelved plans for a state funeral, announcing that she will receive a ceremonial funeral at St Paul's Cathedral. Thatcher blighted Britain during her ruthless rule from 1979 to 1990. She once regarded herself as the indestructible goddess of rapacious capitalism, often deploying the royal "We" during her arrogant diatribes. Overseas she was a friend to tyranny who attacked Nelson Mandela and the ANC as terrorists but praised mass-murdering Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet for "bringing democracy to Chile." Communist Party general secretary Robert Griffiths said: "The Thatcher governments inflicted enormous damage on the fabric of British society. "Many working-class communities were torn apart by mass unemployment, poverty, drugs and alcohol abuse as the result of Tory policies. "She and her regime waged war against organised labour at home, privatised valuable utilities, locked Britain into the European Union and revived the readiness to engage in imperialist wars abroad." Thatcher once branded coalminers striking for their livelihood the real "enemy within" - but Mr Griffiths said she was the "enemy within who faithfully represented the interests of financial big business. "She leaves a challenge to the labour movement to rebuild productive industry, restore social justice and regain trade union and other democratic rights." Spontaneous celebrations took place in Yorkshire, where 50 mining communities were destroyed by Thatcher and her allies after the strike. Mick Appleyard was a miner and elected National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) official at Sharlston, near Wakefield, a typical Yorkshire mining village whose economy was totally dependent on the pit - and which was wrecked by its closure after the historic 1984-5 strike. "She killed my village," he said. "Sharlston is now a low-wage, menial wage economy, for those who are lucky enough to find jobs. "Our young people are on the streets. There's nothing for them. They turn to drugs and drink because there's nothing else." And NUM general secretary Chris Kitchen, who was a young miner during the strike, said: "She deserves no respect from the NUM, or any of the working people she put on the dole. "It's a shame her policies have not died with her - the ones Cameron is continuing. "She will never be forgiven for the disaster she inflicted on the mining industry, on our communities, and on the miners." Email networks were swamped with the announcement of celebrations, including events in central Leeds, Sheffield and Manchester. Morning Star online