What would Maggie have done with the rioters?

After the pathetic response by British authorities to the riots, I can’t help wonder what Margaret Thatcher would have done in David Cameron’s shoes.

A lot more than talk tough, I bet.

She’d have had those watercannons and rubber bullets on the streets faster than you could say Arthur Scargill.

This is what she said at the time of the miners’ strike:

“What we have got is an attempt to substitute the rule of the mob for the rule of law, and it must not succeed. It must not succeed. There are those who are using violence and intimidation to impose their will on others who do not want it. The rule of law must prevail over the rule of the mob.”

And again, casting the miners as unpatriotic:

“We had to fight the enemy without in the Falklands. We always have to be aware of the enemy within, which is much more difficult to fight and more dangerous to liberty”.

By the way, did you know Scargill’s strike was funded by the KGB?

After his Wellington talk, Lord Monckton was telling us about his time with Thatcher, and how the government were tracking Scargill travelling round the Soviet Union collecting money and instructions.

ACT’s ex-ad man wants Judith Collins for prime minister

The above headed the Dom Post’s letter section today, where they published my reply to a reader’s letter (see both below).

Actually, I didn’t say that. I said Judith should lead National. And she surely will, once voters finally tumble to the full extent of the John Key Con.

(Today’s announcement of a 21-year inflation high is just the latest example of the PM’s Muldoonishly negligent economic management.)

With Crusher Collins in charge, the Nats will again be able to claim to be a true-blue party of the right, instead of the current reddy-browny-greeny-bluey slush perceived by the principled voter as deepest yellow.

(And I don’t mean ACT yellow. Despite my recent comments about ACT’s cowardice in not going hard enough on Maorification, they remain the only brave, honest party we’ve got.)

First the reader’s letter for context:

Some women do talk bluntly

John Ansell, former ad man for the ACT Party (July 11), is yet another public figure to have paid the price for having the courage to voice the views of many New Zealanders. Nice boys don’t win ball games. Mana Party leader Hone Harawira’s response that “New Zealanders would not stand for Maori bashing” is duplicitous in the face of his frequent Pakeha bashing.

I would challenge Mr Ansell, however, in his view that ACT should “target male voters because “women did not want to talk bluntly, and were ruled by their emotions”. I cite former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher as one of many strong women with the courage of their convictions.”

VIPI GREGORY-MEREDITH
Otaki

My reply:

ACT’s ex-ad man wants Judith Collins for prime minister

I quite agree with Vipi Gregory-Meredith (Letters, July 14) that former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher had the courage of her convictions. She was the role model for all conviction politicians (and conviction copywriters, for that matter).

But I don’t agree that she was a woman. Mrs Thatcher was, in fact, the greatest male politician of recent times and possibly the greatest politician, period. (Or should I say full stop, lest I suffer further odious comparisons with former Employers & Manufacturers Association (Northern) chief executive Alasdair Thompson.)

I hate the way newspapers insert their own words into readers’ letters. I did not write the words ‘former Employers & Manufacturers Association (Northern) chief executive’ — nor were they necessary, given the media witch-hunt of recent weeks.

And just as Maggie was a great bloke, Prime Minister John Key is undoubtedly one of the weakest of female politicians, with his readiness to put popularity before all those boring “economicky” things, such as catching up with Australia and slamming the anchors on New Zealand’s voyage to the bottom of the OECD.

A poor choice of metaphor by me, since submarines don’t need anchors.

As people can see, my gender definitions differ from many. I generalise for effect, and there are always exceptions.

On the same note, the strongest man in National’s caucus is undoubtedly Judith “Crusher” Collins. The sooner she takes over the leadership the better.

JOHN ANSELL
Te Aro