That the trade union movement isn’t an antiquated monolithic hulk is a Good Thing.

No union can represent their members effectively when their members interests are subordinated to party political ends. Which is why the labour movement no longer has any legitimate parliamentary mandate and all Labour party leaders were dead men walking from Blairs second term onwards – his failure to effectively break the party from the unions corrupted his aspirations and doomed all subsequent leaders until a new claim to democratic practices can be struck.

Thatcher is a dinosaur, she’ll be extinct within two years. She is best forgotten.

“The only way Thatcher knows how to tackle a global downturn is by attacking the working class and using mass unemployment to achieve reactionary social change.”

What do you actually mean by this?

I think it’s an absolute disgrace that Margaret Thatcher would even consider having dinner with Brown.

Maybe it makes Brown feel better having another person around who doesn’t know what day it is.

Brown is probably getting tips from her on how to cope once ousted from office.

@ David.
To take one example – The tories planned the attack on the miners union in the ridley plan before 79. with the analysis that you need to break the unions to restore competitiveness and profitability.
They used mass unemployment to increase the buying power of the employers.

Chequers doesn’t belong to the Labour Party.

Only in the current climate would it even be considered newsworthy that a former PM was being invited to a social do at their former residence – Brown is spinning to try and get a brief respite from the Tory press and it’s as pathetic and transparent as his inviting her to No.10 was.

Perhaps that nice Mr Cameron will invite Gordo to dinner at Chequers some time after the election, but I doubt if he’ll plant stories in the press alerting them to the fact.

I agree that the invitation reminds us all of the essential continuity between Thatcher and New Labour. Her greatest triumph was to create a Labour Party which – in Government – would not seek to undo her vital work (just as the success of the ’45 Labour Government was that the Tories – even under Churchill – would not undo its basic achievements).

Thatcherism was all about smashing a self-confident independent working class movement and New Labour is all about keeping us in the box she put us in.

You are quite right that Thatcher took the opportunity of economic crisis to achieve social change – it is alarming that this is the moment that the “Prime Minister” chooses to renew his dialogue with her.

If he does agree to the awful proposals for a state funeral for her perhaps he should ask for New Labour to be buried alongside its greatest mentor?

‘If he does agree to the awful proposals for a state funeral for her perhaps he should ask for New Labour to be buried alongside its greatest mentor?’

LOL.

Well said.

She’s probably the only person he can actually get round for dinner these days. Must be pretty lonely most nights in Gordon’s party shack.

Without the Winter of Discontent started by the Unions , the Conservatives would probably have not won in 1979. Gormley who led thge miners in 1973 was respected by many , including Tories. Scargill was a Marxist who used the miners for his political ends and destroyed the coal industry in the process. The hubristic unions led to many skilled craftsmen voting for the Conservatives in 19790-1987. The unions were over powerful and underestimated the anger to them from those outside of their organisations . Their hubris meant they underestimated Lady Thatcher’s strength of character and determination. The union leaders judgement was faulty. The most important qauality of any leader is the ability to make the right decision in an timely manner. The unions created a conflict and then lost it.

There has got to be something wrong with this piece. MarshaJane Thompson quotes a newspaper

The Guardian reported on Friday that Thatcher is to return to chequers – she’s been invited by Brown to discuss the global downturn.

As far as I know, see here:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7579352.stm

Mrs Thatcher is suffering from dementia. What gives?