Margaret Thatcher: Britain’s Greatest Prime Minister… or its Worst?

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Source/Further reading:
Guardian obituary: www.theguardian.com/politics/...
Falklands War: www.historyextra.com/period/2...
Falklands and Thatcher: www.history.com/news/margaret...
Miners’ Strike: www.history.co.uk/article/how...
Thatcher and Northern Ireland: www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-...
Mountbatten Assassination: www.irishtimes.com/culture/tv...
The Big Bang: www.bbc.com/news/business-377...
Deregulation? www.theguardian.com/business/...
Thatcher and Gorbachev: www.themoscowtimes.com/2015/1...
Europe conundrum: www.theguardian.com/politics/...
Thatcher’s downfall: in.reuters.com/article/britai...
Poll tax: www.bbc.com/news/uk-38382416
NYT review of her authorized bio, good details: www.nytimes.com/2019/11/12/bo...
FT version of the above (paywall): www.ft.com/content/059393b0-f...
Andrew Marr on the same: www.newstatesman.com/Margaret...
Thatcher and climate change: theecologist.org/2018/aug/21/...
Oxford University: www.ox.ac.uk/news/2013-04-09-...
Wilson Resignation: www.bbc.co.uk/archive/harold_...

[@Biographics]

Special Holiday deal! Every purchase of a 2-year plan gets you 68% off plus 4 additional months for free: nordvpn.com/biographics

[@julianshepherd2038]

Thatcher and Boris have been the best For Scottish independence Indyref2 in twenty twenty-two 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Take Back Control 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@PureVikingPowers]

Do *Marquis de Sade* next?

[@TheBorderRyker]

@@PureVikingPowers he was a pussycat compared to Thatcher! 😂

[@johnjosephdejesus8524]

Do ferdinand marcos next

[@ksanthoula]

Will you make a video about soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev ??

[@erictheroman5813]

"Im Simon Whistler and i have a comment section deathwish"

[@marvin3242]

Comment section controversy = algorithm delight

[@marvin3242]

@@Zzt62 hahahahaha oof

[@jbtechcon7434]

Yeah, what the heck are information channels thinking when they tell us about things we don't want to know???

[@llwydanwyl]

zzzzzzzzzzzzzz lamewad

[@DIOsNotDead]

"Smash the dislike button." -Simon Whistler

[@Braddowski]

Despite being the 2nd highest selling single in the week following Thatcher's death, 'Ding Dong The Witch Is Dead' was banned from the official charts and radio airplay.

[@Dan19870]

This biography brought back memories of the day she died. After my shift I got home and played 'Ding Dong The Witch Is Dead' on KZbin. The video had been uploaded years ago, yet most of the comments section was recent, comments like (IIRC) 'This will be in the charts by the end of the week', 'I bet a lot of people are listening to this today.' and 'She's been in hell a couple of hours and she's already shut down three furnaces.' A 'controversial figure' in British history to say the least.

[@adder3597]

@@Dan19870 "She's been in Hell only a couple of hours, and yet she's already shut down three furnaces". 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@HarryWessex]

It was artificially removed from 1st.

[@adder3597]

@@HarryWessex Yep. Good old BBC at it again 🤦‍♂️

[@HarryWessex]

@@adder3597 It was Offical Charts, not the BBC.

[@rai351]

She was actually very progressive. Her grave was the first gender neutral bathroom.

[@deanp831]

😂😂😂

[@felixthecat3n2]

Your comment is disgraceful. It’s time you grew up.

[@yeoss]

My dad once called her "the greatest woman to ever exist", Which is funny because this is the same man who told me a government isn't a business and shouldn't be ran like one.

[@Bond58]

She didn’t run the government like a business, she ran the economy like one. Big difference.

[@jeffturner2102]

Yes an my dad said, may she R!!! in H!!!!

[@baph0met]

Government shouldn't be run at all, it's evil and useless.

[@SergyMilitaryRankings]

@@Bond58 which is why she screwed things

[@mattthesilent777RED]

This devil woman ruined things - worst PM ever

[@katemaloney4296]

You told both sides and didn't pull any punches. Presented the way history should be taught.

[@abbaszaidi8371]

Absolutely- spot on

[@lukeguy6091]

He stated one side and not the humane one. Eat your parents money.

[@BlackfyreHD]

@SoyBoy Industries She wasn't a Nazi, nor a fascist, she was a a hardline Conservative. Just because she was politically right wing does not make her a Nazi. smh.

[@BlackfyreHD]

@SoyBoy Industries Hop down off that high horse. The Left wing have committed genocides over the past 80 years that have left over 100 million dead. Still happening today with China, but dont believe your lying eyes right?

[@nayelhuda6945]

@SoyBoy Industries Firstly she didn't engage in genocide secondly, she made the UK a relevant force in the world again. Thirdly, she weakened overpowered unions Thatcher was a hero, feel free to prove me wrong Also a key component of facism is authoritarianism which if u know anything about thatcher, you know she was not authoritarian

[@jordanbluett1308]

As an American, I feel like I stepped in the wrong comment section....

[@jyggalagdaedricprinceoford6239]

As a Texan. We did.

[@imperialhistorian4201]

Then get the hell out, or keep quiet.

[@BrandanTheBroker]

We did, let's back out slowly

[@ks5397]

Really? As a Brit I'm curious as to how she came across to non-Brits

[@jyggalagdaedricprinceoford6239]

@@ks5397 like lbj to non u.s. nations

[@Will0398]

It’s funny how Europeans know so much about American politics but not vise versa in the slightest.

[@embassadorjohn1368]

We're very self centered people

[@rockstar-kp2jy]

Bc we don't care about England ?

[@TheOneTrueGhostyBoi]

Yeah because Americas the most important why would politics from other countries affect us? But every single piece of our news or political dealings have Eurotrash trying to add their opinion

[@x-angry-x7108]

@@rockstar-kp2jyyou mericans care only about yourselves and Thats why the whole world think That youre not the brightset people and whole of Europe makes fun of you! Ignorant dumbfucks

[@cambino66]

The US's entertainment industry is the most successful globally, thus bringing attention to it politics (pretty much entertainment at this point lmao). My guess for why Americans don't care for foreign politics is the same reason none of us travel to foreign countries. The US is MASSIVE. Different states have wildly different laws. There is a extreme array of different interesting political discourse all over the country that would take a lifetime to cover the history of.

[@projectbaron1420]

In Korea Thatcher is in a very interesting position. Left-wing supporters like her as they consider her to be a strong female leader who inspired women to take more active role in politics. On the other hand, Right-wing supporters like her as they consider her to be a strong conservative leader who brought stability and bravely fought against an enemy without hesitation. So baisically most people in Korea have a positive view towards her and her quote is used a lot as an inspiration.

[@etlttc353]

bruh

[@echidnanatsuki882]

One of the rare situations were both Leftists and Right-wingers could agree on XD.

[@ominousparallel3854]

South Korea is thus wiser than a large part of the world, for she is the greatest post war politician bare none.

[@CalebZ26]

@@ominousparallel3854 LOL like a president that supports INSANE work weeks and a country with Insane suicide rates... America is next.

[@user-yv2cz8oj1k]

@@ominousparallel3854 talking bollox.

[@henryreinecke6036]

Most of the cost of her funeral was due to the security measures that had to be put in place to keep her in her grave

[@cprow0997]

lol

[@shakiMiki]

Her & Blair are much more popular abroad than at home.

[@fls6767]

@Henry Your point being?

[@annescholey6546]

To stop the cheering ex miners sending her head to Port Stanley?

[@sto1238]

Yea all of the miners wanted to piss on her body 🤣🤣

[@joaoeduardoortega64]

One small correction, the UK never declared war on argentina formaly, as that would have triggered some UN discussions in the security council

[@ChrisShute62]

Correct. The affair has always been referred to (by UK governments and mainstream media, at least) as the "Falklands Conflict". Soldiers fought and died, but perhaps it didn't sound so ugly as war.

[@paranoidrodent]

Has any country issued a formal declaration of war since the creation of the UN? It's all be police actions, military advice, interventions and other euphemisms for kicking the crap out of another country.

[@spudeeelad]

@@paranoidrodent they have but not in the last 30-40 years. Largely because declaring war under UN rules causes all sorts of issues such as not being to have your boats dock in any neutral country etc

[@paranoidrodent]

@@spudeeelad Yep. It pretty much screws up a lot of trade with anyone neutral power too (because a hell of a lot can be interpreted as war materials given the technology involved in today's military hardware).

[@VCYT]

ps... Legally, only the queen start a UK war.

[@jean-christophe5788]

Simon glossed over the "Right to buy" policy's details. Councils were forbidden from using the proceeds to build more social housing - sowing some of the seeds of today's housing problems.

[@yayfly7349]

its was a good political move but not a good economic one

[@sm00ly22]

"The worst part about pissing on my grave is that you eventually run out of piss" - Margaret Thatcher

[@tomace7924]

Don’t ever worry about that mate. There are enough former miners and their families in the UK to continue pissing on Maggie’s grave well into the next century.

[@user-po2qb6cm9q]

Thatcher has no grave. She was cremated

[@randombritishperson.]

​@@user-po2qb6cm9qReally? Did they shower her with a bucket of water to cremate her?

[@ealives5272]

“Do you think Margret thatcher had girl power?”

[@eoghan.5003]

@Mister crustacean Do you think she effectively utilized girl power by funnelling money into illegal paramilitary death squads in Northern Ireland?

[@sarahfatima5131]

@@eoghan.5003 “I don’t know about that”

[@danieltsiprun8080]

@@eoghan.5003 i mean it is still power.

[@jameshill3403]

Biographics: Eric Andre

[@user-sc9oy1kz8g]

Death squads to fight terrorists and murderers. One sec let me grab my tissue so I can pretend to shed a tear.

[@khar12d8]

As a general rule, places that suffered industrial decline (parts of the north, Scotland, Midlands and South Wales) hate her and places that didn't think she was pretty good. It's that simple really.

[@georgejob7544]

Stock broker belt i.e. the Home Counties. Fat cat country! Dribble down economics, into their fat chubby hands ! Greed!

[@mattatron3152]

@@georgejob7544 It's the same with the Rust Belt here in the US-some economic trends supersede 1 politician. No amount of regulation and socialism is going to keep the US or British manufacturing bases competitive with the developing world...

[@lirrobinson8377]

@@mattatron3152 no amount of free trade is going to keep U.S. and British manufacturing bases competitive with developing nations. Well, unless you get rid of the 8hr workday, insurance, overtime, living wages, vacation, child labor laws, ect....

[@mattatron3152]

@@lirrobinson8377 I totally agree, but that was my point whether or not you caught it. Neither a regulatory policy or repealing of regulatory policies on free trade is going to reverse the trend of lower skilled manufacturing jobs going to developing economies. Developed economies such as the US and Britain are going to continue to lose jobs in these sectors in the future and gain jobs in sectors such as tech, financial services, and healthcare regardless of what any politician does....

[@scottjock]

Your right and her legacy and the idiots currently in the labour party are the main reasons SNP do so well.

[@AmayaHyuga13]

As an American, I wanted to learn about this controversial leader when all I knew was that people either loved her or hated her. I knew I could count on you to provide a nonbiased and truthful account

[@goated3285]

Yea but now I understand why she was so disliked

[@yegfreethinker]

Truth is often like beauty in the eye of the beholder. Never take anyone's word for it. Discover your own opinion through empiricism.

[@azzor4134]

@@yegfreethinker google empiricism

[@king.indigo3692]

​@@goated3285qn I also understand why she wad so beloved as well. Also only PM who's funeral that Queen attended....and they were not known for being best friends

[@williammerkel1410]

As an American I have a very high opinion of her, she was a strong leader and they were sorely needed during the Cold War

[@ubergnu]

I will always remember when my originally Irish coworker came back from lunch, looking shell shocked, barely being able to speak. Our CEO apparently mentioned that he considered Thatcher a good person and what she did was right. I guess he was lucky my mate is a really chill person, that could get you a fork to the eyeball otherwise.

[@iggyzeta9755]

That CEO is right and your Irish friend is a pathetic individual.

[@thomasbennett712]

@@iggyzeta9755 Absolutely, what a sad twat.

[@JavaScrapper]

“COME OUT YE BLACK AN TANS COME OUT AN FIGHT ME LIKE A MAN!” “GO ON HOME BRITISH SOLDIERS GO ON HOME! HAVE YOU GOT NOT ******* OF YOUR OWN! FOR 800 WE FOUGHT YOU WITHOUT FEARS! AND WE’LL FIGHT YOU FOR 800 MORE!” This has been some lyrics from Irish republican songs lol I bet his head was just this trying to keep calm

[@Dave-hu5hr]

@@JavaScrapper 🥔

[@deiniolbythynnwr926]

@@JavaScrapper Meanwhile the IRA hide behind women and children.

[@morrischma9565]

I never understood before this video why my Gran, a teacher, hates her but my other Gran and Grandad (minor business owners) liked her.

[@jimmy2k4o]

Trust the private sector. They understand pragmatic economics more than a teacher.

[@joseffthomas10]

Thatcher is a complex figure.

[@bradleyrocks618]

Don't trust a teacher just because. That's what's wrong with America. You have commies convincing the youth that that's the future when in reality it will destroy our economy and way of life.

[@joseffthomas10]

@@bradleyrocks618 Commies? The Cold War is over Yankee, they lost. The people who you refer to as “Commies” are either fakes or (more likely) people you happen to not like.

[@bradleyrocks618]

@@joseffthomas10 china is run by communists. Commies didn't just disappear because the Soviet Union did. We are literally being run by Chinese sympathizers.

[@stevegoodson9022]

I was one of the 70's kids from a fairly por working class family who had my free school milk snatched.. At the same time schools went from serving free meals to all children to making the 'poor' kids pay for their meals with special vouchers, which made you such a target for bullies Thatcher herself might as well have turned up and pointed and laughed at your poverty.

[@chip9649]

Glad she's dead

[@nayelhuda6945]

@@chip9649 How does it feel to have the IQ of a rabbit turd?

[@chip9649]

@@nayelhuda6945 rather have a low IQ then have no heart.

[@nayelhuda6945]

@@chip9649 like saying ur glad someones dead, very thoughtless

[@karlosthejackel69]

The milk was a developmental issue when it came in, ritual kids no longer need milk to aid their bones growth. She took my milk too, get a grip you victim.

[@fuckinantipope5511]

As a german I hate that woman for opposing reunification. That my own political views are different than hers is just the cherry on top.

[@alexanderveritas]

One thing is for certain: _she sure spoke like stereotyped middle aged british woman._

[@bearsaroundhere]

**english

[@TARmedia]

But for real, It is EXTREMELY hard to find unbiased content on KZbin, and this just really is spot on. I don't think I've ever seen a channel with less of a political bias. Big ups for that. Telling history as it happened, as opposed to framing it for a biased narrative. I love it.

[@andrewsutherland133]

My experience with this channel is they catter to their audiences. With their videos on beloved figures like JFK, they go over the top in glorifying them to the point when some things aren't even true, while the their video on hated individuals like Bill Cosby are written to specifically cherry pick parts of their lives that highlight how crappy they are. With controversial people like thatcher and Trump, they're careful to be unbiased because if they don't, they'll lose a chunk of their audience. I'm still a long time subscriber because they bring light to interesting people, but I take everything with a grain of salt until I research it myself

[@belindamay8063]

@@andrewsutherland133 Congratulations. You’ve got the point, entirely.

[@biakahmar9171]

@@andrewsutherland133 love your attitude

[@TheHorseshoePartyUK]

Very mixed character Thatcher. Some very backwards views, some very forward-thinking ones, some inspirational quotes like "It is not the creation of wealth that is wrong, but the love of money for it's own sake". Some controversies mired in propaganda from both her triggered haters and the 'opposite' bootlickers, and whether anyone likes it or not, the people of the Falklands said they were British at the time, and the Argentina Junta was a military dictatorship who played stupid games and won stupid prizes. The Belgrano was a credible threat no matter who splits hairs over what issue. A very little known, as yet unsubstantiated rumour is that we had nuclear subs ready off the coast of Argentina, and that we were somewhat ready to turn Buenos Aires into glass. So Thatcher in a nutshell, as much as it's possible to oversimplify that very complex woman; Great: She was a chemist and so saw the need to push Climate Action and try take the issue away from the wrongheaded Marxists Good: Her casino capitalism helped fund the NHS and her election victory helped remove the taste for Bolshevism from Brits who never even learned the history of *BRITISH* Socialism and had no clue just how terrible Stalin and Mao were. Mixed: Her experiments in privatising things and semi-privatising, such as the trains has been a failure nobody else wants to replicate. We now have the taxpayer subsidise wealthy corporates whilst we also pay for tickets. Bad: She was a bit of a nasty bigot at times who went too far in pulling the union's teeth, even as they were a bit too uppity at the time Terrible: Her opinions of Nelson Mandela were quite wrongheaded, even if he was quite Marxist and used 'freedom fighter' tactics initially. "Russian Communism is the illegitimate child of Karl Marx and Catherine the Great" - Sir Clement Attlee.

[@Butterratbee]

Saying that thatcher was horrible, is unbiased

[@jimmy2k4o]

Simon: are you sure we should leave this comment section open? Ken: Let them fight!

[@jimmy2k4o]

Corpomwrtjtjrrorowyilemtdormkm aw Wee Rsycujhbvzbifnfiusvntsjstenf

[@Apollo-684]

@@jimmy2k4o are you ok

[@edwinsparda7622]

I thought that was Johnny Sins with a beard.

[@FerrisLedbetter]

Modern news media needs to take a class from Simon and his team on how to present information. This was a fine example of impartial and factual reporting. Presenting the good and the bad in a non-coercive manner, leaving the final judgement to the viewer. Keep up the great work Simon and Co. Truly refreshing history telling.

[@amye6281]

As someone who grew up in one of the poor former mining towns, and studied in a Northern city which had its industry shut down, I can confidently say a vast amount of people despise this woman, and the damage sge dealt to normal people is very very real

[@NathanFrenchAttorney]

like obama then very bad

[@user-om2bw1cj1r]

I was born in Northern England too but those heavy industries were on the decline anyway and she had the sense to invest in finance/High Tech industries. Britain would never keep up with developing countries (like China and India) and the factories would have closed down anyway with even worse consequences.

[@indiekiddrugpatrol3117]

@@user-om2bw1cj1r many were on the decline but that doesn't mean all and closing down all of out industrial capacity whilst much still turned a profit just to rely on French, German and Spanish imports is never going to be seen as a benevolent decision

[@ignitionfrn2223]

1:30 - Chapter 1 - A man's world 5:00 - Chapter 2 - The iron lady 8:55 - Mid roll ads 10:25 - Chapter 3 - From the jaws of defeat 13:35 - Chapter 4 - Battles & troubles 17:25 - Chapter 5 - The big bang & beyond 20:35 - Chapter 6 - Downfall

[@pyromania1018]

"Margaret Thatcher naked on a cold day! Margaret Thatcher naked on a cold day!" ~Mike Myers

[@soccrstar4]

This comment made my day.

[@pyromania1018]

@@soccrstar4 Glad you liked it. It's from the first Austin Powers movie.

[@soccrstar4]

@@pyromania1018 I know- it makes me want to go back and watch all of the movies. It’s been too long since I’ve seen those classics!

[@pyromania1018]

@@soccrstar4 I liked the first one, but the sequels? Eh, too much gross-out.

[@soccrstar4]

@@pyromania1018 First was gold. I still liked the second one, too. But the third is one too many for that series.

[@kavinkelly6540]

Love this channel! So much I've learned about history from here!

[@dariogomes3598]

Thanks for the knowledge

[@benrogan927]

Watching the olympic swimming at a bar and someone asked me “what’s my favourite stroke?” Apparently “Margaret Thatcher” wasn’t an acceptable answer

[@timcurtis2021]

has to be the breast stroke

[@murrayscott9546]

Reminds me of that time when a pretty, female streaker ran across the green when Tiger was trying to putt in. Everybody had to take a one-stroke penalty.

[@kennethfrawley]

Ben Rogan, wow! That simply is a brilliant answer. I have been chuckling for 20 minutes. So clever, yet so true. Well done, you!

[@AlcoholicBoredom]

1) It was probably pity laugh. 2) You mean someone still watches the Olympics? You must be even drunker than me.

[@emilybarclay8831]

Made me snort

[@cosmicman6201]

"Sink it" Margaret thatcher

[@lovablesnowman]

Rule Britannia intensifies

[@drewayling326]

Too bad she said the same in regards to the uk at the same time

[@matthew83890]

Was she talking about the British economy under her tenure?

[@thefunkosaurus]

Brezhnev took Afghanistan, And Begin took Beirut. Galtieri took the Union Jack. And Maggie, over lunch one day, took a cruiser with all hands, apparently, to make him give it back. - Roger Waters (Pink Floyd)

[@appleslover]

She did, she sank Britain

[@silatrakd]

Informative and relatively unbiased, well done

[@DeliriumzzZ]

Alright, I couldn't help myself from laughing when in this serious and gloomy conclusion, Simon drops the line "Ding Dong, the witch is dead".

[@attiepollard7847]

Ahhhh is Simon still mad that Margaret Thatcher ruined his socialist dream?

[@kms50549]

@@attiepollard7847 no but literally that is the name of the song from the wizard of oz that was number 2 in the charts after she died. It was an old song, it’s was number 2 specifically because she died. Would be weird not to bring that up in a video about her.

[@WIDBAU]

I’m a Londoner, whose parents are both Irish. Thatcher is a swear word in our family.

[@reythejediladyviajakku6078]

Like how is it used? As a swear word on its own or in replacement of another word like the F word ?

[@lemonorangegrape999]

@J LD you seem to 😂

[@WIDBAU]

@@reythejediladyviajakku6078 similar to the modern day ‘Karen’... describing someone as a ‘thatcher’

[@WIDBAU]

@@lemonorangegrape999 so true 😂

[@reythejediladyviajakku6078]

@@WIDBAU I like that so much better than Karen cuz I know women named Karen who are awesome. Thatcher is a much better name for someone who acts like a “Karen “

[@De_Tjiminator]

Make a geographics video about the troubles. I would love to hear more about that

[@N.I.R.A.T.I.A.S.]

Because making one about Thatcher isn't divisive enough?

[@TomCL-vb6xc]

@@N.I.R.A.T.I.A.S. Wouldn’t say this video is that divisive. There aren’t many people in the UK besides pompous codgers that don’t take utter glee in Thatcher decomposing.

[@paddystrongjaw9995]

@@TomCL-vb6xc most of them are just 13 year olds anyway

[@thehummusgavemeaids1596]

@@TomCL-vb6xc You sound like an Argentine

[@stevewilliams1819]

Visit Ireland and mention thatchers name if u want to hear about the troubles. Trust me you will get a much better understanding of it than you would from an englishman.

[@garyspaun5237]

Shannon, Morris, Jennifer, Simon thank you!

[@Ramonaew]

great video, very informational

[@Machtyn]

"Just like a latter George the Third..." That's kind of what I was thinking... a riot over an unfair tax? Who'd have thunk it?

[@Thurnmourer]

Oh, you mean the smugglers that were upset their shitty Dutch swill was about to be outcompeted by the British government all through a simple tax? No taxation without representation has always been a farce since day one.

[@LukeSky2207]

"Unfair tax" lol

[@reythejediladyviajakku6078]

I love how supportive her husband was. It wasn’t very common back then to have ambitions and have your husband backing you up all the way

[@JC-bd5ho]

Yes it was.

[@reythejediladyviajakku6078]

@@JC-bd5ho really? What are some examples?

[@georgejob7544]

Support from her husband??? A corrupted business man! Talk sense !

[@markchambers3833]

Sir Dennis Thatcher, Bt was a successful businessman and multi-millionaire. He knew his place and stayed resolutely out of politics, like every other PM's spouse in history. (Except, of course, for Cherie Blair who insisted on using her unelected position to meddle in public affairs.) It's only considered remarkable with Sir Dennis because he was a man and Lady Thatcher was a phenomenon the like of which had never been seen before in the UK. A good husband supports his wife and a good wife supports her husband. Sir Dennis was a good husband who enjoyed a high flying independent career. Not quite sure where Simon gets the idea that he was a bumbler. He was a shrewd operator, highly intelligent, who was adept at deflecting attention from himself; the Thatchers both reached the top of their respective fields.

[@icemanire5467]

He was constantly pissed drunk to even give a shite.

[@tjschoenlein5189]

Her and Winston Churchill were political giants in my view. Have their books and lived during their time in office.

[@R_t-99]

Churchill was same look what he did in india.

[@ieuanbriers]

I love your US presidents videos. Could you consider doing more about UK prime ministers. There are many other 20th century you deserve them I've looked at apart from Neville Chamberlain, Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher. Would you consider doing one on: David Lloyd George, Clement Attlee, Anthony Eden, Harold Macmillan, Harold Wilson and Edward Heath? I would love to know more about them.

[@newuser4263]

Yeah

[@alpacatears]

It's poetic that she harked on about only sleeping 4 hours a night when this is the one of biggest modifiable risk factors for dementia.

[@timmyg44]

which she didnt have

[@alpacatears]

@@timmyg44 even her daughter as well as other family members confirmed that she did.

[@ryanblob3105]

Bit of a stretch to criticise her health habits, considering she lived a good few years beyond typical life expectancy and dementia is extremely common among people that age. It's statistically correct to say that you probably won't live as long as she did.

[@marnuscoreyempanadaslooseb6760]

She did this because she loved her country so much.

[@flame1154]

I take issue with your terming it "poetic", I don't think there's much poetic about such an awful disease. But I agree that sleep is something we should value more and not less in society.

[@ollyb7570]

I’m too young to remember Thatcher but always interesting that depending who you talk to she was either a monster or saviour. Popular culture in the UK definitely leans towards monster (at least among the left leaning and young), but then she won three elections and was succeeded by another conservative PM, so it’s obviously not as clear cut as some make out. Other than the poll tax (since replaced by her successor with the Council Tax) I understand a lot of her other unpopular policies were started by previous Labour administrations - like coal mine closures and school milk. I also can’t help see the irony that people who criticise her for closing the mines would support the same policy now, only on environmental grounds. Really interesting and complex period in UK history.

[@georgehoffman3439]

I’ve worked with a couple of old northern miners, they ended up moving to Indonesia to mine coal. Majority of the power back then was done by coal, now it’s 1%. Everyone has their own reason to hate or love her.

[@LocseryuOfficial]

@@georgehoffman3439 yeah im guessing back then we didnt have a very good alternative to coal

[@user-yv2cz8oj1k]

She won three elections because of our first past the post system and the fact they rigged the boundaries through the boundary commission, I moved counties twice in my lifetime without ever moving, as they used the US model where they separated off areas to make more Tory seats and even twinned together areas 30 miles apart just to create one more Tory seat. They moved us back again when that no longer worked for them.

[@xmikerx666]

What's not mentioned by a lot of the left who hate her is that the Blair administration did absolutely nothing to reverse the closures. In fact, they oversaw even further declines in former mining areas and played on the "Tories shut the pits" card.

[@theshermantanker7043]

Or, she's human and made really shitty and good choices at the same time, but no one seems to get that

[@i.p.956]

The north of England and Wales are still bleeding because of her policies. She is the reason there are no council houses for people who are in need and are currently homeless. Because of her hatred of the middle and lower classes, people today are on a 10-year list waiting for a council property because she sold them all at a laughable price. Most of the houses bought with right to buy are now worth millions! Policies from the 70-ies and 80-ies that were her idea are the reason the UK today is becoming a third world country. She lacked vision of the future, she dealt with the problems like a war zone surgeon - if you are wounded, they just cut the limb off, rather than looking for a way to preserve it and help you.

[@truthismycause2800]

Well said.

[@ehrldawg]

This was very informative 1!!

[@danwillis2818]

Tony Blair would be a good follow up biographic. There’s a lot to talk about there!

[@tanmaypagar8022]

Closet Tory

[@danwillis2818]

@@tanmaypagar8022 is that supposed to be an insult lol

[@tanmaypagar8022]

@@danwillis2818 that’s a compliment

[@appleslover]

@@danwillis2818 neither, it's a fact

[@brynstarkiller7419]

Yes old Charlie Lyndon and his cottaging charges lol

[@JoffesThoughts]

"both 1974 elections" And we think things are chaotic right now.

[@abbaszaidi8371]

Series 3 of The Crown.

[@MsZsc]

we all live in a yellow submarine

[@jfpk114]

In 2002 I was working in the former Irish Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Charles Haugheys house. In the house he had a bar at the end of a corridor, with photos of all the world leaders he met over the years. Gorbachev, Reagen, Chirac and way more than I can remember.. At the end of this corridor on its own was a picture of Maggie. He told me she was the most stubborn person he'd ever met, wouldn't do what was good for the Troubles, wouldn't do a deal to find peace in Northern Ireland and he hated her for it but he also respected her in a weird way. She really wasn't for turning.

[@FarhanAmin1994]

This was, as others have also echoed, a masterclass in presenting (a subset of) recent history with adequate enthusiasm but not a cheap, monolithic agendum. Hear, hear.

[@dreddguy6454]

"Dangerously incompetent tories" - Boris Johnson 'hold my beer, I'll show them how dangerously incompetent a tory can be'

[@SteRDLK]

There's no incompetency, they're just fucking evil.

[@RandomGuy010]

@@SteRDLK Every party is corrupt.

[@SteRDLK]

@@RandomGuy010 The Tories have given billions upon billions of pounds to their friends while to name two of many things: self-employed people have received no support in eight months, and key workers have had no pay rise in a decade.

[@sygycollins2985]

hhehehe

[@RandomGuy010]

@@SteRDLK Yeah, they're corrupt. Should've just stuck with the Brexit party. Nigel is based.

[@naly202]

I remember as 6 year old girl in then communist Romania I heard my family feverishly talk about Thatcher. In spite of the heavy censorship, people in my country knew about her speeches. Very soon after that (December 1989 revolution) communism fell. She was definitely one piece in that puzzle.

[@onwardupward9392]

Read about Thatcher and Sir Jimmy Savile

[@sarahjessicafarter7383]

Since then you've had neoliberalism turning your nation into a dungheap. Out of the frying pan and into the fure.

[@technationuk5802]

@@sarahjessicafarter7383 Leftist rubbish, coming from a person who has never had to live under Communist rule. IQ 50.

[@parabird7528]

HAHAHAHAHAHHA Romenia after communism

[@mikekaroules2820]

Please Naly , share and speak out against socialist atrocities in countries like Romania because it is apparent that these left wing radicals and marxists have found new soil to breed revolution , and they are doing it in Western nations. These radicals and left wing socialists want to turn countries like England , the USA , Switzerland and Germany into the way Romania used to be under Nikolai Ceasescu [ however you spell his name ] .

[@multiyapples]

Very informative.

[@darrensewell1154]

Excellent. Very interesting and informative. Great lady 👏

[@TheMrFaceslasher]

THANKS! As an American, I never knew why she was so hated. This explained everything so clearly

[@samuelthornton9179]

it skips out on other stuff like section 28 and how the right to buy scheme has left it uk with alot of houses for private rent and not much cheap rent or houses for the newer generation to buy

[@raypitts4880]

seems orange face had a good go.

[@mystified1429]

@@samuelthornton9179 She bought working class votes with the right to buy. There always was a right to buy BUT at market value . She discounted up to 50 %. All the rural houses went first and now you have estates where one house pays the council and next door is privately rented for a few hundred £ more.

[@LeoDomitrix]

As an American, I did. And I still do.

[@karylhogan5758]

She was hated here in Ireland.. we partyed when she died

[@davidd6830]

Depends how far north you ask😂

[@AlisonBryen]

There's little support for her in the industrial Midlands as well...or should I say POST industrial Midlands given how Thatcherism changed the country.

[@Stegibbon]

@Clair Morgan we hate her in the north of England too love!

[@alantodd5823]

@@Stegibbon She killed my home town of Consett. No love for her, none what so ever.

[@xneurianx]

Or how far east!

[@Jake-rm4be]

@@Stegibbon No we love her in the north. Greatest prime minister ever!

[@JoeySchmidt74]

Great content, surprised myself by not throwing up!

[@glr4275]

I like your style of telling history events. You remond me of Simon Shama who I truly loved ☺️ Thanks!

[@mermaidmoon2254]

Never knew I needed Simon to say *"a goddamn bazuka!"* LOL

[@gerardcollins80]

Finally, a British man talking about the Troubles who actually calls it what it was, a civil war, and actually knows what he's talking about.

[@SteRDLK]

Up the Ra

[@Clay3613]

He's not British though.

[@gerardcollins80]

Then why the accent?

[@gerardcollins80]

@@SteRDLK For God and Ulster. No surrender!

[@LSSYLondon]

@@Clay3613 He's English.

[@crustyjuggler382]

I’m English, she was the greatest if you were part of the wealthiest 1% and the worst if you were working class! She thrust entire towns into poverty up and down the country while the rich made more money than ever

[@i_know_youre_right_but]

So move into another town Simple as

[@cherrypopscile3385]

​@@i_know_youre_right_but"oh you can bearly afford to exist? Just use the meger money you have to move to a city with more expensive rent!" is exactly the take I expect from a brainrot neo liberal subhuman.

[@ProsecutorZekrom]

@@i_know_youre_right_but What magical towns are there that give a good paying job and affordable housing to anyone that moves there? You clearly have no understanding of how class divide and the wealth gap works if you think getting out of poverty is as simple as "moving to another town" (probably can't afford to move either/need to stay to look after relatives or other responsibilities)

[@dob3k714]

@@ProsecutorZekrom And if she kept on wasting money like the previous socialist PM's had she would made Britain fall as it was already in decline. She had the balls to cut the cancerous parts off to save the lot.

[@OfficialAshArcher]

She may have done a lot of great things, but her treatment of the working class/poor was simply monstrous

[@rockstar450]

Mate, your script for this video was written like a boss! Great job!

[@poorveshpowale3873]

Last time I was this early UK was still in the EU

[@jenniferahough4983]

Still are for 15 days 😂

[@secret5070]

@@jenniferahough4983 no we officially left on 31 January 2020, we are in the Transition period at the moment meant to keep rules etc in place for smooth transition the transition period ends December 31.

[@philhahn]

@@jenniferahough4983 Quick! Can still get in a lil duty free and abusing spanish waiters before they'll need to pay extra to enter europe!

[@jenniferahough4983]

@@philhahn 😂🤣

[@Mashford42]

Dear Simon, My father was a scholar of British and French political history, so I grew up (whether in NYS, Oxfordshire, or Paris) fairly inundated with Thatcher &c. But only YOUR presentation made me giggle on the topic.

[@satansalley6526]

Very interesting,I learned something new.Thankyou.

[@pur3metalrocker49]

She also made a great looking puppet on the classic spitting image show 😂

[@devinecatlady]

I was still a kid at the time but I remember her puppet so clearly. I didn't understand the humour of spitting image back then but have loved rewatching them. 😂

[@SteRDLK]

Also made a great looking stroke victim and corpse.

[@pur3metalrocker49]

@@SteRDLK 🤣

[@FinianFhomhair]

"I would put a stake through her heart to make sure she's never coming back!" - a nice old scottish Lady when asked about her thoughts concerning thatcher's funeral.

[@bigbaddog]

She was the vampire from hell Thank god there was only ever one of her

[@Kirovets7011]

😂😂😂👍👍That nice old Scottish lady was right!!

[@billolsen4360]

Re-energizing British industry was an awful thing for her to do.

[@billolsen4360]

@@bigbaddog Yes, she showed the failure of socialism, something that many upper class twits hates her for.

[@Lazbotable]

That woman also wanted to put garlic around her neck

[@MackenzieCorkern17]

Great video!!

[@G.S.88]

I remember when the streets of London and Ireland went one end of the spectrum of her death. There was either pure mourning, or pure ecstacy. She was good for the Brits, but a death sentence for the Irish. My Irish friends will not speak of her and new comers to the group have been warned to never speak her name around them. While on my British side of friends, they either don't care, or think she was the greatest female Prime Minister! For me, as an Australian who was born after her reign, I don't have opinions. But I know of her cruelty to the Irish and I can understand the hate. But I also know of her help to the British, so I can understand their love.

[@gubgub3275]

How dare you say "she was good for the Brits". We hated her just as much as the Irish.

[@jambon6451]

@@gubgub3275 Yup. 3 massive majorities means she must have been really "hated".

[@belindamay8063]

@@jambon6451 it’s the old trick. Get the ignorant, and the emotionally needy on your side, and since they are in the majority, you need never fear democracy again. Trump did the same thing in his turn.

[@gubgub3275]

@Tarquin I don't. Look at the reaction to her funeral.

[@MyMMC]

good for the brits.. lol.

[@aaronseet2738]

"declared war"? There was no declaration of war for the Falklands conflict.

[@purple-headedyogurtslinger2683]

Wasn’t a declaration of war for Vietnam but you drop enough bombs and it’s a war to somebody

[@Roman-kz9oq]

@@purple-headedyogurtslinger2683 😂😂😂

[@brianperry]

When your country is attacked and overrun ...declaration of war is a bit academic...

[@garyhendrick4391]

Through out that time the news never referred to it as a "war". The BBC always referred to it as "The Conflict" They did however report that an attack was about to happen at Goose Green just a few hours before they were due to attack

[@slipperywinston4076]

Nor did they ever formally surrender, hence why US patriots will tell you they've never lost a war. ​Technically they haven't, in reality, they obviously have.

[@RichMitch]

Shat myself when I saw this, thought she'd come back to life

[@dylangallagher143]

That would be the greatest zombie hunt ever.

[@mandalorian_guy]

Its like the Star Wars line "Somehow, Palpatine has returned".

[@veneneify]

I wish

[@Audiablo]

"THATCHER'S BACK, BABY!"

[@Akeno0002]

stinky pants

[@MrYorickJenkins]

This was a masterful summary a sort of gold standard for a university essay

[@tara345]

Whenever people in Ireland have a bad day, we say “Thatcher’s still dead” to make ourselves feel better.

[@eazyollie9370]

Well I'm sure she'd still be delighted with your whole country speaking the language of the country she loved 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

[@tara345]

@@eazyollie9370 ní thuigim Béarla a bhod lofa.

[@brownrice9147]

@@eazyollie9370 póg mo thóin

[@bt3743]

@@eazyollie9370 I wonder if that has anything to do with violent imperialism and the exploitation of the Irish

@Alexios I Komnenos Have you lived in Ireland to speak with such confidence?

[@madmammoth9022]

I saw the notification and the title cut off at "greatest Prime Minister" and i was gonna comment a fucking storm

[@DavidM_10]

lol

[@Stegibbon]

I'm still pissed off with it lol

[@Stegibbon]

Actually he just said taking milk from kids was justifiable. Unsubbed.

[@slck181]

@@Stegibbon you do know that the UK has crippling debt? Cuts needed to be made

[@Stegibbon]

@Amo S monster

[@williamsnike452]

"Do you have a license for that opinion?"

[@Blackadderthefourth]

A great film with the closing of the mines as a heavy focal point is 'Brassed off' really captures the beakness of the time

[@Yvonne-ox8sv]

I want to be able to write speeches like you . You have a mastery with words .

[@ckilgore3983]

Really love to see something on Aldous Huxley & Marcus Garvey.

[@caeserromero3013]

I studied Politics in college and our lecturer was an ex civil servant (and Lib Dem voter). One story he told about the Thatcher era stuck with me. Apparently prior to the Thatcher era, govt laboratories bred their own rats for testing. A govt audit worked out that it cost approx £30 to breed each rat, when they could be purchased commercially for £2 each. It was this kind of waste of tax payers money that Thatcher sought to eradicate, and why many civil service depts loathed the woman for her interference.

[@bushmanPMRR]

It's so much easier to spend other peoples money and as we are all tax payers we should demand much better value for our money.

[@lirrobinson8377]

@@bushmanPMRR oh, you must not know how much government contractors charge the government. And those cheap rats are probably getting picked out of the gutter.

[@mickwest2650]

Sorry, you miss understood him. The rats they bred were Tory Politcians. You had to lived it to understand it. The view you had depends on where you lived. Children brought in the mining towns have a different view to those from 7 Oaks.

[@paulsmith5218]

I don’t get it. Why did the civil service departments hate her? Because she had to tell them how to do their jobs?

[@mr.jamster8414]

Hm...

[@danielwatson1521]

Thank you Simon!

[@mariemcintosh9268]

When I saw the thumbnail I thought oooo you’re brave but you did really good on this. And I didn’t pay my poll tax either lol

[@aaronmorris1513]

Learning about Thatcher’s policies makes one understand Chumbawamba lyrics much more.

[@kopite4434]

pissin the night awaaaaay!

[@sagebiddi]

Tubthumping GD !

[@nodiggity9472]

Pictures of Starving Children sell Records.

[@annescholey6546]

Not a mention of the infamous Clause 28.

[@ExperimentIV]

one of their best EPs ever is all about her!

[@Samacora]

That title cut off in the notification is going to cause a rush of rustled jimmies calling it now. Even hinting at her being the best will get people into a tizzy 🤣

[@Lowmanification]

All the better for views and "engagement."

[@silentcal275]

She is the greatest prime minister since Churchill. :-) Hasn't been one as good since.

[@ericwhitfield8475]

Excellent video!

[@franciswaters7043]

just heard Simon say "thatcher declared war on Argentina" this isn't true. War was not officially declared.

[@jaimintrivedi2207]

oh dear.

[@rbncwn9897]

9 ads in this video. She’ll be smiling up at us from hell

[@garyhendrick4391]

Adblock Plus, ftw

[@sanderdejong66]

I watched in the KZbin iPad app. Zero ads.

[@iammattc1]

The issue with the poll tax was that it was done on a per-capita basis, using the voter's registry. The easiest way to avoid it was not to register to vote. Literally a tax on voting.

[@tosspot1305]

Hense the name 'poll' tax I guess

[@cellokid5104]

I love how impartial this is

[@joeh9399]

It must be very difficult to make a video like this and be unbiased. You did a good job.

[@ryanpayne1148]

I tried to explain to my US friends what a conversation about Margaret Thatcher in the UK was like. Now I'm just going to send them this comment section instead.

[@capttrips1523]

Meh, bout the same as public opinion of Reagan. Savior of the economy to some and austeric villian to others

[@ryanpayne1148]

@@capttrips1523 As someone who grew up in the north east of England and now lives in Scotland, it doesn't matter what she "Did for the country" as a whole, she built it all on the destroyed lives and literal bodies of millions of people. Any leader who needs to do that to "succeed" has utterly failed.

[@adamjmurray6]

​@@ryanpayne1148 Exactly. Brutes have achieved much through harming others but, to remember them as anything other than villians is to disrespect the memories of those that suffered under them.

[@jenniferahough4983]

@@ryanpayne1148 Find a Scottish person who liked her and you win a prize 😂🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@aaropajari7058]

@@jenniferahough4983 Wee Jock Poo Pong McPlop...reportedly.

[@marky755]

I don’t think you can say “saved the country” if half the country was pushed into poverty? Who gives a sod about the state if the citizens are dying.

[@boiledelephant]

You're comparing known and unknown quantities. We know who was worse off, and by how much, for her impact; we don't know who would've been worse off, or by how much, for the lack of it. Her motives were not humanitarian but she did squash the coal industry and that will have literally saved an unknown, now incalculable number of lives. That's not to downplay the suffering of those negatively affected by her decisions - just to point out that it's complicated, her legacy was both good and bad, as the video made very clear I thought.

[@marky755]

@@boiledelephant Yes, we know she killed many and ruined the lives of many more. That’s all the information we have. Let’s judge her on that. Not your hypotheticals.

[@boiledelephant]

@@marky755 nah mate they call that the cockpit door problem. Someone who averts disaster (e.g. by mandating cockpit door locks on all planes in August 2001) gets no credit, because the prevented disaster is invisible.

[@robinodonnell3020]

When asked how he was doing, my grandfather would always end his response with "...and Thatcher is still in a box so it can't be all bad."

[@kriegenjoyer6913]

Good on him!

[@metagreen1931]

I live in Fife, a county made up entirely of old mining towns. My parents were children in the 1970s, experiencing all the power shortages, strikes, and so on that brought the nation to a standstill. The perspective I've been given of Thatcher is an odd one, but this video has helped me work out my opinions on her policies better, thank you.

[@StoneColdMan2294]

It’s odd to see someone from the same county as me here, her policies certainly are not popular here from personal experience. At least one thing can be said no matter opinion, she certainly was an Iron Lady

[@biggingeryeti]

Dude there's a reason that when she died 'Ding dong the witch is dead' shot up the record charts.

[@darrenelkins5923]

biggingeryeti Is it the same reason many people thought corbyn was the 2nd coming?

[@garrick3727]

Yes, the reason was simple: She was a woman. Had she been a man, no-one would have gone to that level of effort. Tony Blair, for example, was far worse but you never hear about it and I bet there is no song in the charts when he dies. Even Donald Trump - do you think a song would race up the charts when he dies? No, it's just because she was a right-wing woman, something that gets particular hatred.

[@biggingeryeti]

@@garrick3727 Yeah people didn't care about the desolation of their communities, industries and the social safety net, it was because she was a woman. As for Blair, yes, you do hear about it. Scotland for example used to be an easy Labour seat. Now it's SNP.

[@darrenelkins5923]

@@garrick3727 Yes, the left call the Tory’s, ‘the nasty party’, however most of the nastiness emanates from the left of left.

[@raseli4066]

I just found that British guy funny

[@chiekogogana7069]

The world needs someone as tough as her now lol

[@baronvonlimbourgh1716]

Might as well just nuke it that. The world couldn't survive another stint of those 2.

[@obi0914]

Thank you Simon, I have heard both good things and bad things of her and I really wanted to know more and you gave me a clean non bias look at her. Sounds like she really did pull UK out of the void

[@Michael-590]

Being a Canadian, I don't know much about Margaret Thatcher. However, I am grateful that her likeliness was used on Spitting Image.

[@alexj7440]

She basically kickstarted the downfall of the UK. Privatisation has devastated the UK and it’s continuing to this day with the conservatives trying to privatize their healthcare.

[@richardwmgauthier]

@@alexj7440 what was privatized that devestated the country?

[@alexj7440]

@@richardwmgauthier much like in Canada, airlines, telecom, oil and gas, steel, automobile, utilities, and now the NHS to name a few. Thatcher also engaged in wage suppression and hardcore union busting. Rich people loved her though. I wonder why? s/

[@alexandrugheorghe5610]

Dude, the world changes. You can move countries. At least, you could (when in the EU). I don't understand why people complain. You want communism? Trust me, it doesn't work.

[@lukestobo9868]

Not to mention unbottling Irish Reunification support and Scottish Nationalism

[@kiteparker4310]

“I know what’s going on; I’ve watched The Crown!” - me

[@mrjones8757]

Even though I’m a major Thatcherite this was very fair and balanced