Hacker News new | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submit login

Probably (in no particular order):

- The poll tax being first implemented here in Scotland

- Implicit support for South Africa's apartheid regime

- Squandering Scottish oil revenues on unsustainable tax cuts

- Allowing the US to station nuclear cruise missiles in the UK when there was very strong anti-nuclear feelings

- Ruthlessly closing heavy industries with no apparent thought for the social costs ("no such thing as society") - this hit central Scotland really badly

- The "Sermon on the Mound" - which upset a lot of Christians in Scotland

- The violence and oppression of the Miners Strike (mind you, not that the miners were saints)

- Insensitive handling of Northern Ireland (e.g. the hunger strikers)

NB I'm not necessarily saying that I agree with all of these points - but there is still a lot of bitterness in Scotland about the Thatcher years.

Personally, I think she probably did more good than harm for the UK as a whole - but lets not pretend that there was a lot of harm caused by her goverment and a whole generation of people in Scotland will never forget that.




Consider applying for YC's Spring batch! Applications are open till Feb 11.

Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: