In reply to Scotland Forever commenting on what was ommitted in my text, I would like to draw attention to the fourth paragraph of my note.

My stated opinion was that she was right for her time. It is a social, economic and political fact that we live in constantly changing times. What is required from the government of any country is the leadership and integrity, upon receipt of best available advice, to analyse and anticipate what changes are foreseen and provide direction for the good of the country.

To take issue with some of SF's specifics:

1. I think from reading through the messages on this thread that it has been clearly established that Margaret Thatcher did not start the Falklands War - In fact there is, somewhere in the correspondence, an admission of that by one of her detractors.

2. World-wide, the steel and coal industries were already in trouble - not just in Scotland and Wales. At the time these industries were costing the british tax payer an absolute fortune in subsidies to produce extremely expensive steel and coal that nobody wanted. The situation was simply just not sustainable. Take a look at what has subsequently happened to the coal and steel industries within Europe - they have gone exactly the same way. The demise of these traditional heavy industries was due to world economic factors - not by any dark desire of Margaret Thatcher or the Conservative Party.

3. That she personally made three million people unemployed is a ridiculous statement. Admittedly, what she could have done would have been to increase the subsidies and government regulation to keep failing industries afloat. But this she could only have done to the greater detriment of the country and those measures would not have staved off the inevitable collapse of those industries. Faced with the facts, she did what was necessary. That is leadership and requires courage and integrity. In doing so she kept British Industry competitive, freed it from over regulation and created an industrial/economic climate that encouraged international confidence to the extent that foreign investment in Britain was greater than in any other European country.

4. The Health Service in the UK has always suffered at the hands of extremely well intentioned governments - not just the Conservative government of Margaret Thatcher. Promises of throwing billions at it are made by every party seeking to be elected, this money is usually swallowed up on additional administrative cost resulting from government interference.

5. As for stopping free milk, she certainly did, as a cost cutting measure, while acting as a junior minister in the Department of Education under Edward Heath. To reduce costs she could have cut books or teachers but she chose milk. I'm fairly certain that any subsequent data relating to the general health of the children of Great Britain will focus more on the amount of Irn-Bru and Coke consumed than in the lack of free milk.

In conclusion, I would comment to SF, making the assumption that Scotland Forever indicates leanings towards the SNP, that should the SNP ever gain the majority in the Scottish Parliament, that whatever leadership transpires, it governs with a global perspective and does not run Scotland like a parochial parish council - I say that as a Scot.