You're right in one respect, Fionn - I failed to distinguish between Thatcherism and Thatcher . . None the less, at that point the Tories were so unpopular anything would have got elected . .

However . . Are you sure about Blair's father being a Conservative? That's not my recollection. Certainly Blair himself has been a member of the Labour party ever since he was at University. (Mind you, my "source" on these matters, who's a Labour activist from those parts, does reckon Blair's constituency labour party is probably the most conservative in the UK). [I have an idea Blair Father was a lecturer at Durham University, and a Liberal.]

I'd also agree with you that Major was the first and last decent person to serve as Prime Minister for a very long while . .

Bill Sables, I disagree with you about Scargill, too, but that's another topic . . (Do you believe the miners are totally stupid when they kept voting for him? He endured longer than Thatcher . . ) And, indeed, my reaction on meeting him is the opposite to yours, too. (Though I agree he was bloody stupid over the management of the strike ..)

Bald Eagle - again, I was in too much haste . . "Totally disagree with you ON THAT PARTICULAR POINT!!"

Firecat - HOW has Blair destroyed this country? (And in any case he's generally continued the policies of "the other lot" including - as someone pointed out - widening the gap between rich and poor . . and destroying manufacturing industry . . .

G.