Margaret Thatcher Dies at 87

[AgnesIO]

She didn't want everything privatised, please read on her beliefs and what she did in office and then come to a real conclusion. You're just deploying the Joey Bartonesque school of thought, despite the fact that Joey Barton never reimbursed the taxpayer for his short stay in prison.

If she owned an industry and wanted subsidies to her company from the state, then you'd have a point. But she didn't.

The Thatcher Administration started the privatisation of the railways, for a start.

For that reason alone, I cannot stand the woman.

[Kardan]

I don't mind her having a ceremonial funeral, I'm just bothered by all the people that will cause trouble on the day. It's really not the time and the place for it. The time for it was 23 years ago...

[-:Undertaker:-]

The Thatcher Administration started the privatisation of the railways, for a start.

For that reason alone, I cannot stand the woman.

Because government is so good at running the railways, I mean just look at how good it runs the hospitals/schools/armed forces.

PS - the railways have been de facto re-nationalised before you tell me they're terrible now and that somehow makes state-run ones better.

[AgnesIO]

Because government is so good at running the railways, I mean just look at how good it runs the hospitals/schools/armed forces.

PS - the railways have been de facto re-nationalised before you tell me they're terrible now and that somehow makes state-run ones better.

I bet it wouldn't cost me £6 to get to the nearest town (11 minute journey!!) if it was government run.

[-:Undertaker:-]

I bet it wouldn't cost me £6 to get to the nearest town (11 minute journey!!) if it was government run.

Indeed, because the government would simply take it out of your back pocket via taxation and then subsidise the railways. Like they do now.

The NHS costs you 'nothing' when you arrive at the hospital or doctors, but where do you think the money comes from? it doesn't fall from space.

[AgnesIO]

Indeed, because the government would simply take it out of your back pocket via taxation and then subsidise the railways. Like they do now.

The NHS costs you 'nothing' when you arrive at the hospital or doctors, but where do you think the money comes from? it doesn't fall from space.

When I eventually start needing the LST service, it will cost me (annually) £4,100 - and that is before inevitable price increases.

Unless the government taxes me an additional £4k per year, I know how I would be better off.

They could even fund it by scrapping the ridiculous HS2 plan.

[-:Undertaker:-]

When I eventually start needing the LST service, it will cost me (annually) £4,100 - and that is before inevitable price increases.

Unless the government taxes me an additional £4k per year, I know how I would be better off.

They could even fund it by scrapping the ridiculous HS2 plan.

It wouldn't tax you directly and instantly, no - it never does. It'd add it onto the debt and make you pay even more with the added interest long term - as well as placing that burden on the rest of the country on people who don't even use the railways. I don't want to pay towards your journeys.

The railways should be privatised and privatised properly this time.

[AgnesIO]

It wouldn't tax you directly and instantly, no - it never does. It'd add it onto the debt and make you pay even more with the added interest long term - as well as placing that burden on the rest of the country on people who don't even use the railways. I don't want to pay towards your journeys.

The railways should be privatised and privatised properly this time.

I guess if you use the railways, you would want it nationalised - just something to make them actually.. work?

I can genuinely count on one hand the amount of times my train has been on time in the morning so far in 2013. Taking into account I get the train every weekday, that is truly appalling.

[-:Undertaker:-]

I guess if you use the railways, you would want it nationalised - just something to make them actually.. work?

I use the railways and they do work.

I pay my own fare and I think you should be expected to pay your own aswell, rather than having others pay it for you.

I can genuinely count on one hand the amount of times my train has been on time in the morning so far in 2013. Taking into account I get the train every weekday, that is truly appalling.

Bad service encouraged by government subsidies. If you nationalise them completely again, it'll only compound the problem; if a service isn't driven by profit and expanding the service by making it attractive to new customers, then it's not going to function as well as it would.

At the moment we've got the ridiculous situation where 'private' railways are being subsidised by government - the policy should be sink or swim.

[Chippiewill]

You could say that with any historical figure then. Why bother reburying Richard III? why hold a funeral for Churchill? why hold one for the Queen Mother? why bother holding one for Princess Diana? heck, why even have any tradition, pomp and ceremony anymore? scrap the lot, scrap the State Opening of Parliament. Scrap the Britannia as Labour did. Scrap military shows. Scrap the Changing of the Guard and just replace with normal dull security.

Probably not a bad idea actually, it would save a lot of money..