The Fall of Margaret Thatcher | John Major | Leading

A clip of former Prime Minister John Major outlining what he believes to be the reason for Margaret Thatcher's downfall.

#therestispolitics #johnmajor #margaretthatcher

[jonvincentmusic]

Four words sum up her downfall: she would not listen.

[MiniOilSlyk]

Poll tax was brought into Scotland a year before the rest of the UK. Tommy Sheridan became the face of the anti poll tax protests in Scotland, burning the poll tax form. Thatcher was especially hated in Scotland and resonates to this day. I remember her at 1985 Scottish Cup final coming in after kick off and whole crowd booing and holding up red cards.

[global]

So good Campbell let John Major talk this time. The beauty of these podcasts is actually hearing from the people who were there and letting them speak. Last one I watched Campbell interrupted Major telling him he knew the answer better & simply read from a book which we can all do. Always let the person you’re interviewing answer the questions. It’s why we’re all here. To find out from them their current thoughts.

[petecodes]

Note to the producers - cut out the background music when they are talking :)

[Elitist]

They tried to poll tax me, even though I was an Australian who'd been living there only a year, doing the working holiday thing. Left the UK (was already going anyway) before they could sock me with it. Returned 5 years later for my former London flatmate's wedding (in the country near Winchester, straight out of the first wedding in Four Weddings and a Funeral - magic!). They didn't arrest me when I arrived in the country - presumably Ealing Council couldn't afford to put a watch on all the airports - so I think I got away with it.

[matthewsemple]

One of the massive errors was to charge students the same rate as anyone else. So halls of residence up and down the country received bills for each room. Some may have had 50 students in a building. The rooms are often tiny and back then, students would share a bathroom and a kitchen between 15 or more people. The buildings are mainly on university campuses which have their own roads, bin collections, etc. and don't really use the council services like a normal property. Utterly ridiculous to charge each student a full bill. Since council tax was introduced, students have been exempt.

[mustafamar]

I remember that my father used to pay £400 in rates, as it was called. Then the poll tax came in and all 6 of us were asked to pay £200 each which made it £1200 for the family. Tripling our rates made us anti Mrs Thatcher.

[KidarWolf]

I'm rather enjoying these discussions with John Major. While I might disagree with his political stance in many areas, I think this is the sort of leader we need again to regain some semblance of politeness in British politics. I hope that any aspiring politicians take onboard this rather remarkable individual's views on the current political climate as opposed to the past political climate, as his insights in these interviews have been wonderfully refreshing.

[malamalinka]

He makes a great point about European integration. It was brought by people who remembered the devastating impact of WW2 and understood that it’s the best way to avoid further armed conflicts in Europe. The separatists movements and whining about sovereignty which resulted in Brexit was brought on by people who grew up after.

[brianmarshall]

The pole tax principle was that everyone should pay for local services not just householders, unfortunately the way it was administered was a failure.

[deanpapadopoulos]

I like John Major. It’s good to see him again and to hear his views. He always came across as an astute person who happened to be a politician.

[Tia-Marie]

1:21 - I love the one second cameo by Rory Stewart

[hawsrulebegin]

John Major was a decent man regardless of the mistakes and Edwina. Mistakes are human after all. Never voted for him but seen through today’s eyes the Tories have nobody decent in their ranks anymore. Thatcher on the other hand was power mad and arrogant and I cried with relief when she walked out of No10 crying.

[ERCwC]

So the attitude that caused Conservatives to lose faith in her at the time (“No no no”) is the very thing that endears her to them today. How times change.

[Kevin-zznc]

Everything Major says is measured and well balanced. Thatcher didnt have the capacity to compromise.

[lublondon]

What an amazingly civilised conversation….

[ruinerblodsinn]

When will the complete episode be released?

[michaelmouse]

The Poll Tax, Smart Motorways, HS2 & Brexit. Tory pipe dreams encouraged & funded despite clear evidence of significant failure: the sunken cost fallacy.

[raymondbruce]

I thought it was because she was a tyrant and bully who was and still is hated by a great many people.

[gwangjuboy]

The problem with this narrative, is that the council tax, its successor, was even more onerous, and in many cases made the dustman pay far more than the duke. If you own a 20 million pound townhouse in Belgravia, you pay less than a tenant in a one bedroom flat in Sheffield. How is that fair?