It's hard to believe that 25 years have passed since Baroness Thatcher took the country by the balls and turned us from a lethargic manufacturing nation into a not so much better service state.

Like her or loath her she set a new mould for British politics, commerce and industry which has led to new fortunes for all - some good, but many more bad.

Viewed over the longterm, history will probably ensure that she descends into the ranks of Britain's worst Prime Ministers. After all, through her government's lack of investment in the nation's crucial infrastructure in effect she presided over the massive deterioration of the National Health Service and the rail transport network - to name but two.

But are we any better under President Blair's semi-republican regime? Well, he's partly repaired the NHS and set the wheels in motion for a safer more efficient rail network. Yet he's partly divorced us from the rest of the world by jumping in bed with the USA on Iraq.

Still, by Mrs Thatcher longevity record as a leader, Tony Blair still, perhaps, has a few years to serve the nation. By which time we will either be out of the woods and
up to our elbows in cow droppings or we will be one of the most successful nations on this globe!

Time will tell?

[END]

Andrew Leech, Cross Reference Tel: 01753 884216