Pasted below are some highlights from a brilliant speech given by Lord Forsyth in Scotland to mark the thirtieth anniversary of Margaret Thatcher's election as Prime Minister. Baroness Thatcher, four hundred Scottish Tories, including Lord Lang, Lord Mackay of Clashfern, Annabel Goldie MSP and almost all the Conservative MSPs, several former Scottish MPs and many candidates were present to hear the speech. Pictured with Baroness Thatcher and Lord Forsyth is Jackson Carlaw MSP, Chairman of the Anniversary Dinner.
Margaret Thatcher's historic achievements: "We are here to celebrate a famous victory and to pay tribute to a great Lady who not only saved Britain but together with Ronald Reagan, ended the cold war, tore down the iron curtain, and enabled millions to escape the tyranny of communism."
Margaret Thatcher's work ethic: "My abiding memory of being in Margaret’s Government was of relentless work and pace. David Davis then a new member of Parliament stopped me as I was rushing through the member’s lobby and said, ‘ Slow down, Michael, Rome was not built in a day’. ‘Margaret Thatcher was not the shop steward on that job’ I said hurrying on."
Margaret Thatcher's personal ethics: "When Margaret wanted to redecorate the study in no 10 she paid for it herself. She always paid cash and never signed the bill in the members dining room and many of her colleagues who did so were given stern lectures on the dangers of debt and credit."
Margaret Thatcher's inheritance: "When Cecil Parkinson went to the Soviet Union as the new Trade minister his Communist opposite number told him they were no longer prepared to buy from Britain because of the poor quality of goods and the unreliability of deliveries."
Margaret Thatcher's economic revolution: "Breaking state monopolies, encouraging competition, lowering taxes and returning control of the trade unions to their members unleashed a new age of enterprise and wealth creation. Council House sales meant thousands of families were given the chance to have capital for the first time in their lives and freed from municipal controls that even decided the colour of their front door. Workers in privatised companies were given shares in the business as she set about achieving her vision of a meritocratic property owning democracry."
Margaret Thatcher's victory over Arthur Scargill: "By 1984 we had prepared for the day when Scargill would confront the Government. The miners strike was a disaster for the coal industry and was scarred by violence and intimidation as the leadership sought to defy the laws of the land and the laws of economics. The miners were lions led by donkeys. They deserved better and I shall never forget the courage shown by the working miners. One of them is now our chief whip in the House of Commons , Patrick McLoughlin. I would not advise any rebels to take him on! Ted Heath had asked the question in 1974 Who Governs Britain? And he had lost. But 10 years later the Conservative Government was ready to answer- resoundingly."
Margaret Thatcher's Iron quality during the Falklands War: "Enoch Powell speaking in Parliament which was recalled to sit on a Saturday referred to the Russians calling you an Iron lady. In the next week or two this house, the nation and the Rt Hon Lady herself will learn of what metal she is made’... After Victory was declared Enoch Powell asked the Prime Minister another question in Parliament: "Is the Rt Hon Lady aware that the report has been received from the public analyst on a certain substance recently subjected to analysis and that I have obtained a copy of the report. It shows that the substance under test consisted of ferrous mater of the highest quality and that it is of exceptional tensile strength, is highly resistant to wear and tear and to stress and may be used to advantage for all national purposes."
Margaret Thatcher's relevance to today: "She changed the way people thought about wealth creation, enterprise and the role of the state. Part of her legacy was the destruction of socialism and the creation of New Labour. Today we are back to the 70s in a Britain on the brink of bankruptcy thanks to the meddling excesses of Gordon Brown, the irresponsibility of some bankers and the searing incompetence of the regulators and monetary authorities here and in the United States. Old Labour is back. Margaret’s fixed ropes of sound money, living within our means, controlling public expenditure and smaller Government to release the enterprise of the British people are still in place. We know that we can climb this mountain and we have in David Cameron and Annabel Goldie a formidable summit party. In truth my mountaineering days are over but I am willing to be a Sherpa on this expedition as should everyone who cares about our country. We can succeed in putting Britain back on top of the world. It will take time, hardship, sacrifice and determination. Our inspiration lies in the victory in 1979 and the example of this great lady who saved our country."
A PDF of Lord Forsyth's full speech.
Tim Montgomerie
Sound!
Posted by: The Freedom Association | May 03, 2009 at 20:26
Great speech and she's looking well in that second photo
Posted by: DCMX | May 03, 2009 at 20:46
Good to see Lady T being appreciated.
Posted by: Working Class Tory | May 03, 2009 at 20:46
A great lady. Thank you for all you did for Britain Maggie
Posted by: Dan Beckham | May 03, 2009 at 20:47
A great speech in the most, highly true, but for on statement:
Today we are back to the 70s in a Britain on the brink of bankruptcy thanks to the meddling excesses of Gordon Brown, the irresponsibility of some bankers and the searing incompetence of the regulators and monetary authorities here and in the United States. Old Labour is back
Yes Britain is in the same sorry state as the 70's, but the tory leader is no Thatcher, in fact i would go as far as to suggest that he is a Blair in blue clothing.
Posted by: Thatcherite88 | May 03, 2009 at 21:01
Well done Scottish Tories
Posted by: Pink Tory | May 03, 2009 at 21:14
The speech in written form is fantastic. Lord Forsyth's perfect tone and delivery combined with the absolutely electric atmosphere in the hall at the time and the end result was just perfect.
If Lady Thatcher ever thought for one minute Scotland didn't appreciate her, it is fair to say after last night's celebration we sent her homeward to think again.
Posted by: Andrew Morrison, Glasgow | May 03, 2009 at 21:22
Fantastic speech and The Lady looks on wonderful form!
Posted by: Sally Roberts | May 03, 2009 at 21:28
Andrew Morrison, is there any footage of this event, or the speech available?
Would love to view it.
Posted by: ChrisD | May 03, 2009 at 21:45
Max respect.
If the great lady hadn't dragged us so far forward, nu-labours decade plus of dragging the country back would have left us in the stone age rather than just the 70s...
I hope she sees her legacy resurrected in her own life time - a second new age of individual enterprise...
Thatcherism II - It'll be back.
Posted by: pp | May 03, 2009 at 22:00
I am glad that Mrs. Thatcher had a celebration, however I wonder who chose her outfit, I believe her sight is not what it used to be, because BLUE is her colour as were her politics, and dreary black, baydge and red, do absolutely nothing for her - sadly!
I am a great believer in colour changing how a person looks - AND feels, AND I would include men in that as well, although so many men are not encouraged to enjoy colour!
Posted by: Patsy Sergeant | May 03, 2009 at 22:43
ChrisD,
There were a couple of cameras linked up to big screens. The venue was so huge, and with so many people present, the screens were necessary so all could see the speakers etc.
Whether any footage was recorded or not, I do not know. East Renfrewshire Conservatives organised the event, so they would know. Hopefully someone from East Ren. will be forthcoming with details!
Posted by: Andrew Morrison, Glasgow | May 03, 2009 at 23:18
Good to see this.
Posted by: Joe James B | May 03, 2009 at 23:23
What a wonderful privilege to be in the hall in Glasgow with the great Lady T!
It was Maggie's policy of 'right to buy' that allowed my parents to buy our council house, Maggie's defence of the Falklands made me want to join and serve in the TA, and Maggie's inspiration and work ethic that inspired me to set up my own company at 19 and pass it on successfully to a national PLC at 24.
She defended the policy of gradual change in South Africa against the legions of nutters of the left, whose 'overnight change' policy has since been proved such a catastrophic failure (mainly for the indigenous peoples the lefties claimed to want to help) in the 'Zimbabwised' Southern Rhodesia. Regrettably, South Africa may be heading the same way, but if only Maggie had got in 5 years earlier Zimbabwe might be a very different (i.e. better) place today.
She led by conviction and common-sense based on spending what you can afford. Brown and Blair robbed the best pension funds in Europe which she and Nigel Lawson had created, and have impoverished us while creating 1.5 million non-jobs in the fanatastic nightmare world of gender, ethnic and green 'monitoring'. Carbon taxes and red-tape have driven our sunrise industries to China and Eastern Europe, while our politicians insist on punitive taxes to stop us buying Land Rovers and Jaguars and then cry crocodile tears and give state hand-outs when the factories are threatened with closure!
I am a Candidate for Westminster and pray to God (yes, the Christian one) that I get the chance to serve my country as Lady Thatcher did. If I can give 10% of what she did, I'd surely be better than the self-serving, home-sauna-and-porn-on-parliamentary-expenses crowd inhabiting Westminster.
Once upon a time our children were taught about our successes and strong, benevolent role in the world; now they await a future where they'll have to learn Mandarin to work in a call centre to serve the "coming Chinese 'super-power'" (source: latest Scottish General Teaching Council magazine! How to inspire the next generation, eh?).
As Mrs T said to Parliament in 1983:
"The people of the Falkland Islands, like the people of the UK are an island race...They are few in number, but they have the right to live in peace, to choose their own way of life and to determine their own allegiance. Their way of life is British: their allegiance is to the Crown."
Can someone please now do for the UK today, what Mrs Thatcher and our Armed Forces did for the Falkland Islanders? We need rescuing from political correctness, the emerging Soviet EU and Brown's malevolent Orwellian state.
Roll-on the Election, and God Save the Queen!
Posted by: Philip Lardner | May 04, 2009 at 00:07
A brilliant record at home of freeing industry, cutting taxes (lesson for GOP - where prudent), creating the culture of popular capitalism.
An outstanding record of standing up in the World, serving as a Superpower between the US and the USSR.
No one else has managed it.
Posted by: TheBigotBasher | May 04, 2009 at 00:08
Patsy : "I am glad that Mrs. Thatcher had a celebration, however I wonder who chose her outfit"
Whoever chose it must have a mischeveous sense of humour.
It appears that the red on her dress, is that of red roses, a nod to New Labour perhaps?
Or maybe just the red rose of England? But she's in Scotland...
Someone's idea of irony, perhaps? :D
Posted by: Tom H | May 04, 2009 at 00:17
Andrew Morrison, thanks for your reply, here is hoping that the East Renfrewshire crew can oblige.
Posted by: ChrisD | May 04, 2009 at 00:27
OMG! How on earth did Damian McBride get to sit next to Baroness T?
Posted by: Patrick Pepper | May 04, 2009 at 00:49
Some good photos, but I don't like her dress.
Posted by: Andrew S | May 04, 2009 at 00:54
She looks astonishingly well and happy in the second photo -squint and it could be in the late 70's! I like her outfit too -it reminds me (I wasn't there, I read it in her autobio) of the Party conference after Kinnock first chose the red rose as Labour's symbol, and Maggie came on wearing a red rose -making it clear that hers was the rose of england.
Posted by: Simon R | May 04, 2009 at 01:03
It'd be awfully nice for one of Cameron's first acts as PM to be reviving tradition by giving Lady T the traditional retired PM's earldom: Countess of Finchley has a nice ring to it.
Posted by: Dave J | May 04, 2009 at 02:13
She's looking well. Much better than I expected considering all of the reports about her health.
Posted by: Thomas | May 04, 2009 at 07:15
It was a great dinner, and she was in good form - it was an honour to meet her again - and in Scotland! She left the hall to 3 cheers for Margaret Thatcher!
Posted by: Iain McGill | May 04, 2009 at 08:22
Uplifting!
Posted by: michael mcgough | May 04, 2009 at 08:54
Sounds a wonderful event.
@Philip Lardner 00.07
If only all candidates were true Conservatives like you! Good luck, whenever the General Election comes.
Posted by: Martin Wright | May 04, 2009 at 09:07
The 2nd best PM this country has ever had! Only Churchill was greater!
She was a marvellous PM and the best party leader we have ever had! We had over 1 million party members then!
Posted by: Freddy | May 04, 2009 at 09:39
"It'd be awfully nice for one of Cameron's first acts as PM to be reviving tradition by giving Lady T the traditional retired PM's earldom: Countess of Finchley has a nice ring to it."
She already declined an earldom, citing she 'did not have the means to support the title' hence she became baroness, rather than countesss, thatcher.
Posted by: Thomas | May 04, 2009 at 09:51
A wonderful speech - true in every aspect. It is the country's great misfortune that there is no one at present who looks anywhere near able to match her courage, her leadership or her achievements. For all our sakes let us hope that there is someone -as yet unknown I'm afraid- who will prove strong, tough and above all Conservative and who will emerge to take over the leadership of our party and who will emulate her triumphs. Without that possibility the current outlook is bleak indeed
Posted by: JS | May 04, 2009 at 10:12
While we should remember the past and respect Margaret Thatchers achievements I think the Conservative party need to be careful not to live in the past.
Margaret Thatcher was a leader for her times. The country as moved on, there are different problems and the type of leader she was is not I fear what the country is looking for now.
David |Cameron should not be compared to her as he as not been Prime Minister and I think its unfair to use Margaret Thatcher as a comparison.
Posted by: Jack Stone | May 04, 2009 at 10:38
Yes indeed what a wonderful evening, and well done to Jackson Carlaw and his team for organising the event. It was indeed a privilege to be there, to have the opportunity once again to shake the hand of the best Prime Minister we have ever had. To hear at first hand Michael Forsyth’s brilliant tribute to the eleven wonderful years. As I reflected on the memories of the pain before the gain I also noted with pride that the next generation of Hunterians who accompanied me to the evening were equally in awe of the Lady and at the end Michael’s address, were quick to recognise that as Thatcher’s children they had much to be thankful for, whilst still stunned in utter bewilderment that in a little over 12 years how Brown and New Labour could squander it all and destroy everything we worked so hard to build. For sure, the next Conservative Prime Minister has a real challenge ahead.
Posted by: Hunterian | May 04, 2009 at 11:44
Good speech and it looked a lovely event. I'm delighted the event took place in Scotland I hope it signals a revival of the Scottish Conservative Party.
Posted by: Malcolm Dunn | May 04, 2009 at 15:11
Nice to see that the Regan-Thatcher link was given prominence. Together they managed to re-wire the world economy into a global network (teething problems now sure, but nothing compared to the '70s malaise on both sides of the Atlantic). But just as importantly, using that economic might and progress in the West; the standard of living and improvement in lifestyle to utterly crush the waste and brutal human misery of communism without so much as firing a single shot. Fantastic, and a lasting historic global legacy. Don't care what Tom Harris says on his blog, its true and it eclipses any and all of the plethora of problems any Prime Minister has in a period of office.
Posted by: Oberon Houston | May 04, 2009 at 17:16
"Good speech and it looked a lovely event. I'm delighted the event took place in Scotland I hope it signals a revival of the Scottish Conservative Party."
Malcolm, we have just seen a former Scottish rugby star who is now a businessman give one of the biggest donations to the Scottish Conservatives. Gavin Hastings is going to speak at Conference on outbound activities in education, and we now have a couple of prominent people defecting from Labour and giving their support to our party.
The relevance of this should not be lost, back in the run up to 2007, the SNP saw something similar.
Posted by: ChrisD | May 04, 2009 at 17:52
Oh Margaret.... I know there is a credit crunch.... but did you have to wear the curtains?
Posted by: Emily Broadacre | May 04, 2009 at 20:02
"She already declined an earldom, citing she 'did not have the means to support the title' hence she became baroness, rather than countesss, thatcher."
Really? My understanding was that Heseltine vetoed Major giving her the earldom, out of spite.
Posted by: Dave J | May 04, 2009 at 21:26
We called her "Iron Maggie" over here, adn she's sorely missed.
Bill
http://willstuff.wordpress.com
Posted by: Bill McNutt | May 05, 2009 at 14:12
I live on the other side of the pond (U.S.), but I have always revered Lady Thatcher. What a wonderful example of leadership she set not just for her own countrymen, but for others the world over. Now, if we could just get our country to pay attention.
I wish we had an "Iron Maggie."
Posted by: TGScott | May 05, 2009 at 17:54
Reagan and Thatcher with the help of Russian insiders destabilised The Soviet Union and the people were released,but they don't want to escape from a structured ordered society did they? Russia is still a basket case even today it is unstable. I image that a lot of their people still yearn for the certainty of Stalin isn't that why Putin survives.They have their strong leader we had ours. That was all long ago, and although it is nice to look back at the tidy lawn of the Thatcher era, we have no choice but to start weeding all over again. It is good to Know that we have in the past been able to kick over the sandcastle only for it to spring anew. Maggy is an example like Churchill, of a great Britain leading from the front. D.C. has a lot to live up to and we do expect much.
Posted by: The Bishop Swine | May 05, 2009 at 20:01
Lady Reagan is one of the greatest women that still live today. I don't think anyone could have handled the Russian problem like the Reagans.I think it was really cool that an actor became the president and still didn't screw up the country. Lady Reagan was a great asset to President Reagan.
Posted by: Landon C | July 12, 2009 at 19:25
Good god, there are actually 400 Tories still in Scotland? Nah, I don't believe it, you must have bussed 399 of them in.
Posted by: Richard Blogger | November 09, 2009 at 11:34
Mad old bat
Posted by: Cole | February 08, 2010 at 16:57