If Michael Foot had been prime minister.......
Discussion
We'd have been stuck in the 70s, strikes, 3 day weeks, power & fuel shortages, hyper inflation, flares 
for at least another 5 years.
We'd probably handed over the Falklands without much fuss, no longer been a nuclear power and had a very reduced armed forces (labour were very anti military back then)
for at least another 5 years.We'd probably handed over the Falklands without much fuss, no longer been a nuclear power and had a very reduced armed forces (labour were very anti military back then)
Edited by Pickled on Tuesday 19th February 11:17
Fittster said:
Rude-boy said:
Fittster said:
He was very sceptical of Europe.
But rather fond of the USSR...You are correct, after a quick little reprise, although it was more the aggressive taking over he was against, the strong suggestion is that if it had expanded due to popular revolution he would have been more than happy for them to be Communist countries.
His support of unilateral disarmament would have most likely extended the Cold War.
crankedup said:
Not sure which image is worse, the scruffy Foot look or the oily Cameron.
Michael Foot was an extraordinarily nice man. I met him once, and even though his politics were rather different from my own I have to say I found him a likeable chap. He was at heart a Liberal Socialist, favouring greater state control of industry, nuclear disarmament and wealth redistribution via the tax system. He was also a great believer in the power of democracy, which ironically proved to be his downfall. "The longest suicide note in history" is how I believe the 1983 Labour election manifesto was nicknamed by some Labour MPs.. And all because what was in the manifesto was actually what had been agreed at the party conference, by the members and the unions.. Foot insisted that the manifesto should reflect the decisions taken by the members, and as a result lost the ensuing election in spectacular fashion.
And it wasn't a donkey jacket. (note there are no plastic shoulders!) but a short overcoat which his wife had bought him, and which by all accounts was quite expensive. Ironically again, it was a Labour MP that said he looked like an Irish Navvy, and the donkey jacket smear stuck.
I am very glad he was never elected PM - not simply because his politics were so naieve, but mostly because the Labour party he was leading would have utterly destroyed the UK imho.
As for the jibe against Cameron, well, I don't think he's doing all that badly, given the incumbrances he has to work under:- wrecked economy thanks to New Labour, a coalition partner that is running scared of political oblivion, and the massed armies of the Guardianista nasty left drawn up against him.
andymadmak said:
Michael Foot was an extraordinarily nice man. I met him once, and even though his politics were rather different from my own I have to say I found him a likeable chap. He was at heart a Liberal Socialist, favouring greater state control of industry, nuclear disarmament and wealth redistribution via the tax system.
I met a nice guy once too. He happened to deny the holocaust and think that apartheid was a good idea in the circumstances, but he got a round in and shook everyone by the hand.Yes I read the rest of your post, and I'm glad the bigot in the pub was never Prime Minister either, or even a minor local representative for a fringe party for that matter, but I wish people would start to see the inhumane, brutal reality of socialism for what it is, rather than seeing it as some likable eccentricity amongst some well meaning people.
AJS- said:
I met a nice guy once too. He happened to deny the holocaust and think that apartheid was a good idea in the circumstances, but he got a round in and shook everyone by the hand.
Yes I read the rest of your post, and I'm glad the bigot in the pub was never Prime Minister either, or even a minor local representative for a fringe party for that matter, but I wish people would start to see the inhumane, brutal reality of socialism for what it is, rather than seeing it as some likable eccentricity amongst some well meaning people.
Actually AJS I do agree with you about socialism. And I do take your point about being a nice bloke and still being dangerous. Yes I read the rest of your post, and I'm glad the bigot in the pub was never Prime Minister either, or even a minor local representative for a fringe party for that matter, but I wish people would start to see the inhumane, brutal reality of socialism for what it is, rather than seeing it as some likable eccentricity amongst some well meaning people.
Pickled said:
We'd have been stuck in the 70s, strikes, 3 day weeks, power & fuel shortages, hyper inflation, flares for at least another 5 years.
We'd probably handed over the Falklands without much fuss, no longer been a nuclear power and had a very reduced armed forces (labour were very anti military back then)
I don't completely agree about the Falklands. I remember the parliamentary debate after the Argies invaded and Foot was appalled that a fascist dictatorship had invaded British territory. for at least another 5 years.We'd probably handed over the Falklands without much fuss, no longer been a nuclear power and had a very reduced armed forces (labour were very anti military back then)
Edited by Pickled on Tuesday 19th February 11:17
Whether he'd have bottled when the shooting started though?
Edited by Paul Dishman on Tuesday 19th February 15:47
andymadmak said:
crankedup said:
Not sure which image is worse, the scruffy Foot look or the oily Cameron.
Michael Foot was an extraordinarily nice man. I met him once, and even though his politics were rather different from my own I have to say I found him a likeable chap. He was at heart a Liberal Socialist, favouring greater state control of industry, nuclear disarmament and wealth redistribution via the tax system. He was also a great believer in the power of democracy, which ironically proved to be his downfall. "The longest suicide note in history" is how I believe the 1983 Labour election manifesto was nicknamed by some Labour MPs.. And all because what was in the manifesto was actually what had been agreed at the party conference, by the members and the unions.. Foot insisted that the manifesto should reflect the decisions taken by the members, and as a result lost the ensuing election in spectacular fashion.
And it wasn't a donkey jacket. (note there are no plastic shoulders!) but a short overcoat which his wife had bought him, and which by all accounts was quite expensive. Ironically again, it was a Labour MP that said he looked like an Irish Navvy, and the donkey jacket smear stuck.
I am very glad he was never elected PM - not simply because his politics were so naieve, but mostly because the Labour party he was leading would have utterly destroyed the UK imho.
As for the jibe against Cameron, well, I don't think he's doing all that badly, given the incumbrances he has to work under:- wrecked economy thanks to New Labour, a coalition partner that is running scared of political oblivion, and the massed armies of the Guardianista nasty left drawn up against him.
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