The release of secret Government papers under the 30 year rule are always entertaining and the papers from 1982 are now available and Margaret Thatcher might be asking the nurse for more pain killer as she does not come out of it in a particularly good light.
Already a figure of scorn for many, Maggie Thatcher the milk snatchers reputation will not be enhanced by the revelations that have been released today.
In her 1982 Conservative party conference speech in Brighton, she dismissed the Labour Parties claim that the Conservatives were planning
to dismantle the NHS by claiming that 'the NHS is safe with us' but considered a proposal that 'It is therefore worth considering aiming over a period to end the state provision of health care for the bulk of the population, so that medical facilities would be privately owned and run, and those seeking health care would be required to pay for it'. It was only a 'riot within the cabinet' that prevented it.
Other proposals were the introduction of education vouchers, ending the state funding of higher education and freezing welfare benefits.
The Falklands war was the big event of 1982 and the papers show that Margaret Thatcher was prepared to do a deal with Argentina after the invasion of the Falklands over the status of the islands, including the question of sovereignty.
Her Government were also providing arms and training to General Pinochet's troops while trying to 'prevent the press from getting wind of such training' and 'The main difficulty for us will be now to adjust our human rights policy in a way which is sufficient for the Chileans without exposing ourselves to criticism from the domestic lobby that we are subordinating human rights concerns'.
There are large swathes that have not been released, stuff that they've decided is still too incendiary to release but none of this will enhance her reputation, especially the discovery that as she was sending 258 young men and women to die in defence of the Falklands, she was prepared to negotiate handing over sovereignty of it to Argentina anyway.
The Conservatives are not called the Nasty Party for nothing and Thacher was one of the nastiest. I'm sure that we all wish her a speedy recovery so she can answer the questions i expect the Falklands veterans want to ask her.
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