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Politics
Original poster

What’s the first political memory you have?

178 replies

ThisPlumShark · 02/03/2025 17:17

Tony blair

OP posts:
AngelsWithSilverWings · 02/03/2025 21:47

I was 9 years old and my mum was sobbing because Thatcher had become PM. Prior to that I'd only seen her cry once before and that was when Elvis died.

GLC789 · 02/03/2025 21:46

Tony Blair - i was so young, but i remember all the adults never shutting up about Tony Blair and I genuinely thought he must be some famous pop star.

Old enough to understand and feel the global impact - 9/11 💔.

Thewishingchair123 · 02/03/2025 21:45

The Brighton hotel bombing in 1984. I remember my mum telling me it has just happened that morning walking to junior school. It’s a very vivid memory.

Also fondly remember my Dad watching the 9 o clock news and then the 10 o clock news each night after very long days at work.

Gcsunnyside23 · 02/03/2025 21:43

The good Friday agreement

shoofly · 02/03/2025 21:43

Ian Paisley speaking/shouting outside our local cinema. The hunger strikes and Bobby Sands being elected MP and then subsequently dying

Hillsmakeyoustrong · 02/03/2025 21:39

Margaret Thatcher and thinking she and the Late Queen were sisters

They had the same hairstyles and talked 'posh.'

LostMyLanyard · 02/03/2025 21:36

The three-day week/power cuts and the end of the miners strike in 1974. I was 10 and actually a bit sad that my dad had to go back to work full time 🤣 I also missed the candles on saucers that we used to light every night.

Hummusanddipdip · 02/03/2025 21:33

Like you OP, Tony Blair becoming PM in 1997 and then not a lot until 2002 when my parents involved Brian Mawhinney (local mp) in getting me into a secondary school.

unsync · 02/03/2025 21:31

Mrs T and The Falklands War. Before that, the Winter of Discontent, but as a 9 year old, power cuts, Tilley Lamps, cooking on camping gas etc was quite fun, and as both my parents worked, they were actually at home more, which was nice.

researchers3 · 02/03/2025 21:14

Maggie/The Falklands

Discobooloo · 02/03/2025 21:13

John Smith dying

AnonbecauseIamlackinginspiration · 02/03/2025 21:12

Jim Callaghan, and my Dad saying ‘that bloody Thatcher’

SirChenjins · 02/03/2025 21:05

The power cuts we had during the 3 day week and all the strikes. I remember sitting in the darkness on a regular basis and queuing in lines of cars to get to the tip.

Ohwhatfuckeryitistoride · 02/03/2025 21:03

JFK’s assassination. We’d just moved to Australia and were on the migrant hostel. I remember all the women standing around listening to the radio. Then Churchill’s funeral when I was 6.

LadyMonicaBaddingham · 02/03/2025 21:01

The Miners' Strike

piscofrisco · 02/03/2025 21:00

Arthur scargill was the first political figure I was aware of. And Neil Kinnock
Being involved in some sort of car accident I think? I remember it being reported on Look North. That's what's coming to mind anyway.

YourWinter · 02/03/2025 20:58

My mother’s terror while listening to the news of the Cuban Missile Crisis on the Home Service, in 1962. I didn’t know what it meant but she thought there was going to be a nuclear war.

Then Kennedy’s assassination in November 1963, I was 7 and watched the TV at every opportunity by then, hoping for a clip of The Beatles!

ShillyShallySherbet · 02/03/2025 20:51

KnickerlessFlannel · 02/03/2025 17:18

That john major was going to be the new prime minister

This

Tryingtokeepgoing · 02/03/2025 20:51

Bbq1 · 02/03/2025 19:55

Thatcher removing the milk we used to get in infant school, probably about 5.

Oh yes I remember that. I was so happy - I hated milk then, particularly as it was general warm and on the turn, and I still don’t drink it now 🤣

AgualusasLover · 02/03/2025 20:44

Before opening the thread I was coming on to say the fall of the Berlin Wall. I definitely remember images of this. But, now I also feel I was cognisant of Falklands, but I was born in 1981 so I think it was more that Simon Weston used to be on TV a lot and knew he’d sustained his injuries in the war.

Pebbles16 · 02/03/2025 20:36

Accompanying my parents to vote in 1979 election (them not me!). I can remember the winter of discontent as in driving past the bin bags being piled up near the swimming pool in my town, so I was probably thinking that the election would sort this out - good thing. Obviously nine year old me had no idea of the years of hell to come!
First time I cast my vote was the 1989 European Elections - not hugely memorable but I remember being very excited at making my X.

I do remember the electric cuts in the 70s inasmuch as I was really pissed off when I was half way through watching Pollyanna and it all went dark...

YearsofYears · 02/03/2025 20:18

Fall of the Berlin Wall and Apartheid ending. I was quite you g but they were such watershed moments.
My Dad always said hearing about JFK assassination was his.

twilightcafe · 02/03/2025 20:15

Winter of Discontent in 1978/79
Airey Neave assassinated in March 1979

LindorDoubleChoc · 02/03/2025 20:12

Adults voting for Ted Heath or Harold Wilson. Not sure what year that was, probably mid-1970s when I was about 14ish.

BIossomtoes · 02/03/2025 20:07

suburberphobe · 02/03/2025 17:25

President Kennedy getting assassinated. I was 8. Seeing the shock/horror on my parents faces at the news.

Same. I was ten. My dad was heartbroken.