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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:
CaptainMyCaptain · 02/03/2025 19:47

BasilParsley · 02/03/2025 19:29

Hearing the announcement of the death of Winston Churchill on the radio when I was seven... My parents had always been stoic about what they had experienced through WW2 but I knew it was a nationally felt moment when he died.

1963 I think. We went to watch the train carrying his coffin passing through. There were crowds at every railway bridge.

Bbq1 · 02/03/2025 19:55

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

dontcallmelen · 02/03/2025 19:56

Nearly four years old JFK assassination my mum was crying & my dad was visibly upset was my mum’s birthday so think that’s why i can remember.

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.

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.

twilightcafe · 02/03/2025 20:15

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

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.

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...

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.

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 🤣

ShillyShallySherbet · 02/03/2025 20:51

KnickerlessFlannel · 02/03/2025 17:18

That john major was going to be the new prime minister

This

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!

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.

LadyMonicaBaddingham · 02/03/2025 21:01

The Miners' Strike

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.

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.

AnonbecauseIamlackinginspiration · 02/03/2025 21:12

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

Discobooloo · 02/03/2025 21:13

John Smith dying

researchers3 · 02/03/2025 21:14

Maggie/The Falklands

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.

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.

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.

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.'

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

Gcsunnyside23 · 02/03/2025 21:43

The good Friday agreement

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