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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Who was PM during the best of times for you?

718 replies

verdantverdure · 29/03/2023 22:44

Me?

Blair. Brown, first bit of Cameron.

On paper I earn more money now but everything's tits up isn't it? From the economy to shit on beaches to being able to get access to the NHS when needed.

OP posts:
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8
HappiestSleeping · 09/10/2023 13:18

Cameron was responsible for Brexit. He was right to have a referendum, but he should have set a limit to have a clear majority, 60 or 65% in order to act.

Not one of them on either side actually had a plan for if they won. Admittedly, if remain had won, then remain was the plan, but not one of the leavers actually had a plan for if they won. And we are reaping the rewards of that now. What a Croc of shit.

beguilingeyes · 09/10/2023 15:03

I so agree that it should've needed a super-majority. 52/48 was too narrow a margin to make such a significant (and disastrous) change. Especially since every subsequent Prime Minister has behaved as if it was 99/1.

LaraMargot · 09/10/2023 15:06

Winston Churchill

QuintanaRoo · 09/10/2023 16:16

LaraMargot · 09/10/2023 15:06

Winston Churchill

Were the 50s really that good? Financially, economically? Especially for women?

Original poster
verdantverdure · 09/10/2023 17:05

LaraMargot · 09/10/2023 15:06

Winston Churchill

That's what my great aunt said but she didn't elaborate.

OP posts:
Givemepeas · 09/10/2023 17:08

‘Winston Churchill’
😅
when? During WW2? Nothing like a good world war to keep the fun times rolling…

CheshireCat1 · 09/10/2023 17:13

Blair/Brown

meatyryvita · 09/10/2023 17:22

VestaTilley · 29/03/2023 22:54

Tony Blair. Hands down.

The 1997 - 2001 Government was bloody incredible. I miss it every day.

And I miss the Labour Party of those days too.

Same - a truly fantastic time!

sadaboutmycat · 09/10/2023 17:24

Wilson Blair and Brown for me.

sadaboutmycat · 09/10/2023 17:25

Notnormalami · 29/03/2023 22:55

Sunak

Can you explain why these are the best of times for you please? Thanks!

Original poster
verdantverdure · 09/10/2023 17:26

HappiestSleeping · 09/10/2023 13:18

Cameron was responsible for Brexit. He was right to have a referendum, but he should have set a limit to have a clear majority, 60 or 65% in order to act.

Not one of them on either side actually had a plan for if they won. Admittedly, if remain had won, then remain was the plan, but not one of the leavers actually had a plan for if they won. And we are reaping the rewards of that now. What a Croc of shit.

Both sides knew that obviously rationally Brexit was a bad idea.

No one thought we would actually be daft enough to vote to impose economic sanctions on ourselves.

I guess they underestimated how susceptible to manipulation some of us are.

OP posts:
sadaboutmycat · 09/10/2023 17:27

ClareBlue · 29/03/2023 22:58

All those saying Blair were presumably not sent to kill and bomb innocent people in an illegal war. But, hey, everything good and fun at home so who cares.

The question wasn't who was your favourite- the question was who was PM in the best time of your life.

HappiestSleeping · 09/10/2023 18:22

verdantverdure · 09/10/2023 17:26

Both sides knew that obviously rationally Brexit was a bad idea.

No one thought we would actually be daft enough to vote to impose economic sanctions on ourselves.

I guess they underestimated how susceptible to manipulation some of us are.

Show quote history

It's incredible isn't it? It just beggars belief.

HappiestSleeping · 09/10/2023 18:23

sadaboutmycat · 09/10/2023 17:27

The question wasn't who was your favourite- the question was who was PM in the best time of your life.

Show quote history

That's a good point. In that case, my answer has to be Thatcher 😮

Tumbleweed101 · 09/10/2023 18:27

Blair - tax credits made a huge difference to my life.

PixiePirate · 09/10/2023 18:34

As an adult, Tony Blair. At the time it really felt like New Labour reinvigorated the country and the world felt full of possibilities.

I can’t deny though that as a child, Margaret Thatcher’s government gave my parents/our family a leg up that my parents embraced and that drastically improved our futures. 100% realise that this wasn’t the case for everyone though, and that there was a lot of misery and suffering experienced during that time.

piscofrisco · 09/10/2023 18:41

Blair/Brown

Howpo · 09/10/2023 19:07

FullHousey · 09/10/2023 12:46

Hear, hear.

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Blair was found not to have lied by the inquiry and in anycase, whilst i agree the war destabilised the region, Bush/USA was going to get rid of Saddam regardless, the war was baked in.

But Cameron et al getting rid of Ghaddafi was equally a disastrous war, the people coming across the Med now are as a direct result of no stability in Libya.

Funny how tory supporters so enraged by migration never mention this war!

HappiestSleeping · 09/10/2023 20:02

Howpo · 09/10/2023 19:07

Blair was found not to have lied by the inquiry and in anycase, whilst i agree the war destabilised the region, Bush/USA was going to get rid of Saddam regardless, the war was baked in.

But Cameron et al getting rid of Ghaddafi was equally a disastrous war, the people coming across the Med now are as a direct result of no stability in Libya.

Funny how tory supporters so enraged by migration never mention this war!

Edited
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Not sure that Cameron made the millions via investments in oil that Blair did. Just as shit though.

beguilingeyes · 10/10/2023 00:06

Reluctantly I have to say Thatcher. I thought she was the Antichrist, but I was in my late teens/20s and life was wonderful.

ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 10/10/2023 09:30

beguilingeyes · 10/10/2023 00:06

Reluctantly I have to say Thatcher. I thought she was the Antichrist, but I was in my late teens/20s and life was wonderful.

So was l. My life was crap. Lived in the north, youth unemployment.

Says it all really.

Whatafustercluck · 10/10/2023 09:36

Tony Blair. I became 'of age' to vote in 1997. People on the left slate centrist leaders, but the reason they get into power and get important stuff done is because most voters are natural centrists and a centrist government has a mandate from the electorate which tends to stay in place for long enough to make big change. Even if it comes at a sacrifice of 'ideals'.

Original poster
verdantverdure · 10/10/2023 11:03

Whatafustercluck · 10/10/2023 09:36

Tony Blair. I became 'of age' to vote in 1997. People on the left slate centrist leaders, but the reason they get into power and get important stuff done is because most voters are natural centrists and a centrist government has a mandate from the electorate which tends to stay in place for long enough to make big change. Even if it comes at a sacrifice of 'ideals'.

That bodes well for Starmer then, doesn't it?

OP posts:
Original poster
verdantverdure · 10/10/2023 11:17

PixiePirate · 09/10/2023 18:34

As an adult, Tony Blair. At the time it really felt like New Labour reinvigorated the country and the world felt full of possibilities.

I can’t deny though that as a child, Margaret Thatcher’s government gave my parents/our family a leg up that my parents embraced and that drastically improved our futures. 100% realise that this wasn’t the case for everyone though, and that there was a lot of misery and suffering experienced during that time.

I wonder if people foresaw at the time the medium and long term consequences of all the country's "silver" she sold off to pay for it?

Unaffordable rents and the massive housing benefit bill are because we don't have enough affordable housing and/or wages are too low. And Maggie Thatcher sold off the council houses didn't she?

By the bye, other countries owning our water, our railways, our electricity etc always seems like a national security risk to me. Maybe I'm a bit paranoid.

OP posts:
HappiestSleeping · 10/10/2023 12:21

verdantverdure · 10/10/2023 11:17

I wonder if people foresaw at the time the medium and long term consequences of all the country's "silver" she sold off to pay for it?

Unaffordable rents and the massive housing benefit bill are because we don't have enough affordable housing and/or wages are too low. And Maggie Thatcher sold off the council houses didn't she?

By the bye, other countries owning our water, our railways, our electricity etc always seems like a national security risk to me. Maybe I'm a bit paranoid.

Show quote history

Brown did the same with gold reserves. Blair continued to sell off council houses.

Whilst I think selling off public utilities was a bad idea for many reasons, I think any government would have had to have done something similar as they had no money. It was either that or raise taxes, and the only party that was ever honest enough about that was Paddy Pantsdown and the Lib Dems. Needless to say it didn't win him the election, but at least he was honest about needing the money and where it would go.

Perhaps we should have a thread about what PMs do you think had the UK's best interests at heart? That would rule out Blair / Johnson / Truss / Sunak straight away. Putting aside policies, I think Thatcher did, Major, Brown, and probably May.

It's such a shame that the labour party chose the wrong Milliband brother in 2010.