Thought Id start this one going because its rather dead on this board at the moment and I suppose all my usual muckers are either at the Stella tennis event watching Dim Tim (lose again) or at Henly Regatta eating cucumber sandwiches (they wish,...NOT).

Anyway please feel free to just talk to yourself blast away and let it go on any company or subject you wish. Just wish Id thought of this one before.

cheers GF.

cc she said it was what she signed up for and do not worry about me my choice
she is a good looking girl and can you remember a girl from page 3 of the daliy star
mizzy lilly i think she was called her boy friend was with her

off to the club all have a nice weekend off to silverstone the weekend to the pub near by

Cynic,

I agree, if it had been common practice to have "state" organised funerals for ex-PMs, I would not have objected, nor would it have changed my opinion about the "lady".

But the arrangements being made for this funeral appear to be attempting to make political capital out of an event and it is backfiring,

===============

Hays,

How many councils and local councillors are you expecting to lose in May.

Will you go down the pan with them or around the U-turn, not for turning?

Perhaps, the tories will be flushed away.

Nightmares.

Not up to your usual standard.

Prefer the previous image of yourself as it is more reflective of you and your abilities.

.

Losing councils and by elections is par for the course. It won't influence policy, nor should it. I would be surprised if the Conservatives and Libs didn't do badly. It is not really important if the government is not popular. That is not its purpose. More people trust the Conservatives than Labour over the economy.

fred - that is unwarranted .... the arrangements were made several years ago

Hays,

I quite agree, the tories are like lemmings, but you must be blind.

Your government is already turning its said, previous economic policy around, The only problem is the amount of damage it has already done, by their stupdity.

=============

The local elections are good pointers to the results at the next general election.

You are supposed to have a history as pollster.

You must and been gathering the crosses.

I hope I can wait round long enough to see the next general election.

======

What are the bookies odds for that election at the moment?

cynic, in response to your post about Baroness Thatcher's funeral - yes I agree with having it and the expense involved. One of the reasons I agree with it is that this country spent a huge amount on Princess Diana's funeral and very few people kicked up a fuss about that. If you actually put it into perspective - taking away all the emotion involved in this debate - what these two people contributed to their service in public life in this country, then I personally don't grudge one penny of my tax contributions as a sign of my respect to Margaret Thatcher.

fred - i trust your last post was not addressed to me, as if so, everything is miles wide of the mark

DB - i was not remotely referring to the cost which, in the scale of things is peanuts ..... my question was whether or not it was setting a dangerous (a bit too strong) precedent by affording MT a quasi state funeral .... apart from WSC (very special case) this has not been given to any other PM ever

"....a quasi state funeral." I think this is mainly due to the Falklands campaign and is reinforced by the strong military presence which will be attending and participating in the funeral. I think the military themselves and the Falklands veterans have had some say in the forthcoming events.

I begrudge every penny spent on Di's funeral. What was the point to it all except to satisfy an hysterical public. The outpoururing of emotion over Di's death was nausiating. A stupid woman who's celebrity was her own and the press,s invention doesn't put her seat belt on and she gets a state funeral.

I agree it is setting a dangerous precedent, but equally there are certain members of our Royal Family who don't justify the pomp and circumstance either. Where do we draw the line?

Thatcher's funeral is well deserved. Had it not been against her wishes, she would probably have had a proper state funeral. It was obvious from the comments, even from many Labour politicians that she was one of our greatest PMs, second only to Churchill.

I suspect that there would be more opposition to a state funeral for Blair. Did don't forget that around 50% still like Thatcher. Only the lefty activists are against her. Blair has a huge number of people who hate him.

Thatcher's body will rest in the Palace of Westminster overnight Tuesday which I suppose is a compromise to lying in state.

Haystack , you must be in a minority of 1 if you think Thatcher is more deserving of a state funeral than Princess Di.

Can't remember anyone celebrating Di's death , whole country at the time was united for a change.

MT's funeral is looking more like a political stunt by the Tories day by day. Ffs she said herself she didn't want this type of crap.

... and her "Labour isn't working . 1 million unemloyed" is only something she could ever have dreamed of maintaining.

3 million after she finished .... yep well worth a State Funeral , what an acheivment.