UK: "Ding dong, the witch is dead" gushes Glasgow
- 11 years ago
UK: "Ding dong, the witch is dead" gushes Glasgow
More than 300 people gathered in Glasgow's central George Square on Monday to celebrate the death of former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.
Members of the Anti-Bedroom Tax Federation, the Communist Party, the Socialist Party, the Socialist Workers Party and the International Socialist Group came together as a chorus of "So long, the witch is dead" erupted amongst the crowd, along with "Maggie Maggie Maggie, deid deid deid."
Thatcher served as prime minister from 1979 to 1990. Britain's first female prime minister, she is best known internationally for her role in the Falklands War with Argentina. She also gained notoriety for supporting Chilean strongman Augusto Pinochet and the Apartheid government of South Africa, calling ANC leader Nelson Mandela a "terrorist".
Anger towards Thatcher remains high in Scotland as her government is blamed for closing down Glasgow's shipyards and steel mills in the 1980s, as well as the introduction of the poll tax. Thatcher was forced to resign after she introduced the tax, which led to revolt and riots throughout the UK. Her government also privatised public services and industry, beating back challenges from the powerful mining and dockers unions, leading to a substantial increase in unemployment.
Ousted by an internal party revolt in 1990, Thatcher retired from public life after suffering a stroke in 2002. Downing Street accounced that she will receive a ceremonial funeral with military honours at St Paul's Cathedral in London. British Prime Minister David Cameron cut short a European tour, returning to England to pay tribute to his precursor.
More than 300 people gathered in Glasgow's central George Square on Monday to celebrate the death of former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.
Members of the Anti-Bedroom Tax Federation, the Communist Party, the Socialist Party, the Socialist Workers Party and the International Socialist Group came together as a chorus of "So long, the witch is dead" erupted amongst the crowd, along with "Maggie Maggie Maggie, deid deid deid."
Thatcher served as prime minister from 1979 to 1990. Britain's first female prime minister, she is best known internationally for her role in the Falklands War with Argentina. She also gained notoriety for supporting Chilean strongman Augusto Pinochet and the Apartheid government of South Africa, calling ANC leader Nelson Mandela a "terrorist".
Anger towards Thatcher remains high in Scotland as her government is blamed for closing down Glasgow's shipyards and steel mills in the 1980s, as well as the introduction of the poll tax. Thatcher was forced to resign after she introduced the tax, which led to revolt and riots throughout the UK. Her government also privatised public services and industry, beating back challenges from the powerful mining and dockers unions, leading to a substantial increase in unemployment.
Ousted by an internal party revolt in 1990, Thatcher retired from public life after suffering a stroke in 2002. Downing Street accounced that she will receive a ceremonial funeral with military honours at St Paul's Cathedral in London. British Prime Minister David Cameron cut short a European tour, returning to England to pay tribute to his precursor.