From Galloway to Miliband, the left responds to Thatcher death
The political left responded to the news of Margaret Thatcher's death yesterday in a mostly subdued manner, although there were some isolated incidences of celebration.
Some delegates at the National Union of Teachers (NUT) cheered the news, although they were told to desist by organisers.
Respect MP George Galloway tweeted the Elvis Costello song title 'Tramp the Dirt Down', for which he was attacked by fellow Twitter users.
He later wrote: "Thatcher described Nelson Mandela as a 'terrorist'. I was there. I saw her lips move. May she burn in the hellfires."
High street wine merchant Oddbins in Crouch End tweeted: "If for any reason anyone feels like celebrating anything we have Tattinger available at £10 less than usual at 329. Just saying."
A spokesperson for the company later said: "The tweet in question was made by a member of branch staff without the approval or knowledge of the company's management. The tweet was completely inappropriate and in the worst possible taste.
"We would like to apologise profusely for the offence it has quite rightly caused. The member of staff responsible has been suspended with immediate effect pending a disciplinary hearing."
In the evening, the parties began.
More than 300 people gathered in Glasgow's George Square last night, singing choruses of "so long the witch is dead" and "Maggie, Maggie, Maggie – dead, dead, dead."
In Brixton, where fierce riots took place in 1981, hundreds gathered and two were arrested after low-level disorder.
In Trafalgar Square, which was the scene of some of the worst violence during the poll tax riots, people gathered after the news was announced with champagne.
Last night's production of Billy Elliot went ahead, despite including a song with the lyrics: "we celebrate today because it's one day closer to [Thatcher’s] death".
The production team took several hours to decide whether they would go ahead, however, and producers are apparently considering exercising the section.
A performance of The Audience, which includes a critical take on the former prime minister, went ahead but its writer addressed the audience as a mark of respect beforehand.
But generally celebrations among sections of the left were more subdued than many had expected. This was partly due to the tone set by Labour leader Ed Miliband, who tried to express his opposition to Thatcher's politics while maintaining a respectful attitude.
"The Labour party disagreed with much of what she did and she will always remain a controversial figure," he said.
"But we can disagree and also greatly respect her political achievements and her personal strength. She also defined the politics of the 1980s. David Cameron, Nick Clegg and I all grew up in a politics shaped by Lady Thatcher. We took different paths but with her as the crucial figure of that era."
Former Labour Cabinet minister Tessa Jowell took to Twitter to express her disapproval of the street parties.
"Democracy must always embrace legitimate dissent but the action in Brixton and elsewhere is disrespectful and completely out of order," she wrote.
Tom Watson tweeted: "I hope that people on the left of politics respect a family in grief".
Left-wing commentator Owen Jones said celebrating her death was futile and a "macabre substitute for the failure to defeat Thatcherism".
None of that stopped severe critiques of her policies from left-wing commentators, however.
"I don't rejoice in her death. I commiserate, as I do with the death of any person," gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell said.
"In contrast, she showed no empathy for the victims of her harsh, ruthless policy decisions.
"In 1988, the Thatcher government legislated Britain's first new anti-gay law in 100 years: Section 28. At the 1987 Conservative party conference she mocked people who defended the right to be gay, insinuating that there was no such right.
"During her rule, arrests and convictions for consenting same-sex behaviour rocketed, as did queer bashing violence and murder. Gay men were widely demonised and scapegoated for the Aids pandemic and Thatcher did nothing to challenge this vilification."
He added: "She oversaw the use of police state methods. Baton-wielding police struck down peaceful miners. People travelling to support the strikers were pre-emptively arrested.
"Protesting miners at Orgreave were framed on false police evidence."
Lindsey German, convenor of the Stop The War Coalition, said: "Margaret Thatcher laid the basis for policies which wrecked the lives of millions in Britain. But she should also be remembered as a warmonger.
"She led alongside Ronald Reagan the escalation of the Cold War. She introduced cruise missiles to Britain and fought the Falklands war. Her arms deals with Saudi Arabia were notorious. Her legacy was Tony Blair who built enthusiastically on her record."
Paul Kenny, general secretary of the GMB union, commented: "Thatcher was a powerful politician who will be remembered by many for the destructive and divisive policies she reigned over which in the end, even in the Tory party, proved to be her downfall.
"Her legacy involves the destruction of communities, the elevation of personal greed over social values and legitimising the exploitation of the weak by the strong."
IRA leader Gerry Adams said she used "draconian militaristic policies" which "prolonged the war and caused great suffering".
He added: "She embraced censorship, collusion and the killing of citizens by covert operations and refused to recognize the rights of citizens to vote for parties of their choice."
