David Cameron and Baroness Thatcher have just unveiled the above sculpture at Conservative HQ. The bust of Margaret Thatcher will sit alongside that of Winston Churchill, in CCHQ's reception.
David Cameron told an invited audience, including ConservativeHome, that CCHQ would now be graced by tributes to the greatest wartime Prime Minister of the last century and also the greatest peacetime Prime Minister. At that point Lady Thatcher interjected "Don't overdo it!" "That's hard to do," he replied.
Mr Cameron only spoke briefly at the reception but also told of his first encounter with Margaret Thatcher, when she was still Prime Minister. He was working at Conservative Central Office at the time with responsibilities for briefing the Cabinet. The Prime Minister asked what the latest trade figures were and "I didn't know!"
Lady Thatcher was on good form. Other attendees were largely party donors and many of Lady Thatcher's key aides over the years. Both John Redwood and John Whittingdale were there.
CCHQ should sell small replicas to raise funds for the Party. The Americans would buy thousands!
Posted by: TFA Tory | February 18, 2008 at 19:53
TFA Tory - and in the words that Thatcher used when Skinner goaded her about the European Central Bank during her last Commons speech (I think). "What a good idea".
Posted by: Jonathan Sheppard | February 18, 2008 at 20:07
Its a very nice tribute, although I think it would have looked better with a white finish.
Posted by: Tony Makara | February 18, 2008 at 20:11
Thank you Simon. The Adam Smith Institute sells busts of its idol for £125 and £30. CCHQ could charge more, probably double, for such a fine likeness of the Iron Lady.
Posted by: TFA Tory | February 18, 2008 at 20:15
Tony, you don't paint bronzes white. It looks great!
Posted by: TFA Tory | February 18, 2008 at 20:16
TFA Tory, yes, I agree it looks great, but a white porcelean type bust looks nicer I think because it would throw off more light and look more feminine, but I'm not complaining about it, it looks fine.
Posted by: Tony Makara | February 18, 2008 at 20:21
It is of course only fitting that we have a scuplture of Margaret Thatcher at CCHQ.
It is however great that she could grace the unveiling of the sculpture.
The Lady can still impress me.
Posted by: Buckinghamshire Tory | February 18, 2008 at 20:51
Some idiot may try to smash a porcelain bust. Bronze is best.
Posted by: TFA Tory | February 18, 2008 at 20:54
It looks lovely.
Posted by: Justin Hinchcliffe | February 18, 2008 at 21:01
Makes you want to vomit seeing Cameron fawn when he'll be criticising her to high heaven at the next opportunity.
Posted by: Veritas | February 18, 2008 at 21:16
Oh my god, what a sight!-two images with a double helping of Thatcher in each................
Posted by: Comstock | February 18, 2008 at 21:40
Isn't it wonderful, Comstock!
Posted by: TFA Tory | February 18, 2008 at 21:45
"It looks lovely."
Pass the smelling salts, Justin has complimented a Eurosceptic!
Posted by: TFA Tory | February 18, 2008 at 21:47
You do realise, TFA Tory, that people are planning parties for when this woman dies?
Your leader is doing himself no favours nor projecting any image of change by continually invoking memories of her. Still, that's fine by me.
Posted by: Comstock | February 18, 2008 at 21:49
That comment is truly sick and despicable, Comstock. In that spirit, I would happily dance on Neil Kinnock's grave.
Posted by: TFA Tory | February 18, 2008 at 21:58
Comstock - Get in the real world. Apart from the general ignorant; a lot of staunch anti-Thatcherites in the 80's, if asked now, at best say "at least she had..." and at worst, "meh".
By the day history is looking upon Thatcher more and more in favour.
Posted by: Toryism | February 18, 2008 at 22:10
TFA Tory (is that you, Roger Helmer?) - MT did more than any other British PM to cement closer ties to Europe. You guys have short memories.
Comstock, go hang your head in shame.
Posted by: Justin Hinchcliffe | February 18, 2008 at 22:12
The sculpture looks more like Janet Brown doing an impression of Mrs T.
Comstock, get a life man! Why the hell does an old trot hang around ConservativeHome anyway!
Tell us where these party's are, and I'll pop down with a Molotov cocktail, or three, to help you old Reds celebrate and warm you up a bit.
Posted by: Lanky | February 18, 2008 at 22:21
Some people do go way overboard with the Thatcher hatred. Sure, a lot of people lost their jobs in the biggest shake up of the economy since the war. No doubt many people hold ill feeling because of that. But come on! Do they think they're the first people in history to ever be made redundant?
Christ, a third of the people where I work have lost their jobs. I don't see them holding this blood lust toward our boss. Sure they don't like him very much, but they handle themselves with a lot more grace.
It's Labour spending the last 25 years fanning the flames of this hatred for their political gain. They see the disatisfaction of those affected by the closures of the necrotic nationalised industries and encourage them to nurture that into a deep set burning resentment.
"Throwing you out of work was the most evil thing anyone could ever do to you. This woman is the devil incarnate. Focus your anger! Only your hatred can defeat her! The force is strong within you! A powerful Sith you shall make!"
Get real. The 80s were harsh years in many parts of the country. But in the grand scheme of things, it's hardly the worst a population has ever suffered.
Posted by: Josh | February 18, 2008 at 22:31
Hey, hey, just a minute TFA Tory who said "That comment is truly sick and despicable, Comstock." and Justin" go hang your head in shame."
I'm not involved in planning any such parties, nor will I be attending. I am merely aware that they exist.
Posted by: Comstock | February 18, 2008 at 22:39
Have you ever met anyone who disliked Lady Thatcher who wasn't, broadly speaking, the scum of the earth?
Aside from all Lady Thatcher's other qualities, her existence is very useful in this respect. And as for those parties, she doubtless has the sense to take them as the backhanded tribute, delivered by impotence and self-congratulatory solicism at the shrine of effectiveness and pertinent vigour, that they were never meant to be.
(But, obviously, I hope that many years will pass before that tribute, however fitting, is delivered, as we shall not see her like again.)
Posted by: Drusilla | February 18, 2008 at 23:44
Have you ever met anyone who disliked Lady Thatcher who wasn't, broadly speaking, the scum of the earth?
Yes I have. In fact, I met her in 1989 and disliked her, and I am not the scum of the earth. Or at least my friends haven't mentioned it.
She was extremely rude and arrogant and revealed a surprising ignorance of European history during a (very brief) conversation about Germany.
You can dislike someone without disagreeing with their views, and like someone without agreeing with everything they say (for example, I think both Tony Benn and Denis Healey are appealing personalities who would probably be very interesting company, but it doesn't mean I agree with either of them on many issues).
Posted by: Vernon | February 19, 2008 at 02:51
Vernon - you must have done something to annoy her! I've met her twice and thought she was gracious and charming. This is a beautiful sculpture and a fitting tribute to a Great Lady and a Great Prime Minister!
Posted by: Sally Roberts | February 19, 2008 at 07:26
"You do realise, TFA Tory, that people are planning parties for when this woman dies?"
I'm also aware that there are people who like pulling the wings off flies. The same sort of people, really.
Posted by: Sean Fear | February 19, 2008 at 07:51
In this thread at least we can all unite in agreeing that having a bust of Lady Thatcher in CCHQ is a jolly good idea and a very nice thing of David Cameron to do.
Lady Thatcher was a great Prime Minister who largly changed this country for the better, we have not seen her like since.
Posted by: Richard | February 19, 2008 at 08:47
Typical leftist comment comstock. Farmer Jim and Wilson were the real devils of the eighties unemployment problem by borrowing vast amounts to pay for gerrymandering votes in their marginal constituencies. MT merely inherited a godawful mess and dealt with it. Within 5 years we were in a prosperous boom that paved the way for the zanulab spending spree we have today. It has just taken 10 years for them to get into the same godawful mess that we had in the late seventies rather than 5.
As Justin knows I have a protrait of MT in my living room, and will accompany it with a bust should they become available.
Posted by: Bexie | February 19, 2008 at 08:52
Cameron still sucking up to Thatcher and begging for forgiveness after his comments of the past? Slimy...
Posted by: James Maskell | February 19, 2008 at 09:42
Magie was the greatest peace time prime minister of the last century. It was not her fault that her brilliance made those around her feel the worse.
Posted by: Bill | February 19, 2008 at 10:15
How wonderful! Just think: Every time DC goes in to work from now on, he can visualise The Blessed Margaret muttering "UKIP were seen to have a clearer and more pricipled position on the EU".
Show her you REALLY admire her, Dave, and quit the EPP!
Posted by: Gospel of Enoch | February 19, 2008 at 10:53
Have you ever met anyone who disliked Lady Thatcher who wasn't, broadly speaking, the scum of the earth? From the Queen to Robert Runcie, MC, all the way to Enoch Powell, there were plenty of people who seemingly weren't overly enamored of Mrs Thatcher. I'm not sure as dogmatic life tests go it's the most effective, but each to their own.
Posted by: ACT | February 19, 2008 at 11:47
Wikipedia says this:
After Mrs Thatcher's Bruges Speech in 1988 and her increasing hostility to the abolition of the pound sterling in the last years of her premiership, Powell made many speeches publicly supporting her attitude to Europe. When she was challenged by Michael Heseltine for the leadership of the Conservative party in November 1990, Powell said he would rejoin the party - which he had left in 1974 over the issue of Europe - if Mrs Thatcher won, and would urge the public to support both her and, in Powell's view, national independence...
Posted by: Gospel of Enoch | February 19, 2008 at 12:46
Anyone who thinks that Enoch wasn't deeeply politically and personally bitter towards Thatcher in the 80s didn't meet him then. It hardly reflects well on Enoch, but there we are. I'm hardly saying that in criticism of either of them, both of whom I admire enormously, and esteem roughly 17 trillion times as much as I do Dave. But there's no point in pretending that plenty of good people didn't dislike Thatcher in her pomp.
Posted by: ACT | February 19, 2008 at 13:00
"Within 5 years we were in a prosperous boom that"........went bust quite spectactularly, IIRC Bexie.
But we digress.
Posted by: Comstock | February 19, 2008 at 15:31
As David Cameron said, it is wonderful to see Lady Thatcher looking so well.
I imagine Cornstock is a leftie, so why is he/she posting here? Must have nothing better to do.
Posted by: Helen Smith | February 19, 2008 at 17:53
"I imagine Cornstock is a leftie" Yes I am, and it's COMstock by the way......
Posted by: Comstock | February 19, 2008 at 17:59
Sorry Comstock.
The Thatcher Governments were forced to make tough decisions in the 1980s, to rectify a terrible mess they had inherited from Labour.
Posted by: Helen Smith | February 19, 2008 at 18:26
Regarding Comstock, does he realise that a lot more of us are planning parties for when Gordon Brown leaves Downing Street, and are particularly looking forward to the look on his face when we see him at his election declaration that night and he has realised that the game is up? In common with some in the Labour Party, we are also particularly looking forward to seeing Blair trying to keep a straight face looking grave about the fact that he will have been proven to be the only Labour leader since 1974 capable of winning an election.
This will be much more fun than some pathetic anti-Thatcher parties by 1980s lefties (surely the most absurd decade ever to have been a leftie) that are only talked about in an attempt to "shock" people (yawn).
Regarding popularity, may I remind Comstock that there are a lot of people about who voted for us under Mrs Thatcher and haven't voted Tory since. (Yes, I know they must by definition be at least 39 years old, but does he really think there are lots of 20-somethings holding huge grudges against Mrs Thatcher? Come on) So I think he's totally wrong to think that Cameron is unwise to acknowledge her achievements. In fact he'd be very stupid not to.
It does make it difficult for Blair though doesn't it - as he can't be the greatest wartime or peacetime 20th century PM - what to do? I know, he can be the greatest 21st century one to date, of both! So twice as good as Churchill or Thatcher. Alternatively he can be the best PM who started as a peacetime one and finished as a wartime one.
Posted by: Londoner | February 19, 2008 at 19:33
Can I just stress *again* that I've got no intention of either helping to organise one of these parties or of going to one.
Thanks
Posted by: Comstock | February 19, 2008 at 20:20
So what were all those party hats I saw you grabbing in Aldi, Comstock? Rumbled!
Posted by: Chad Noble | February 19, 2008 at 21:47
OK, Comstock. We'll look forward to seeing you in your party hat in Downing Street the day after the next election when Mr Brown departs...
All Tories will be very happy to wish him a long and happy retirement and he will thankfully be almost entirely forgotten by the time he dies at a ripe old age surrounded by his loving grandchildren, only remembered by commentators with incredulity when someone recalls that he nationalised a bank in the 21st century. How could that possibly have occurred? Oh yes, it was because there was a Chancellor who tried to keep the economy going an a reckless sea of debt and some foolish banks thought they could profit from it.
Posted by: Londoner | February 20, 2008 at 10:04
Ah but you see, Chad must have been mistaken because like all good lefties I only shop at the Co-op....... :D
Posted by: Comstock | February 20, 2008 at 10:18
I see that Comstock must live in a much more civilised part of the country than it is my misforun to inhabit. We had a Co-op but Tesco acquired it as a temporary store whilst they were building the largest Superstore in Slough. Now we only have Tesco - the Co-op site is now being 'land grabbed' to stilfle other supermarkets who wish to buy the site!
Posted by: Michael Nye | February 24, 2008 at 17:42