"The greatest division this nation has ever seen were the conflicts of trade unions towards the end of a Labour Government...That trade union movement...used their power against their members. They made them come out on strike when they didn't want to. They loved secondary picketing. They went and demonstrated outside companies where there was no dispute whatsoever, and sometimes closed them down. They were acting as they were later in the coal strike, before my whole trade union laws were through of this Government. They were out to use their power to hold the nation to ransom, to stop power from getting to the whole of manufacturing industry to damage people's jobs, to stop power from getting to every house in the country, power, heat and light to every housewife, every child, every school, every pensioner. You want division; you want conflict; you want hatred. There it was. It was that which Thatcherism—if you call it that—tried to stop. Not by arrogance, but by giving power to the ordinary, decent, honourable, trade union member who didn’t want to go on strike. By giving power to him over the Scargills of this world."
Quote Details
Added by wikiquote-import-bot
Unverified quote
0 likes
Prime Ministers of the United KingdomPoliticians from EnglandBritish peersWomen academics from EnglandChemists from England
Original Language: English
Available Languages (1)
Sources
TV Interview for BBC1 Panorama (8 June 1987)
https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Margaret_Thatcher
Revision History
No revisions have been submitted for this quote.
Categories
Related Quotes
"I think they've made the biggest financial mess that any government's ever made in this country for a very long time,…"
"We in Europe have watched with admiration the burgeoning of this mighty American economy. There is a new mood in the …"
"The principle that adequate health care should be provided for all, regardless of ability to pay, must be the foundat…"
"In this country over the last five years pay has doubled, whereas output has slightly fallen. That is totally differe…"
"I count myself among those politicians who operate from conviction. For me, pragmatism is not enough. Nor is that fas…"
"It may be the cock that crows, but it is the hen that lays the eggs."
"Our opponents like to try and make you believe that Conservatism is a privilege of the few. But Conservatism conserve…"
"Oh, those poor shopkeepers!"
"It is not our policy to suppress success."
"We had to make certain that violence and intimidation and impossible demands could not win. There would have been nei…"