Was Margaret Thatchers policies towards South Africa right or wrong? David Cameron thinks that they were wrong and has signaled a further split from some of the Conservative party's more controversial past policy positions.
I think that is impossible now to define the ANC as terrorists, particularly in light of what we now know "real" terrorism to be. The tone of our language in describing the ANC and the wider black struggle was wrong and we shouldn't be shy in saying so.
That said I don't think that the party's policy was completely without merit, Britain and America maintained a level of influence with the Pretoria government that made the transition from apartheid to full democracy possible.
My concern at the moment is that South Africa has developed an iconic status which stops any discussion or criticism. The current governments handling of aids, crime and Zimbabwe is appalling and we should not be afraid to say so.
One of David Cameron's great strengths is that he is not afraid to take on the iconic view of the Thatcher era within the party.
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5 comments:
I have to say that my first reaction was similar to yours re South Africa. If Cameron thinks that we weren't harsh enough on South Africa I hope he is prepared to bear his teeth on Zimbabwe.
Or you could say that it is yet another cynical attempt by Cameron to woo the Blair voters that he feels he so desperately needs to become PM. So far we're supposed to believe that DC likes The Smiths and wants to save the environment and help us all become better citizens by spending less time at work and more time with our families. In your rush to prove your New Tory credentials, I fear that you are going to shoot yourselves in the foot by losing the traditional Tory voters who you need to win an election and who don't want to hear anti-Thatcherite rhetoric - didn't you learn anything from the recent Bromley election? Obviously not.
Or .......
David Cameron might actually like the Smiths, worry about the environment, want to spend time with his family and feel uncomfortable about some of the policy positions that the party has held in the past. I know I do.
With the exception of liking the Smiths.
As a party I think that we should respect and learn from our history but not be held hostage by it. And let’s not forget Blair won by convincing Conservative voters to vote for him, David Cameron is just trying to win them back again.
Lamont makes a valid point when he says that DC needs to produce "more policies, more quickly" and suggests that he is relying too much on spin. Criticising an aspect of the Thatcher era is a good example of this.
On this issue I am with David Cameron and against Lamont.
In the 70s, 80s and even the early 90s the Labour party were wedded to their unrealistic left wing ideology. Now, under Blair, they are quite happy to embrace Conservative ideas and make them their own.
If we are too detailed in our policies too early they will just be kidnapped by Labour.
Before we start to talk about our policies we need to win the right to be listened to.
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