While I dislike much of Edwina's politics, I agree with you entirely. Well put.

I'm not defending her politics, I'm a socialist to my fingertips. But I will defend her from belittlment for her achievements compared the the shallow and vacuous Mel and Kendra. I was around in the 70s. I remember when the government , business theBBC etc were almost entirely male dominated. It was strong women like. Edwina who changed that for the next generation. We had so few powerful female role models.

There are things that I don't like about her, yet I found her the most interesting person in there. I always find her very watchable.

She has just been on Steve Nolan a moment ago. She got 100k.
Said she was squiffy, and the party was just beginning and they had all made up.

I heartily concur.

In my opinion Edwina Currie and Margaret Thatcher set back feminism years. They did not blaze a trail for women they tried to act like ruthless men. In the eleven years that Thatcher was in power she only appointed one female Cabinet minister - quite shocking. She also had no interest in making childcare accessible and affordable for women.

So many other things I could say, but the one that really stands out is the covering up of child abuse. As a woman I find that quite shocking.

Oh and yes I was around at that time.

Harriet Harman, started off working with PIE. That is something I find seriously offensive, together with a few other Labour Politicians, both male and female.

I find it strange how the feminists cannot handle Margaret Thatcher. The woman grew up in Grantham, a shop keeper's daughter. A working class woman who graduated in Chemistry, from Cambridge University and moved into politics late in life. She became the first female Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and was well respected on the International Stage. I remember working under Labour and before Maggie came to power. The UK was the laughing centre of the world and we could not even bury the dead.

Edwina Currie, born and educated in Liverpool, before graduating from Oxford. She made her way into Westminster and was part of Maggie Thatcher's cabinet. John Major did her no favours and their relationship was when they were both basic MPs.

Neither woman expected others to make allowances for their gender and so they were not going to give other females an easy ride, just owing to their gender. They grew up knowing if you want equality, it is a two way ride. You have to prove yourself, first and foremost and not expect an easy ride from others, all in the name of sisterhood.

The problem I have with Margaret Thatcher and Edwina Currie being role models is that they were ruddy awful at their jobs.

and so was I and I remember it very well and I agree with you, even if some on here choose to call us ignorant

Being in power is not like joining the masons. It's not to give unwarranted people a leg up the greasy pole. But it clearly demonstrated that hard work and tenacity did allow women into the higher echelons of work. That inspired many young women who realised it was possible and achievable.

I grew up when there was only one female teacher in my high school

I did not know a single female doctor. I did not know a single female bank manager. Nor a female dentist.

There were very very few visible female role models in the 50s and 60s.

Women stayed at home, or were the cashiers, tellers, receptionist nurses etc. that's how it was. To denigrate what was a remarkable achievement by any standards does yourself and others a disservice.

It was a mans world out there, no doubt about it, and to succeed took really guts and tenacity. A set of implants, a set of veneers and pretty face just didn't cut it. Still dos'nt.

Edwina Currie was never in Margaret Thatcher's cabinet - she was under-secretary in Health not a Cabinet Minister. Although with so many other things that piece of Tory history seems to have been re-written.

Yes Harriet Harman is shameful as was Tony Blair both of them what I would call 'tory light' but this thread was about Currie and thatcher. It was actually the banks in the 1980s that made it much easier for women to return to work and get promoted they were at the forefront of many progressive schemes including workplace nurseries and extended paid maternity leave.

If Thatcher did do anything for feminism it was accidentally when the wives of miners were so enraged by her policies and destruction of their communities that they became empowered to fight against her.


Exactly this.


Glad I am not alone.


Whoever suggested that? I'm not talking about 'helping friends up the ladder' I'm talking about being in a position to have been able to make real changes to women's lives by encouraging and legislating for workplace equality. Thatcher never took that opportunity and instead dismantled local industry encouraged the start of mass produced consumerism and encouraged a very selfish society.

Shirley Williams, Barbra Castle ? These women were role models whether you like it or not. I never mentioned M Thatcher in any of my posts. I was commenting on Edwina Currie. Your dislike of Thatcher and Tory s rather colours you thinking. I admire all women who broke through the sexist male ridden worlds that dominated at the time. I hold no remit for politicians. Any of them
I would add that Edwina Currie also had the stigma of being Jewish . Regarded with contept and disdain in many quarters .

Thank you! I could not have put it so eloquently, and some of the posts here really do reek of bias. Truly sorry that Edwina did not win - but thankfully the title did not go to Mel, who I found to be the most disingenuous in the camp.

Thanks.

i liked it when she drank that diet cola and came

Good post.

Seconded.

Too right it does, I have seen what they have done to my family, local community and other communities. Not just mining communities but encouraging cheap imports destroyed small local manufacturers. My Dad worked for the same company for 30 odd years and was laid off without a penny in compensation or redundancy due to loopholes that Thatcher's Tory Government of the time introduced. So forgive me if I don't celebrate the fact that she got to the top I am too busy helping to pick up those she trampled on the way.

Edwina showed no empathy for any of the other women in the Jungle but fawned all over the men. Yup great role model for women not!

Well said Teddybear. It's about time someone cut through the BS. I feel the same way. I was the poster who originally stated Edwina was not part of the sisterhood and I stand by that for the very reason you stated. Maybe people need to do a bit of research on how Edwina Currie made it into government.

Edwina Currie began an affair with married John Major only a year after becoming an MP. Apart from her remarks about salmonella in eggs that started a nationwide panic, there was also the suggestion that pensioners who couldn't afford to heat their homes should " ..wrap up warm for winter". She had to resign from her post in Health after only two years in the job. Here area few of her other remarks : " Northeners die of ignorance and chips" and " Good Christian people don't die of AIDS".
Role model ? Not in my book, no.

Awful, awful woman, a lot of people are completely unaware of how awful she actually was when she was an MP. She can adopt her shark smile whenever she chooses, but it doesn't make her a nice person deep down!

Surprsed she wasnt at the Wrap Party - she was ill apparently!

Your ignorance and bias is there for all to see.

She was indeed correct about Salmonella in flocks of hens as was demonstrated subsequently.

It was in fact Edwina who tabled a motion in 1994 to reduce the age of consent for homosexuals to 16 from 21. Although it was narrowly defeated.

Edwina is Jewish tho she thinks religion is nonsense.

She has always been outspoken. But her actions often belie what. She says.

Chips and bad diets are indeed killing people, on that she is also correct.

Your rose-tinted glasses and bias is also there for all to see.

Please don't paint this Tory harpy as some kind of paragon of virtue.