Much has been written and broadcast about the passing on of Margaret Thatcher. Her funeral took place whilst I was in the City of London working with some new traders. A couple of thoughts struck me through the day.
Love her or loathe her, and much was broadcast to this end, I believe she was one of the best prime ministers to hold office last century. I agreed with much of what she accomplished, putting Britain back on the global stage and helping us feel proud of our nation.
The protests were vile and distasteful, particularly for her family. According to reports I read in the press, some of the protesters included professional people, such as teachers, who are in charge of our children today. If this is representative of attitudes amongst the teaching profession, then all I can say is that these people are totally disconnected from the real world and should book their one way ticket to North Korea.
It is hardly any wonder that so many young people in the UK are out of work and available jobs are being taken by migrant workers. Our young people have been let down and lack the understanding of basic wealth creation. It is worth remembering that Mrs Thatcher passed through the education department on her way to the top.
The major role Mrs Thatcher played in my current life was the deregulation of the City of London and the abolition of exchange controls. These two acts enabled the trading activities we see today. With the entrepreneurial nature of Britain, these decisions led to London becoming the leading financial centre in the world.
With her pro-British stance in relation to Europe and her belief in the individual, rather than the state, we all benefit from the role London has today. As a trader, I am grateful for the legacy of Mrs Thatcher. I hope that future generations of political leadership do not allow London’s position in the financial world to be undermined. Farewell and RIP.