Yes indeed, Col.

>>Like dearest Margaret Thatcher said a few years back "The bigger the slice taken by government, the less cake is left for everyone."<<

Such a pity she didn't believe in it enough to turn it into government policy, wasn't it?

When the divine Margaret came to power, the slice of GDP taken by the UK government in "net taxes and national insurance contributions" was 33.4% of GDP

When she was finally prised out of her chair eleven years later, the figure was 35.9%, an increase of 7.5 percent. And in 1984-5, it actually reached 38.7% - a level straight out of the socialists "tax and spend" handbook.

Here's the whole gory story, if you have the patience to download the government's own statistics. It's a spreadsheet, so you might need your wife's help to understand it.

http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/media/A/9/pfd_210808.xls

Amazing what a bit of spin can do, if you repeat it often enough, eh.

Cols admiration for the old girl is something I share in one way.
Her insulting British construction workers, letting non trade do their work sent many good folk here.
I got to know some great ones.
Apart from that, unkind to think about the gutless attempt to murder her, her being removed is my favorite memory.
Say Col did you come here at that time.
PS market day tomorrow 5 bucks for my bananas might just get some

Ah Belly “Dear old Margarete, have the fondest memory's of her.
The day her party dumped her she was at her best that day.’

Of course, she was “dumped”, as you so enviously put it, after being the Prime Minister of GB continually from 1979 to 1990, the longest continuous incumbent of the office since 1827.
So Belly, please tell us - how long did the leaders of the Australian Socialists survive their back stabbing partners in political crime?

Well Hawke was the longest – 8 years 9 months and 9 days – before being stabbed in the back by the scurrilous mortician, Keating.

Keating in turn failed to find favour with anyone, least of all his wife who gave him the boot as soon as he lost the job -

when he was "terminated" by John Howard

John Howard as a Liberal, sat in the seat for 11 years, 3 years more than the Labor record holder.

But even that splendid attendance was second only to another Liberal, Bob Menzies.

Actually, Belly when we look at the records for the Socialists, we find they feature, less as the longest holders of office, more as the shortest

For instance, even the brief and disastrous tenure of that Arrogant socialist pig, Whitlam. 2 years 11 months and 7 days before being head-butted out of office by the then governor General – in a sober moment was not the shortest

The shortest prime-minister ship was the 8 day run of Francis Ford back in 1945 – who got his stabbing done by Chifley

And we then have dear old Milky-bat kid, Kevin 07 who was royally carved by Julia

Being a dyed-in-the-wooly socialist, belly, I wonder how you dare comment on the tenure-ship of political office when the labour party both in UK and in Australia has a history of back-stabbing and expedient execution of leader in a way Joe Stalin would be proud of.

But the demise of labour party prime ministers is not the worst of things…. What is the worst of things is their undeniable incompetence in office.

Good morning Col, see you are in fine form this morning nasty and much as usual.
Comrade, thought you would like that, my party has Socialist terms in its current statements but ignored believe me.
However your joy in being uniformed is such that I will not take your toys away.
Did not get my Bananas yesterday, it was a Col day, wet windy, totally unpleasant.
Maggy Thatcher like come to think of it.
Have you Col, come Friend smile or I will tickle you, any sympathy for Mr Thatcher have to live all those years with her?

Her departure was indeed accomplished somewhat ungraciously, Col, that much is true.

>>Of course, she was “dumped”, as you so enviously put it, after being the Prime Minister of GB continually from 1979 to 1990, the longest continuous incumbent of the office since 1827.<<

But someone had to stop her tax-and-spend ways. She was acting just like those nasty socialists. Just check that spreadsheet again.

Oh, I forgot...

5 maybe 6 weeks Bananas will be back,good luck to those growers who have done it so hard for so long.
Let us leave the idea of letting fruit rot to keep prices up die however.
A Banana in every kids lunch box soon.