P HILL (HAS, Aug 30) wrote: "Margaret Thatcher famously remarked: There is no such thing as society.' Twenty years later, she has tragically been proved correct."

Her infamous words weren't a prediction like those given by the environmentalists whom she termed "the enemy within". It was a comment to reflect that society based on communities, compassion, human and legal rights, protection for the weak and old, etc., were contrary to Thatcherism, and thus not part of her vision for Britain.

This is why she introduced policies which smashed the unions; destroyed communities and industries; took away people's rights; dumped the mentally ill onto the streets; left the old to die in hospital corridors.

Baroness Thatcher began the political interference within the education system which removed corporal punishment from schools and other effective means of discipline.

Many left school without discipline or any concept of morality and passed this onto their children who grew up with little hope of a future, ruled by people who think moral behaviour is getting another man's wife pregnant.

CT Riley, Spennymoor.