THERE is an everlasting debate about whether Thatcherism was good or bad (HAS, May 6)? In my opinion, Thatcherism was a crude and nasty political philosophy that did not end in 1990 with the resignation of Margaret Thatcher. We have now had 30 years of Thatcherism.

However, the Eighties, when Margaret Thatcher was Prime Minister, could be looked back on as years of moderation in comparison to the years to come.

Welfare state reform, which is enthusiastically favoured by both Labour and the Tories, will mean that the unemployed, the sick and the disabled could have their income cut or have no entitlement at all.

It will seem that the unemployed sick and disabled were better off during the Eighties when Mrs Thatcher was in charge. – Peter J Brown, Middlesbrough.

THE Tory leader, David Cameron, has praised what he calls Margaret Thatcher’s achievements as we reach the 30th anniversary of her 1979 General Election victory.

I believe that most working class people of my generation will remember her for blighting an entire decade – the Eighties.

When she was elected, unemployment was 1.5 million and within three years she managed to double it to three million.

Each month, when the increase in the unemployment numbers was announced, her response was to use the same three words over and over again – “unfortunate… regrettable… disappointing” – even though she knew that the increase was as a direct result of her Government’s economic policies.

At the end of the decade, in 1989, inflation was rampant and the base bank lending rate had reached 15 per cent, with some businesses having to pay up to 19 per cent for a bank loan and, consequently, many went into liquidation.

This is how I will remember Margaret Thatcher. – Keith Dewison, Billingham.