OPINION
Monday, September 29, 2014 17
Referenda
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homes than Englishmen, and many seized the opportunity to become homeowners. The ensuing “Scottish
miracle” in banking and oil production brought
unprecedented wealth. However, Mrs. Thatcher was
incessantly vilified, and never accorded credit for any
good brought about by her reforms. One of her colleagues noted that “Maggie” was not only a woman,
but an Englishwoman, and a bossy Englishwoman; as
such, she was simply unpalatable to many Scots. With
every election, the Conservatives lost more seats in
Scotland, uncovering a schism between Scottish and
English voters. It is said that many Scots shuddered at
the sound of her voice, and would turn off the radio
in disgust. It is also said that Thatcher never understood her unpopularity there, as she revered the
Scottish innovative spirit and many of its ideologues.
“David Hume and Adam Smith were dead,” quipped
a Thatcher col XY