This is John Batchelor, conversation with Charlie Cook of National Review Online, writing about Margaret

Thatcher and the Civitas Outlook for the Civitas Institute, remembering Margaret Thatcher through

his parents' eyes what Britain was like in the 70s, gloomy, actually describing itself as managed

decline. I was there in the early 70s and saw the result of all

the managed decline that early was one man working on the road, six men watching him. It was

over-employment, underperformance. Everything was dingy. The electricity bills were too high most of the time.

I was in Scotland, and that was even more alienated from Mother Britain at the time.

Heck, they told me they didn't accept a five-pound note in London

if it was issued by the Bank of Scotland.

That was before Margaret Thatcher.

And then I went back in 85, and the place was sparkling.

It was springtime.

I was at the Royal Automobile Club.

A fabulous suite of rooms.

In addition to that, everybody was bouncing on the streets of London.

Well, Charlie Cook has memories of his

childhood. His parents met in the 76, and they tell him stories about what it was like before he was

born, because he only knows a London that was bright and very opportunistic and extremely progressive

in the 1990s.

Before and after Baroness Margaret Thatcher, remembering her,

coming up her 100th anniversary, her centennial anniversary,

and Conrad Black tells me there'll be a celebration.

...