Britain's most influential woman

[Nearly Sane]

As with all such polls this is nonsense and there is potential for multiple voting, though given how long the site seems to take to load on any connection, doing such must be tedious.


Not sure how long it has to go but the current listings while quite funny if they stay the sane seem ludicrous to me. (At 1 currently Nicola Sturgeon, and 3 Mhairi Black).


Surprised to see neither Elizabeth Garrett Anderson nor Sophia Jex-Blake on list



https://news.sky.com/story/amp/vote-who-is-britains-most-influential-woman-11274648

[Harrowby Hall]

Where was Boadicea? 

[Nearly Sane]

Where was Boadicea? 

I wondered whether she was being thought of as 'mythical'?

[SteveH]

Probably Thatcher, in the same way that Hitler was Germany's most influential man.
If the question is restricted to influential for good, the choice is harder: Elizabeth Garrett Anderson, mentioned above, Flo Nightingale, Gina Miller, Barbara Castle...

[Robbie]

I was glad to see Mary Seacole on the list.

[Nearly Sane]

Realised that in addition to some other absences Elizabeth the First of England isn't on here - and a quick scan would seem to indicate that there is a time limit on here

[jeremyp]

Probably Thatcher, in the same way that Hitler was Germany's most influential man.

Well not really. I don't recall her trying to exterminate the Jews or invade large swathes of Europe.

If the question is restricted to influential for good, the choice is harder: Elizabeth Garrett Anderson, mentioned above, Flo Nightingale, Gina Miller, Barbara Castle...

I would say Emmeline Pankhurst should rank highly.

[SteveH]

Well not really. I don't recall her trying to exterminate the Jews or invade large swathes of Europe.I would say Emmeline Pankhurst should rank highly.

I knew someone would say that. Of course Hitler was orders of magnitude worse than Thatcher. The point is that they were both bad.
The Pankhursts were self-indulgent pains in the arse.

[Rhiannon]

I guess it’s well meaning, but I find this kind of thing bloody irritating.

[jeremyp]

I knew someone would say that. Of course Hitler was orders of magnitude worse than Thatcher. The point is that they were both bad.

Was Thatcher really bad though? She arouses great passion in both her supporters and her detractors but very few people assess her accomplishments with any objectivity.

The Pankhursts were self-indulgent pains in the arse.

You think it was a mistake for women to get the vote?

[Robbie]

Thatcher had policies that encouraged an 'I'm alright Jack' sort of ethos, rather selfish. I remember the uncaring if not ruthless attitude of many,particularly those who went into business, which she, maybe unintentionally, fostered. 

However on a personal level she was an extremely kind & considerate person by all accounts.

We're all more than our public image.

She was certainly a very influential person in her time.

[jeremyp]

Thatcher had policies that encouraged an 'I'm alright Jack' sort of ethos, rather selfish.

Can you give some examples?

I remember the uncaring if not ruthless attitude of many,particularly those who went into business, which she, maybe unintentionally, fostered. 

It seems a bit harsh to blame her for other people's failings.

She was certainly a very influential person in her time.

I think people on both sides have an exaggerated view of what she did. What of her legacy still exists? I guess the NUM can no longer hold the country to ransom, but British coal mining would be over now anyway. The Falkland Islands are still British. Perhaps a government led by somebody else might not have got them back, but then perhaps a government led by somebody else might not have lost them in the first place.

The yuppie excesses of the late 1980's: were they Thatcher's fault? Or were they the inevitable consequences of the modernisation of the financial markets.

[SteveH]

Was Thatcher really bad though?

Yes, she was.

You think it was a mistake for women to get the vote?

No, of course not, but some of the Suffragettes' antics were very irresponsible. The vote was won at least as much by the Suffragists, who worked within the law.

[Nearly Sane]

Yes, she was.No, of course not, but some of the Suffragettes' antics were very irresponsible. The vote was won at least as much by the Suffragists, who worked within the law.

you be the mansplainer on International Women's day, splaining that women have antics, and don't behave as the mansplainer thinks is how women should behave.

[bluehillside Retd.]

NS,

Surprised to see neither...Sophia Jex-Blake on list

Couldn't agree more. Her 2000 collaboration with Spiller "Groovejet (If This Ain't Love)" was a dance floor classic in my opinion:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgtgUSOLQyY

[Walt Zingmatilder]

NS,

Couldn't agree more. Her 2000 collaboration with Spiller "Groovejet (If This Ain't Love)" was a dance floor classic in my opinion:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgtgUSOLQyY

Groovejet. thanks for the possible new screenhandle.

[SteveH]

you be the mansplainer on International Women's day, splaining that women have antics, and don't behave as the mansplainer thinks is how women should behave.

Don't be silly, and post in proper, grammatical English. I would apply the same standards to men.

[SteveH]

I'd never heard of Sophia Jex-Blake until now. Shame on me.

[Nearly Sane]

I'd never heard of Sophia Jex-Blake until now. Shame on me.

There was a BBC series called The Walls of Jericho to which I owe my original knowledge.