That is the type of ‘democracy’ that appealed to Thatcher

This is a charge he denies.

I’m at a loss to understand why A Edwards has taken so long to put such charges to a UK politician as they, the right wing politicians in particular, seem to have a long history of befriending and defending murderous tyrants.

From her earliest time in politics Margaret Thatcher quite casually supported many dictators who were guilty of human right atrocities and horrific acts of torture.

Apart from Muammar Gaddafi and Saddam Hussein, whose exploits are well known, Thatcher befriended and defended former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet who she said ‘brought democracy to his country’.

She never mentioned that Pinochet was accused of massive national embezzlement, had countless thousands of his own people murdered and hundreds of thousands exiled, had his henchman commit atrocities, too horrific to mention here on the pregnant wives of political activists and his favourite trick, having his political opponents tortured to death in front of their families.

That is the type of ‘democracy’ that appealed to Thatcher then and appeals to the far right now.

If A Edwards is trying to say that ‘politics makes strange bedfellows’ then he/she is absolutely right.

GRAHAM BRINKSMAN

Orford