Different memories of Maggie

John Thornicroft (Starmail, February 24,) poses the question: "How much do we owe the Iron Lady?" My reply? Nothing!

Indeed, if anyone owes anything to anyone, it is Mrs Thatcher. She owes an apology to the British people for ruthlessly ripping their lives apart over a period of almost 14 years. I don't know where you were in the Thatcher years, John, but you certainly appear to be very selective in your accolades to her.

Let me tell you exactly why she owes us an apology, starting with the sale of council houses without letting local councils replace them with cheap affordable rented accommodation. This has led to the exorbitant house prices currently being asked.

The sale of the railways to 27 franchises which we, the tax payer, subsidise to the tune of millions.

Deregulating bus services has led to more cars on the roads as unprofitable routes are chopped.

The selling off of gas, electricity and telephone networks and creating the yuppie "greed is good" mentality while leaving thousands of families impoverished.

The closure of the pits, while importing foreign coal, with the contraction of our manufacturing base, creating millions of unemployed.

And the most cardinal sin of all?

The selling off of water.

This is the history we should be teaching our children, John, factual history - not that which you choose to ignore. As for her "ice-breaking" talks with Gorbachev, well that's a new one. Had it not been for Mikhail Gorbachev the Cold War would still exist today.

Alan Shapiro, Telford