--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The Establishment decided Thatcher's…" description: "\"The Establishment decided Thatcher's ideas were safer with a strong Blair government than with a weak Major government. We are given all these personal..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e9/tony-benn-2543_blair_the-establishment-decided-thatcher-s-ide_2398724.png" --- # The Establishment decided Thatcher's ideas were safer with… ![“The Establishment decided Thatcher's ideas were safer with a strong Blair government than with a weak Major government. We are given all these personalities to choose between to disguise the fact that the policies are the same.” quote by Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e9/tony-benn-2543_blair_the-establishment-decided-thatcher-s-ide_2398724.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e9/tony-benn-2543_blair_the-establishment-decided-thatcher-s-ide_2398724.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e9/tony-benn-2543_blair_the-establishment-decided-thatcher-s-ide_2398724.png) > “The Establishment decided Thatcher's ideas were safer with a strong Blair government than with a weak Major government. We are given all these personalities to choose between to disguise the fact that the policies are the same.” [Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote suggests that political parties mask similar policies by presenting different personalities, implying that Thatcher, Blair, and Major were interchangeable in agenda. **In simple terms:** Policies are similar despite different leaders. Key Takeaway Look beyond personalities to policies. Themes politics media leadership Mood skeptical critical Type analytical political When to use this quote - election campaigns - public discourse - policy analysis - voter education Key Concepts policy continuity political branding Questions to Reflect On - How do party narratives shape your perception of policy? - What evidence shows policy continuity? A Different Perspective Assumes all policies are identical, ignoring nuances. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blair/) [Blair Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blair-government-3002011/) [Decided](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decided/) [Decided Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decided-thatcher-6000391/) [Disguise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disguise/) [Establishment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/establishment/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Given](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/given/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Majors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/majors/) [Personality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personality/) [Policy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/policy/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strong/) [Strong Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strong-blair-6000392/) [Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thatcher/) [Thatcher Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thatcher-ideas-3705991/) [Weak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weak/) ## Related quotes > [“Interestingly, one mate of mine, a proper leftie, in his heyday all Red Wedge and right-on punch-ups, was melancholy. "I thought I'd be overjoyed,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-brand/interestingly-one-mate-of-mine-a-proper-leftie-in-his-heyday-all-red/) [Russell Brand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-brand/) > [The Blair government perhaps ranks as the best the U.K. has had for 50 years. It cannot match the scale of Attlee's reforms, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-rees/the-blair-government-perhaps-ranks-as-the-best-the-u-k-has-had-for-50/) [Martin Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-rees/) > [The Blair government has lowered the standing of politics and politicians in our country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-clarke/the-blair-government-has-lowered-the-standing-of-politics-and/) [Kenneth Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-clarke/) > [One of the extraordinary features of the Blair government has been its slavish support for the central tenets of Bush's foreign policy - above…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-jacques/one-of-the-extraordinary-features-of-the-blair-government-has-been/) [Martin Jacques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-jacques/) > [Just as the England football manager starts with bells and flags and balloons and ends up reviled, so do prime ministers. Tony Blair -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-wogan/just-as-the-england-football-manager-starts-with-bells-and-flags-and/) [Terry Wogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-wogan/) > [I admired Margaret Thatcher - while abhorring much of what she offered - because she was so clearly a leader of huge substance. Blair…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-jacques/i-admired-margaret-thatcher-while-abhorring-much-of-what-she-offered/) [Martin Jacques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-jacques/) > [I think Mrs Thatcher did more damage to democracy, equality, internationalism, civil liberties, freedom in this country than any other Prime Minister this century.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/i-think-mrs-thatcher-did-more-damage-to-democracy-equality/) [Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) > [The peace movement didn't stop the Iraq but I think that Blair would not be able to go along and support an Iranian war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/the-peace-movement-didn-t-stop-the-iraq-but-i-think-that-blair-would/) [Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) > [The huge turnout for Live 8 here and around the world proves that thanks to the leadership from people like Tony Blair and Gordon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/the-huge-turnout-for-live-8-here-and-around-the-world-proves-that/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [ There's a rhythm to script \[ in "I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore"\], as well, especially the pacing of it. But… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-lynskey/there-s-a-rhythm-to-script-in-i-don-t-feel-at-home-in-this-world/) [Melanie Lynskey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-lynskey/) > [I'm the best of the best. I'm Blair Waldorf.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blair-waldorf/i-m-the-best-of-the-best-i-m-blair-waldorf/) [Blair Waldorf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blair-waldorf/) > [The Kosovo campaign was a just and necessary war. And I believe that Blair - of whom I have many criticisms - in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/the-kosovo-campaign-was-a-just-and-necessary-war-and-i-believe-that/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [The voice of Mr Bush and the voice of Mr Blair can't decide who shall rule in Zimbabwe, who shall rule in Africa, who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mugabe/the-voice-of-mr-bush-and-the-voice-of-mr-blair-can-t-decide-who-shall/) [Robert Mugabe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mugabe/) > [ ...The British press... \[claimed that Tony\] Blair was simply Bush's poodle - a favorite phrase, bewilderingly popular, although it made no sense - and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-king/the-british-press-claimed-that-tony-blair-was-simply-bush-s-poodle-a/) [Larry King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-king/) > [Mr Bush, Mr. Blair and now Mr Brown's sense of human rights precludes our people's right to their God-given resources, which in their view…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mugabe/mr-bush-mr-blair-and-now-mr-brown-s-sense-of-human-rights-precludes/) [Robert Mugabe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mugabe/) ## More by Tony Benn > [Experience is the only real teacher and if you keep a diary you get three bites at educating yourself - when it happens, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/experience-is-the-only-real-teacher-and-if-you-keep-a-diary-you-get/) [Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) > [Someone comes every morning at nine o'clock to see if I am still alive. I do get lonely, yes, but I have the children…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/someone-comes-every-morning-at-nine-o-clock-to-see-if-i-am-still/) [Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) > [Middle class Labour leaders are recaptured by the establishment when they die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/middle-class-labour-leaders-are-recaptured-by-the-establishment-when/) [Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) > [Change from below, the formulation of demands from the populace to end unacceptable injustice, supported by direct action, has played a far larger part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/change-from-below-the-formulation-of-demands-from-the-populace-to-end/) [Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) > [People would do well to ask themselves how many of their ambitions and aspirations derive from the type of economic system they inhabit and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/people-would-do-well-to-ask-themselves-how-many-of-their-ambitions/) [Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) > [Most things in life are moments of pleasure and a lifetime of embarrassment; photography is a moment of embarrassment and a lifetime of pleasure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/most-things-in-life-are-moments-of-pleasure-and-a-lifetime-of/) [Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) > [You have to try to build support around causes. It is uniting to campaign on a single issue, and it is never just a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/you-have-to-try-to-build-support-around-causes-it-is-uniting-to/) [Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) > [Normally, people give up parliament because they want to do more business or spend more time with family. My wife said 'why don't you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/normally-people-give-up-parliament-because-they-want-to-do-more/) [Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) > [Food movement organic food stores supplies health food products and facilitate with instrumental support in organic agriculture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/food-movement-organic-food-stores-supplies-health-food-products-and/) [Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) > [We are not just here to manage capitalism but to change society and to define its finer values.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/we-are-not-just-here-to-manage-capitalism-but-to-change-society-and/) [Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) > [I think there are two ways in which people are controlled - first of all frighten people and secondly demoralize them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/i-think-there-are-two-ways-in-which-people-are-controlled-first-of/) [Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) > [People in debt become hopeless and hopeless people don’t vote. They always say that that everyone should vote but I think that if the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/people-in-debt-become-hopeless-and-hopeless-people-don-t-vote-they/) [Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) > [Workers are not going to be fobbed off with a few shares...or by a carbon copy of the German system of co-determination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/workers-are-not-going-to-be-fobbed-off-with-a-few-shares-or-by-a/) [Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) > [No medieval monarch in the whole of British history ever had such power as every modern British Prime Minister has in his or her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/no-medieval-monarch-in-the-whole-of-british-history-ever-had-such/) [Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) > [Having served in eleven Parliaments, it would be difficult to describe this as a maiden speech. It would be like Elizabeth Taylor appearing at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/having-served-in-eleven-parliaments-it-would-be-difficult-to-describe/) [Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) [Explore all 162 Tony Benn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) ## More Blair quotes > [Mr Bush, Mr. Blair and now Mr Brown's sense of human rights precludes our people's right to their God-given resources, which in their view…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mugabe/mr-bush-mr-blair-and-now-mr-brown-s-sense-of-human-rights-precludes/) [Robert Mugabe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mugabe/) > [ There's a rhythm to script \[ in "I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore"\], as well, especially the pacing of it. But… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-lynskey/there-s-a-rhythm-to-script-in-i-don-t-feel-at-home-in-this-world/) [Melanie Lynskey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-lynskey/) > [I'm the best of the best. I'm Blair Waldorf.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blair-waldorf/i-m-the-best-of-the-best-i-m-blair-waldorf/) [Blair Waldorf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blair-waldorf/) > [The Kosovo campaign was a just and necessary war. And I believe that Blair - of whom I have many criticisms - in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/the-kosovo-campaign-was-a-just-and-necessary-war-and-i-believe-that/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [The huge turnout for Live 8 here and around the world proves that thanks to the leadership from people like Tony Blair and Gordon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/the-huge-turnout-for-live-8-here-and-around-the-world-proves-that/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [ ...The British press... \[claimed that Tony\] Blair was simply Bush's poodle - a favorite phrase, bewilderingly popular, although it made no sense - and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-king/the-british-press-claimed-that-tony-blair-was-simply-bush-s-poodle-a/) [Larry King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-king/) > [The voice of Mr Bush and the voice of Mr Blair can't decide who shall rule in Zimbabwe, who shall rule in Africa, who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mugabe/the-voice-of-mr-bush-and-the-voice-of-mr-blair-can-t-decide-who-shall/) [Robert Mugabe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mugabe/) > [I'm not a Tony Blair impersonator.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-sheen/i-m-not-a-tony-blair-impersonator/) [Michael Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-sheen/) > [Tony Blair will be remembered for nothing other than that he followed George W. Bush over a cliff; took the rest of us with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-galloway/tony-blair-will-be-remembered-for-nothing-other-than-that-he-followed/) [George Galloway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-galloway/) > [Blair - except at the edges - was a Thatcherite. Brown, in contrast, regarded Thatcherism as something that had to be taken on board…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-jacques/blair-except-at-the-edges-was-a-thatcherite-brown-in-contrast/) [Martin Jacques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-jacques/) > [The Second World War is and was constantly being drudged up by Blair and Bush to rationalize the invasion of Iraq.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fisk/the-second-world-war-is-and-was-constantly-being-drudged-up-by-blair/) [Robert Fisk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fisk/) > [It is just flipping unbelievable. He is a mixture of Harry Houdini and a greased piglet. He is barely human in his elusiveness. Nailing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-johnson/it-is-just-flipping-unbelievable-he-is-a-mixture-of-harry-houdini-and/) [Boris Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-johnson/) > [Blair Waldorf: Nothing hurts more than sleeping with a best friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gossip-girl/blair-waldorf-nothing-hurts-more-than-sleeping-with-a-best-friend/) [Gossip Girl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gossip-girl/) > [When you consider what Tony Blair was saying about liberty, human rights and that sort of thing, it would be terribly revolutionary to sell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-bremner/when-you-consider-what-tony-blair-was-saying-about-liberty-human/) [Rory Bremner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-bremner/) > [ Sometimes Jonathan \[Powell\] and myself would go to Tony \[Blair\] and ask him if he was absolutely sure about this or that. That was… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-campbell/sometimes-jonathan-powell-and-myself-would-go-to-tony-blair-and-ask/) [Alastair Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-campbell/) [Browse all 223 Blair quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blair/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The Establishment decided Thatcher's ideas were safer with a strong Blair government than with a weak Major government. We are given all these personalities to choose between to disguise the fact that the policies are the same.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tony Benn" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/the-establishment-decided-thatcher-s-ideas-were-safer-with-a-strong/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Blair" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/the-establishment-decided-thatcher-s-ideas-were-safer-with-a-strong/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e9/tony-benn-2543_blair_the-establishment-decided-thatcher-s-ide_2398724.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e9/tony-benn-2543_blair_the-establishment-decided-thatcher-s-ide_2398724.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e9/tony-benn-2543_blair_the-establishment-decided-thatcher-s-ide_2398724.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The Establishment decided Thatcher's ideas were safer with a strong Blair government than with a weak Major…” — Tony Benn", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Tony Benn", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The Establishment decided Thatcher's ideas were...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/the-establishment-decided-thatcher-s-ideas-were-safer-with-a-strong/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/the-establishment-decided-thatcher-s-ideas-were-safer-with-a-strong/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```