I was at the Cartoon Museum last night to hear Lord Baker speak about the Maggie in cartoons exhibition he and Steve Bell are curating.
As Kenneth Baker, he was in Thatcher's government from 1980 and was her last Party chairman as PM.
Talking about the lowest point in Thatcher's first term of 1980, he added that "make no mistake, David Cameron will be deeply unpopular as prime minister within two years". Baker was comparing the similarities between 1980 and what will be 2012.
Cameron will have to make "some hard and deeply unpopular decisions" said Baker, as he seeks to "clear up the mess that Labour will leave...once again it is up to a Conservative government to do so."
Interestingly he said the situation now is not as bad as '79, still bad but not as bad.
Other nuggets included that he was an Obama-mite having signed up as a follower. Baker was being asked what he thought of blogging and replied that they were changing politics. Indeed, citing the Obama emails that he still gets from the Pres once a week, he said that the internet was a vital tool in campaigning and connecting with voters.
He also noted that Gordon Brown does not get blogging nor internet campaigning, noting that Gordo apparently reads all the comments on the No. 10 website at night, "No wonder he's so unhappy," the Lord quipped.
Baker is still a firm believer that Thatcher should have called the Cabinet in as one rather than individually in 1990. He commented that "if Brown had done the same as Mrs Thatcher, he would not be Prime Minister today".
All-in-all a highly enjoyable evening. Next Tuesday (unfortunately I cannot be there) is an art and music performance by caricaturist John Minnon.
On 1 July the inimitable Steve Bell will be having his take on three decades of drawing Thatcher. *I was told last night that there are very few tickets left for this*.
Final advert for the Cartoon Museum, if you're in town, go anyway. It's round the corner from the British Musuem and is well worth a vist!
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