UK News 23-11-2000 Blair vs Thatcher who: Baroness Thatcher what: Says euro army plan is "monumental folly" where: LONDON when: Yesterday snippet: "It really is time that we move British politics beyond the time of Margaret Thatcher," said Tony Blair yesterday, hitting back at the former Prime Minister on the tenth anniversary of her fall from power. "A sensible, modern attitude to Europe is what we need. We are in a new era today." As controversy continued to rage over Britain`s commitment to a "Euro-army", arguably at the expense of NATO, the speech was "his second signal in as many days that he is gearing up to confront Eurosceptic politicians and their media allies as the expected May 3 election day approaches," says The Guardian. In the Commons, Mr Blair characterised the Thatcher era as "boom and bust" years after Lady Thatcher, speaking earlier at the Thatcher Foundation, described the European rapid reaction force as "monumental folly". "I prefer Nato and I prefer the great alliance between Britain, Europe and America," she said. "It is that which is of great benefit to the world. We lost a lot of people on the continent defending the liberty of our country and the countries of others and we must never forget." [... more]

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