Some people on here are too young to remember the "Winter of Discontent" in 1978-1979 when the country was "run" by a Labour goverment.
The country was broke and basic services like burying the dead and collecting the rubbish was just not happening.
Those who lived through it know how awful it was to be in the UK at the time with unions having lots of power and going on strike after strike over the most trivial matter.
(if you watch the film Carry on at your Convenience while a comedy it gives you a flavour of these trivial strikes during the 1970s)
As a country we were broke and the laughing stock of Europe.
Thatcher was EXACTLY what we needed at the time and the reason Blair and Brown were able to take over a country in such a good financial state is because of all the work Thatcher did.
Of course Blair / Brown between then managed to bankrupt the country again, so the Tories have to come in again to sort out the mess.
Before anyone has a go at Margaret Thatcher read the Winter of Discontent article on wikiperdia and see how bad things were at that time.
http://en.wikipedia.o.../Winter_of_Discontent