Top 8 Heroes.....

It has been brought to my attention that Gordon Brown is to publish a book featuring eight of his 20th Century heroes. They include…

Martin Luther King
Edith Cavell
Robert Kennedy
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Raoul Wallenburg
Dame Cecily Saunders
Aung San Suu Kyi
Nelson Mandella

An admirable list but a very "safe" list all the same...Im sure that none of these figures will cause much division or controversy. My list however will send shudders down left wing spines!

1. Margaret Thatcher -A great leader who did what needed to be done. A woman who's legacy still prevails today and is accepted as the norm in government.



2. Queen Elizabeth II - Woman of great dignity> Service first-Self second. Despite sometimes overwhelming criticism of her family she never retalliates.



3. Ronald Reagan - Thatcher's ally> Great friend of UK> Revived the US both economically and socially, role in defeat of communism.



4. Niccolo Machiavelli - Great Italian philosopher, his works whilst often controvertial were very much ahead of his time and bare striking similarity to the world today.



5. Pope John Paul II - Great spiritual leader, whilst he had no real power he had immense spiritual and charismatic power that proved lethal to communism



6. Friedrich Von Hayek - Total economic genius, advocate of free market economics which influenced Thatcher, Reagan and Friedman. Now world accepted system.



7. Tony Blair - This will prove controvertial amongst Tory's but Tony Blair deserves due credit for his remodeling of Labour. He has accepted that they needed to change and has improved the Labour party image no end. As Thatcher said "We don't need someone who can beat Mr Blair...we need someone like Mr Blair".



8. Ariel Sharon - Stood firm in the face of terrorism and Islamofascism, great military leader and regarded by many as the father of Israel

Each of these individuals in my eyes deserves recognition for their immense role in shaping the world we live in today. Some are great leaders, great officers, great thinkers and some have (had) little real power but command deferance, loyalty and respect which can be just as powerful.