Nigel Farage and Margaret Thatcher can teach this country a valuable lesson

Are we losing the courtesies of democracy? By which I mean the ability to understand and accept that not everyone feels the same as we do. To tolerate other points of view alongside our own, empathise a bit and not scream and shout like crying babies every time something happens that we disagree with. The evidence would suggest so.

Look at the appalling demonstrations in the wake of the on women's rights. According to protesters, the sober and sensitive judgement from the UK's highest court unleashed some sort of genocide against trans people. Not a bit of it, but even some so-called and union leaders stood happily alongside protesters, or even joined in their hysterics, seemingly ignoring placards offering death threats.

Not so grown up. Ditto the horrendous anti-Jewish marches that have become weekly staples of our towns and cities over the past year. If they weren't anti-semitic to start with, many elements of them are now. And we seem to just be allowing it; shrugging our shoulders and turning the other way while masked yobs preach terror.

Equally, look at the abuse Nigel Farage gets. Now not everyone liked Margaret Thatcher but can you imagine those sort of public attacks (quite literally on a couple of occasions at least) and unpleasantness against the Iron Lady? Nope, me neither.

We were a more tolerant, accepting society. Many people loathed Mrs Thatcher viscerally - I loved her for what it is worth - but they would no more have dreamed of shouting abuse at her or hurling a milkshake in her direction when she was PM than would have thought they could wave a magic wand and become a woman.

By the time she died, it was a different matter and horrible scrotes posted on social media about dancing on her grave, which says it all really.

I may not have much time left on this planet but I would like to see people regain democracy and good manners. Though I'm not holding my breath.