Please explain the phrase 'this lady is not for turning'

[edkwon]

Im guessing this is some uniquely british phrase because i have no idea what it means.

I first heard it when Clarkson uses it to descrieb the Ferrari F40, then when Clarkson is listening to the Maggie Thatcher speeches on CD during the SLR race, she says it as well.

I have no clue what that phrase is about, can someone explain in yankee american?

[cvrefugee]

Just a guess, but maybe he's referring to the car as a "lady".

[HondaF1]

Its from Mrs Thatcher's Falklands War speech isnt it??

[Austere]

Responding to recent expectations of an about-turn on counter-inflationary policies, Mrs Thatcher declared to widespread cheers:

"To those waiting with bated breath for that favourite media catchphrase, the U-turn, I have only one thing to say: You turn if you want to. The lady's not for turning!"

It's just something Margaret Thatcher once said.

[Hidden_Hunter]

Austere is correct

[watisdis]

Originally Posted by edkwon

......I have no clue what that phrase is about, can someone explain in yankee american?

Political commentators harked back to the Heath Government's "U-turn" and speculated that Mrs Thatcher would follow suit, but she repudiated this approach at the 1980 Conservative Party conference, telling the party: "To those waiting with bated breath for that favourite media catch-phrase—the U-turn—I have only one thing to say: you turn if you want to; the Lady's not for turning."

She was basically saying that she would 'stick to her guns' (no "American" pun intended) and not back down from her tax policy.

Originally Posted by HondaF1

Its from Mrs Thatcher's Falklands War speech isnt it??

Speech to Conservative Party Conference http://www.margaretthatcher.org/spee...p?docid=104431 found it on google

[jensked]

hooray for counter-inflationary policies!

[GraemeH]

Ahh The Iron Lady. The politician with the most balls of any, worryingly.

[jensked]

Originally Posted by GraemeH

Ahh The Iron Lady. The politician with the most balls of any, worryingly.

Untill she resigned...

[Blythy]

oh, after this speech, she did the u-turn anyway.




I'm sure.

[edkwon]

Ok that makes sense now, thanks.

[EsPpY]

So basically the F40 doesnt do U-turns ?

Hmm..

[Adunaphel]

Only in clouds of tyre-smoke

[AnGuRuSO]

hmmm now i get the reference. but what does it have to do with the F40?

[Alasondro Alegré]

as long as we're on linguistic difficulties, can anyone explain "tramp's hat" (look at that roof! it looks like a tramp's hat) to me? is that really what he says, first of all. and if it is, I don't get why he says it. I know what the words mean, I just don't know if it's some sort of reference or something.

[GraemeH]

Originally Posted by AnGuRuSO

hmmm now i get the reference. but what does it have to do with the F40?

He said that cars from the Thatcher era (F40) were better than cars from the Blair era. The quote was to further that point.

He went on to do a Blair-esque speech about "building a better britain, pensions, blahblah" for the new supercars, then after the "that's not the point" goes back to the Thatcher esque speech/policies; "recapture the Falkland islands" etc.

He was just comparing the era of cars to their respective era of politics. Ballsy and strong to weak and limp wristed.

[edkwon]

Originally Posted by Alasondro Alegré

as long as we're on linguistic difficulties, can anyone explain "tramp's hat" (look at that roof! it looks like a tramp's hat) to me? is that really what he says, first of all. and if it is, I don't get why he says it. I know what the words mean, I just don't know if it's some sort of reference or something.

I'm guessing he's referring to tramp=homeless bum.

and therefore a tramp's hat is like those dirty old hats they wear, so therefore, the roof of said car must really look like a piece of crap.

[Loomy]

And while we're on the subject of strange british expressions, what is a Philostein (I have *NO* idea how to spell it)? James May says it alot.

[NecroJoe]

Originally Posted by Loomy

And while we're on the subject of strange british expressions, what is a Philostein (I have *NO* idea how to spell it)? James May says it alot.

http://www.webster.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?va=Philistine

Philistine
One entry found for Philistine.
Main Entry: Phi·lis·tine
Pronunciation: 'fi-l&-"stEn; f&-'lis-t&n, -"tEn; 'fi-l&-st&n
Function: noun
1 : a native or inhabitant of ancient Philistia
2 often not capitalized a : a person who is guided by materialism and is usually disdainful of intellectual or artistic values b : one uninformed in a special area of knowledge

[slareman]

How about in Season 9, last episode after Jezza and Hammond drive James' limo? James says something like "You pair of utter pillogs!" What is that last word?