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March 17, 2026
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The 70s 80s 90s Blog

Three Decades of History with TV historian Tony McMahon

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Short Sharp Shock abolished by Thatcher

The 70s 80s 90s Blog5 months ago5 months ago010 mins

When the Tories came to power in 1979, fighting crime was high on the agenda. There was even a flirtation with the idea of restoring capital punishment, which Thatcher was understood to favour. But the landmark policy was the introduction of the so-called Short Sharp Shock regime with special detention centres imposing military-style discipline on…

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Tony McMahon – your blogger – circa 1982

TV historian Tony McMahon journeys through the politics, culture, and history of the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s

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