The Right Honourable The Baroness Thatcher of Kesteven LG, OM, PC, FRS; Margaret Thatcher (1925 – 2013)
She cleared our rat-infested streets and she beat the unions. She taught people that “anything was possible” and redefined the role of the state in our lives. Britain’s first female Prime Minister stood firm in the Falklands and she came of age there. “No surrender” was her guiding force both in that war and in Europe and to this groundbreaking pioneer “rights” were inextricably linked with “responsibilities”.
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Baroness Thatcher was indeed a lady who divided our nation. She got it wrong with what she did to our mental health system and the Community Charge was ultimately her undoing. She was human after all but unlike the majority, here was a lady who was prepared to face the criticism that went with her visionary changes.
Struggle, indeed, dominated her premiership both economically and with those who so furiously opposed her. Whether you liked or loathed her, remember this: We will not know another like Margaret Thatcher for many years to come.
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A strong woman, a talented politician, a role model
As for me – she was a great Leader: “Being powerful is like being a lady. If you have to tell people you are, you aren’t.” – Baroness Thatcher. She was and everyone knows that without telling it.
I watched a non politcal motivational speech she gave. It was captivating and inspiring.
A huge loss ! Its such a pitty !! 🙁
I didn’t care for her policies at the time, but looking back it’s easy to see how so many things that she put in place as Prime Minister turned out to be extremely important and a turnaround for Britain. Above all else, whatever on thinks of her policies and heritage, it is difficult not to have great respect for her.
At the end she was undone by her own party, not the electorate, shame on Heseltine , but that s politics .. even Churchill was not spared.
I used to live next to Lady T in Chester Square for a few years, so had the chance to meet her in person a few times
She was and will remain an inspiring legend!
I was too young to fully understand what she was doing at the time. Everyone on talk radio says she was fantastic, if that means anything.
Nice. I was born in the UK to Irish parents so Lady Thatcher influenced my early years. My father went AWOL from the Irish Army, and my parents moved to the UK. They went into hiding, as it was so dangerous with the IRA if you defected. I don’t share the Irish hatred for Thatcher, in fact I too wrote a tribute yesterday. She was a woman of conviction, which is what’s sadly lacking among our political leaders.
I am disgusted by those who are partying to celebrate her death. Lady Thatcher was human like the rest of us and celebrating death surely is the preserve of the likes of nobody other than Hitler or Stalin. These sick individuals need to be sent to the very mental asylums you mention. They are ill.
It’s hard not to think of the mining communities utterly devastated by her policies and the destruction of much of British industry. She helped create “greed is good” society, particularly among bankers and brokers, a chicken which has come home to roost in spectacular fashion. Replacing factories with call centres and an economy based on making nothing but money is not a worthy legacy.
She didn’t destroy either British manufacturing or mining. Their fatal wounds were entirely self-inflicted by appalling unions and piss poor management. A perfect storm.
Margaret Thatcher worked hard to create her vision for the country. In a world when most politicians work simply to be re-elected and set policy by opinion poll her contribution was huge. We need more politicians (of all stripes) with such conviction and work ethic.
She certainly had conviction (even when she was clearly and objectively in the wrong) and work ethic (they had to drag her away from power in the end, long after everyone else knew it was over).
However, even leaving aside the obvious social division she loved to create, there are a whole range of ways we are still clearing up the mess she created.
Deregulation of money led directly to the financial crash
Deregulation of food led directly to BSE
Allowing the sale of the Times To Murdoch was technically illegal (as well as supremely unwise with hindsight).
Myself, I remember her support of Apartheid, Pinochet, Khmer Rouge. Perhaps (especially those of us more inclined to the right wing) you think she never made a mistake? Let us then at least join together in celebration at Her signing of the Single European Act?
The invention of incapacity benefit?
The fact that the proportion of taxes spent on welfare prior to Thatcher was the same at the end of her reign?
Whether you liked her or not, you remembered her.
I am so sorry for her passing, but she now in heaven looking over us all. She was a great Lady who was very strong minded and very tough. She never seemed to beat around the bush, she would get right down to it. She will be greatly missed. My prayers go out to her and her family that God will see them through this hard time and may she rest in peace.
Controversial paper tiger George Galloway launches a brutal attack on Margaret Thatcher. He desperately needs a “Cat Scan.” I wish him a good recovery, good comedians are far few and in between. Bless him.
Why does Thatcher need your prayers if she’s in heaven? btw Jesus was a socialist. Haven’t you read your New Testament?