The Right Honourable  Margaret Thatcher  The Baroness Thatcher, LG, OM, PC, FRS
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
In office 4 May 1979 – 28 November 1990
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Deputy	William Whitelaw (1979–1988) Geoffrey Howe (1989–1990)
Preceded by	James Callaghan
Succeeded by	John Major
Secretary of State for Education and Science
In office 20 June 1970 – 4 March 1974
Prime Minister	Edward Heath
Preceded by	Edward Short
Succeeded by	Reginald Prentice
Member of Parliament for Finchley
In office 8 October 1959 – 9 April 1992
Preceded by	John Crowder
Succeeded by	Hartley Booth
Born	13 October 1925 (1925-10-13) (age 82) Grantham, Lincolnshire, England
Political party	Conservative
Spouse	Sir Denis Thatcher, Bt (1915-2003)
Children	The Hon. Carol Thatcher Sir Mark Thatcher, 2nd Bt
Alma mater	Somerville College, Oxford
Profession	Scientist (Chemist) Lawyer
Religion	Methodist
Signature

Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, LG, OM, PC, FRS (née Roberts; born 13 October 1925) is a British politician, who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990 and Leader of the Conservative Party from 1975 to 1990. The Right Honourable (abbreviated as The Rt Hon) is an Honorific prefix that is traditionally applied to certain In the United Kingdom, life peers are created members of the Peerage whose titles may not be inherited (those whose titles are inheritable are known as Hereditary The Most Noble Order of the Garter is an Order of chivalry, or Knighthood, originating in Medieval England, and presently bestowed on recipients The Order of Merit is a British and Commonwealth Order bestowed by the Monarch. Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council is a body of advisors to the British Sovereign. The Royal Society of London for the Improvement of Natural Knowledge, known simply as The Royal Society, is a Learned society for science that was founded in 1660 The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the political leader of the United Kingdom Events 1256 - The Augustinian monastic order is constituted at the Lecceto Monastery when Pope Alexander IV Year 1979 ( MCMLXXIX) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1979 Gregorian calendar) For the town in Argentina, see 28 de Noviembre. Events Year 1990 ( MCMXC) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar) For the ship see RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Context States headed by Elizabeth II William Stephen Ian Whitelaw 1st Viscount Whitelaw, KT, CH, MC, PC, DL (28 June 1918 &ndash 1 July 1999 commonly known as Richard Edward Geoffrey Howe Baron Howe of Aberavon, CH, PC, QC (born 20 December 1926 known until 1992 as Sir Geoffrey Howe, is a British Leonard James Callaghan Baron Callaghan of Cardiff, KG, PC (27 March 1912 – 26 March 2005 was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1976 to 1979 Sir John Major KG CH ACIB (born 29 March 1943 is a British Politician who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom The Secretary of State for Education and Skills was the chief minister of the Department for Education and Skills in the United Kingdom government Events 451 - Battle of Chalons: Flavius Aetius ' defeats Attila the Hun. Year 1970 ( MCMLXX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link shows full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 51 - Nero, later to become Roman Emperor, is given the title Princeps iuventutis (head of the youth Year 1974 ( MCMLXXIV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the 1974 Gregorian calendar. Sir Edward Richard George Heath, KG, MBE (9 July 1916 &ndash 17 July 2005 often known as Ted Heath, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Edward Watson Short Baron Glenamara, CH, PC (born 17 December 1912) is a former Labour Member of Parliament Reginald Ernest Prentice Baron Prentice, PC ( 16 July 1923 &ndash 18 January 2001) was a politician in the United Kingdom Finchley was a Constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Events 314 - Roman Emperor Licinius is defeated by his colleague Constantine I at the Battle of Cibalae, and loses The year 1959 ( MCMLIX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 193 - Septimius Severus is proclaimed Roman Emperor by the army in Illyricum (in the Balkans) Year 1992 ( MCMXCII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar) Sir John Frederick Ellenborough Crowder ( 10 November 1890 &mdash 9 July 1961) was the Conservative Member of Parliament Vernon Edward Hartley Booth, known as Hartley Booth (born July 17, 1946) is a British politician Events 54 - Nero ascends to the Roman throne 409 - Vandals and Alans crossed the Pyrenees Year 1925 ( MCMXXV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Grantham is a Market town within the South Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England. Lincolnshire (abbreviated Lincs) is a county in the east of England. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is a Political party in the United Kingdom. Major Sir Denis Thatcher 1st Baronet, MBE, TD (10 May 1915 &ndash 26 June 2003 was an English Businessman, and the husband of the Carol Thatcher (born 15 August 1953 is a British Journalist and the daughter of the late Sir Denis Thatcher Bt and Baroness Thatcher, Sir Mark Thatcher 2nd Baronet (born 15 August 1953 is the only son of Sir Denis Thatcher and Baroness Thatcher, the former British Prime Minister Alma mater is Latin for "nourishing mother" It was used in Ancient Rome as a title for the mother Goddess, and in Medieval Somerville College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England, and was one of the first Women's colleges to A scientist, in the broadest sense refers to any person that engages in a systematic activity to acquire Knowledge or an individual that engages in such practices Chemistry (from Egyptian kēme (chem meaning "earth") is the Science concerned with the composition structure and properties A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law as an attorney, Counsel or Solicitor; a person Methodism is a movement within Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations The Most Noble Order of the Garter is an Order of chivalry, or Knighthood, originating in Medieval England, and presently bestowed on recipients The Order of Merit is a British and Commonwealth Order bestowed by the Monarch. Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council is a body of advisors to the British Sovereign. The Royal Society of London for the Improvement of Natural Knowledge, known simply as The Royal Society, is a Learned society for science that was founded in 1660 Events 54 - Nero ascends to the Roman throne 409 - Vandals and Alans crossed the Pyrenees Year 1925 ( MCMXXV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located A politician (from Greek " Polis " is an individual who is involved in influencing public decision making through the influence of Politics or a person The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the political leader of the United Kingdom The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is a Political party in the United Kingdom. She is the first and to date only woman to hold either post. ^[1]

Born in Grantham in Lincolnshire, England, she went on to read Chemistry at Somerville College, Oxford. Grantham is a Market town within the South Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England. Lincolnshire (abbreviated Lincs) is a county in the east of England. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Chemistry (from Egyptian kēme (chem meaning "earth") is the Science concerned with the composition structure and properties Somerville College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England, and was one of the first Women's colleges to She was selected as Conservative candidate for Finchley in 1958 and won the seat in the general election the following year. Finchley was a Constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Background Following the Suez Crisis in 1956 Anthony Eden the Conservative Prime Minister became unpopular and resigned the following year Upon the election of Edward Heath in 1970, Thatcher was appointed Secretary of State for Education and Science. Sir Edward Richard George Heath, KG, MBE (9 July 1916 &ndash 17 July 2005 often known as Ted Heath, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom The Secretary of State for Education and Skills was the chief minister of the Department for Education and Skills in the United Kingdom government In 1974, she backed Sir Keith Joseph for the Conservative party leader, but after falling short he dropped out of the race. Keith Sinjohn Joseph Baron Joseph, CH, PC ( 17 January 1918 &ndash 10 December 1994) was a British Barrister Edward Heath, leader of the Conservative Party and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom had called and unexpectedly lost the February 1974 general election Thatcher entered herself and became leader of the Conservative party in 1975. As the Conservative party maintained leads in most polls, Thatcher went on to become Britain's Prime Minister in the 1979 General Election. Background Callaghan had succeeded Harold Wilson as Labour Prime Minister after the latter's surprise resignation in April 1976

Thatcher's tenure as Prime Minister was the longest since that of Lord Salisbury and was the longest continuous period in office since the tenure of Lord Liverpool who was Prime Minister in the early 19th century. "Lord Salisbury" redirects here For other holders of the title see Marquess of Salisbury. Robert Banks Jenkinson 2nd Earl of Liverpool (7 June 1770 &ndash 4 December 1828 was a British politician and the longest-serving Prime Minister of the ^[1] She was the first woman to lead a major political party in the UK, and the first of only three women to have held any of the four great offices of state. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The Great Offices of State in the United Kingdom are the four most senior and prestigious posts in the British parliamentary system of government Among other things, she defiantly opposed the Soviet Union, and her tough-talking rhetoric gained her the nickname the "Iron Lady". The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 Iron Lady is a Nickname that has frequently been used to describe female Heads of government around the world ^[1] She currently has a life peerage as Baroness Thatcher, of Kesteven in the County of Lincolnshire, which entitles her to sit in the House of Lords. In the United Kingdom, life peers are created members of the Peerage whose titles may not be inherited (those whose titles are inheritable are known as Hereditary The House of Lords is the second house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom and is also commonly referred to as "the Lords"

Early life and education

Margaret Hilda Roberts was born on the 13 October 1925^[2] to Alfred Roberts, originally from Northamptonshire, and Beatrice Stephenson Roberts from Lincolnshire. Events 54 - Nero ascends to the Roman throne 409 - Vandals and Alans crossed the Pyrenees Year 1925 ( MCMXXV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Alfred Roberts ( 18 April, 1892 &ndash 10 February, 1970) was a grocer a lay preacher, an Alderman and a Mayor Northamptonshire (or archaically the County of Northampton; abbreviated Northants Lincolnshire (abbreviated Lincs) is a county in the east of England. Thatcher spent her childhood in the town of Grantham in Lincolnshire,^[3] where her father owned two grocery shops. Grantham is a Market town within the South Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England. A grocery store is a store established primarily for the Retailing of Food. She and her older sister Muriel (1921–2004) were raised in the flat above the larger of the two located near the railway line. ^[4] Her father was active in local politics and religion, serving as an Alderman and Methodist lay preacher. An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions Methodism is a movement within Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations In religious organizations the laity comprises all persons who are not Clergy. He came from a Liberal family but stood—as was then customary in local government—as an Independent. The Liberal Party was one of the two major British political parties from the early 19th century until the rise of the Labour Party in the 1920s and a third party In Politics, an independent is a Politician who is not Affiliated with any Political party. He lost his post as Alderman in 1952 after the Labour Party won its first majority on Grantham Council in 1950. The Labour Party is a Political party in the United Kingdom. Founded at the start of the 20th century it has been since the 1920s the principal party of the ^[5]

Thatcher was brought up a devout Methodist and has remained a Christian throughout her life. Methodism is a movement within Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth ^[6] After attending Huntingtower Road Primary School, she received a scholarship and attended Kesteven and Grantham Girls' School. About Kesteven and Grantham Girls' School ( KGGS) is a Grammar school for girls in Grantham, Lincolnshire, established in 1910 ^[7] Her school reports show hard work and commitment, but not brilliance. Outside the classroom she played hockey and also enjoyed swimming and walking. Field hockey is a Team sport in which players attempt to score goals by hitting the Ball across the pitch with a stick Swimming is the movement by humans or animals through Water, usually without artificial assistance ^[8] Finishing school during the Second World War, she subsequently applied for a scholarship to attend Somerville College, Oxford and was only successful when the winning candidate dropped out. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Somerville College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England, and was one of the first Women's colleges to ^[9] She went to Oxford in 1944 and studied Chemistry, specifically crystallography. Chemistry (from Egyptian kēme (chem meaning "earth") is the Science concerned with the composition structure and properties Crystallography is the experimental science of determining the arrangement of Atoms in Solids In older usage it is the scientific study of Crystals The ^[3] She became President of the Oxford University Conservative Association in 1946, the third woman to hold the post. The Oxford University Conservative Association ( OUCA) is a student political organisation founded in 1924 whose members are drawn from the University of Oxford. Thatcher graduated from Oxford in 1947 with a Second Class Honours B.Sc. in Natural Sciences. The British undergraduate degree classification system is a grading scheme for Undergraduate degrees ( Bachelor's degrees and some Master's degrees A Bachelor of Science ( BS, BSc or BSc in the UK; less commonly S In Science, the term natural science refers to a naturalistic approach to the study of the Universe, which is understood as obeying rules or law of She received her MA from Oxford in 1950. In the Universities of Oxford, Cambridge and Dublin, the degree of Master of Arts or Master in Arts ( MA) is awarded to Bachelors ^[3]

Following graduation, Margaret Roberts moved to Colchester and worked as a research chemist for BX Plastics. Colchester ( /ˈkəʊltʃɛstə/ is a town and the largest settlement within the borough of Colchester, in Essex, England. BX Plastics was a former Plastics engineering and production company ^[10] During this time she joined the local Conservative Association and attended the party conference at Llandudno in 1948, as a representative of the University Graduate Conservative Association. The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is a Political party in the United Kingdom. Llandudno (pronounced /ɬan'dɪdnɔ/ is a Seaside resort and Town in Conwy, Wales. ^[11] She was also a member of the Association of Scientific Workers. The Association of Scientific Workers ( AScW) was a Trade union in the UK. In January 1949, a friend from Oxford, who was working for the Dartford Conservative Association, told her that they were looking for candidates. Dartford is the principal town in the borough of Dartford. It is situated in the northwest corner of Kent, England, 16 miles (25 km east south-east ^[11] After a brief period, she was selected as the Conservative candidate, and she subsequently moved to Dartford to stand for election as a Member of Parliament. The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom and British overseas territories To support herself during this period, she went to work for J. Lyons and Co., where she helped develop methods for preserving ice cream and was paid £500 per year. Joseph Lyons and Co was a British company which controlled the largest food empire in the 1930s Ice cream or ice-cream (originally iced cream) is a frozen dessert made from Dairy products such as Milk and Cream, combined ^[11]

Political career between 1950 and 1970

At the 1950 and 1951 elections, she fought the safe Labour seat of Dartford. Results |} Total votes cast 28771124 All parties shown Conservative total includes Ulster Unionists Votes summary Seats summary Results |} Total votes cast 28596594 All parties shown Conservative result includes the Ulster Unionists Votes summary Headline A safe seat is a seat in a legislative body (eg Congress Parliament City Council which is regarded as fully secured either by a certain Political party, the Dartford is a Constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Although she was unsuccessful in winning the seat she did reduce the Labour majority in the constituency by 6,000. ^[12] She was at the time the youngest ever female Conservative candidate and her campaign attracted a higher than normal amount of media attention for a first time candidate. ^[13][3] While active in the Conservative Party in Kent, she met Denis Thatcher, whom she married in 1951. KENT (1400 AM) is a Radio station broadcasting a Adult Standards/MOR format Major Sir Denis Thatcher 1st Baronet, MBE, TD (10 May 1915 &ndash 26 June 2003 was an English Businessman, and the husband of the ^[14] Denis was a wealthy divorced businessman^[14] and he funded his wife's studies for the Bar. A barrister is a Lawyer found in many Common law Jurisdictions that employ a split profession (as opposed to a Fused profession) in relation ^[15] She qualified as a barrister in 1953 specialising in tax law. In the same year her twin children Carol and Mark were born. Carol Thatcher (born 15 August 1953 is a British Journalist and the daughter of the late Sir Denis Thatcher Bt and Baroness Thatcher, Sir Mark Thatcher 2nd Baronet (born 15 August 1953 is the only son of Sir Denis Thatcher and Baroness Thatcher, the former British Prime Minister ^[16]

Thatcher then began to look for a safe Conservative seat and was narrowly rejected as candidate for Orpington in 1954. Orpington is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. She was subsequently not a candidate in the 1955 election and spent her time practising law. Results |} Total votes cast 26759729 All parties shown Conservatives include National Liberal Party and Ulster Unionists Votes ^[16] She had several other rejections before being selected for Finchley in April 1958. Finchley was a Constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. She won the seat after hard campaigning, in the 1959 election and was elected as a member of Parliament. Background Following the Suez Crisis in 1956 Anthony Eden the Conservative Prime Minister became unpopular and resigned the following year The House of Commons' is the Lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords ^[17][18] Her maiden speech was in support of her Private Member's Bill (Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960) to force local councils to hold meetings in public, which was successful. A maiden speech is the first speech given by a newly- elected members of a Legislature or Parliament. A Private Member's Bill is a proposed Law introduced by a backbench member of Parliament, whether from the government or the opposition side to that The Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings Act was an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom in 1960 which allowed members of the public and press to attend meetings In 1961 she went against the Conservative Party's official position by voting for the restoration of birching. Birching is a Corporal punishment with a Birch rod typically applied to the recipient's bare buttocks although occasionally to the back and/or shoulders

She was given early promotion to the front bench as Parliamentary Secretary at the Ministry of Pensions and National Insurance in September 1961, retaining the post until the Conservatives lost power in the 1964 election. The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Pensions was a junior Ministerial office at Parliamentary Secretary rank in the United Kingdom Government supporting the Campaign The pre-election campaign was prolonged as Douglas-Home delayed calling a general election in order to try to give himself the maximum time to improve the When Sir Alec Douglas-Home stepped down, Thatcher voted for Edward Heath in the leadership election over Reginald Maudling, and was rewarded with the job of Conservative spokesman on Housing and Land. Alexander Frederick Douglas-Home Baron Home of the Hirsel, KT, PC (2 July 1903 - 9 October 1995 14th Earl of Home from 1951 to 1963 was a British Sir Edward Richard George Heath, KG, MBE (9 July 1916 &ndash 17 July 2005 often known as Ted Heath, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom The Conservative Party leadership election of July 1965 was held to find a successor to Sir Alec Douglas-Home. Reginald Maudling (7 March 1917 - 14 February 1979 was a British Politician known for his intellectual brilliance political pragmatism and easygoing nature In this role she adopted the policy of allowing tenants to buy their council houses, an idea first developed by her colleague James Allason. The council house is a form of public or social housing in the United Kingdom. Lt Col James Harry Allason OBE (born 6 September 1912) is a British Conservative Party politician sportsman and former military The policy would prove popular. ^[19] She moved to the Shadow Treasury team after 1966. HM Treasury, in full Her Majesty's Treasury, informally The Treasury, is the United Kingdom government department responsible for developing and executing

Thatcher was one of few Conservative MPs to support Leo Abse's Bill to decriminalise male homosexuality, she voted in favour of David Steel's Bill to legalise abortion and in favour of a ban on hare coursing. Leopold Abse ( 22 April 1917 &ndash 19 August 2008) was a Welsh lawyer politician and gay rights campaigner Homosexuality refers to sexual behavior with or attraction to people of the same sex or to a Homosexual orientation. David Martin Scott Steel Baron Steel of Aikwood, KT, KBE, PC (born 31 March 1938) is a British and Scottish An Hare coursing is the pursuit of Hares with Greyhounds and other Sighthounds which chase the hare by sight and not by scent ^[20] . She supported the retention of capital punishment and voted against the relaxation of divorce laws. Capital punishment, the death penalty or execution, is the Killing of a person by judicial process as Punishment. Divorce or dissolution of marriage is the termination of a Marriage. Thatcher made her mark as a conference speaker in 1966 with a strong attack on the high-tax policies of the Labour Government as being steps "not only towards Socialism, but towards Communism". Socialism refers to a broad set of economic theories of social organization advocating state or collective ownership and administration of the Means of production and distribution Communism is a Socioeconomic structure that promotes the establishment of an egalitarian, classless, stateless Society based She won promotion to the Shadow Cabinet as Shadow Fuel spokesman in 1967, and was then promoted to shadow Transport and, finally, Education before the 1970 election. In British parliamentary practice the Official Loyal Opposition Shadow Cabinet (usually known simply as 'The Shadow Cabinet' is a group of members from Her Majesty's Loyal Opinion poll summary ORC (Opinion Research Council Conservative lead of 1%Harris (Express Newspapers Labour lead of 2%NOP

Education Secretary (1970 - 1974)

When the Conservative party under Edward Heath won the 1970 general election, Thatcher became Secretary of State for Education and Science. Sir Edward Richard George Heath, KG, MBE (9 July 1916 &ndash 17 July 2005 often known as Ted Heath, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom The Secretary of State for Education and Skills was the chief minister of the Department for Education and Skills in the United Kingdom government In her first months in office, forced to administer a cut in the Education budget, she was responsible for the abolition of universal free milk for school-children aged seven to eleven (Labour had already abolished it for secondary schools). This provoked a storm of public protest, and led to one of the more unflattering names for her: "Thatcher Thatcher, Milk Snatcher". However, she also successfully resisted the introduction of library book charges.

Her term was marked by support for several proposals for more local education authorities to close grammar schools and adopt comprehensive secondary education; support for this change in education policy was not restricted to the left. A comprehensive school is a Secondary school and State school for children from the age of 11 to at least 16 that does not select children on the basis of academic Thatcher also saved the Open University from being abolished. Open University is also the name of other institutions See Distance education or the Open Universities category for a list The Chancellor Anthony Barber wanted to abolish it as a budget-cutting measure, as he viewed it as a gimmick by Harold Wilson. Anthony Perrinott Lysberg Barber Baron Barber, PC (4 July 1920 &ndash 16 December 2005 was a British Conservative politician who served as a member James Harold Wilson Baron Wilson of Rievaulx, KG, OBE, FRS, PC (11 March 1916 &ndash 24 May 1995 was one of the most prominent British politicians Thatcher believed it was a relatively inexpensive way of extending higher education and insisted that the University should experiment with admitting school-leavers as well as adults. In her memoirs, Thatcher wrote that she was not part of Heath's inner circle, and had little or no influence on the key government decisions outside her department.

Leader of the Opposition (1975 - 1979)

After the Conservative defeat in February 1974, Heath appointed her Shadow Environment Secretary. Results |} Total votes 31321982 All parties are shown The seats won by the Ulster Unionists are compared with those won by Unionist MPs in the 1970 election In this position she promised to abolish the rating system that paid for local government services, which was a favoured policy proposal within the Conservative Party for many years. A poll tax, head tax, or capitation is a Tax of a uniform fixed amount per individual (as opposed to a percentage of income

Thatcher agreed with Sir Keith Joseph and the Centre for Policy Studies that the Heath Government had lost control of monetary policy—and had lost direction—following its 1972 U-turn. Keith Sinjohn Joseph Baron Joseph, CH, PC ( 17 January 1918 &ndash 10 December 1994) was a British Barrister The Centre for Policy Studies (CPS is a British Policy studies think tank whose goal is to promote coherent and practical public policy to roll back the Monetary policy is the process by which the Government, Central bank, or monetary authority of a country controls (i the Supply of Money, A " flip-flop " (used mostly in the United States) or a U-turn (used in the United Kingdom) is a sudden real or apparent change of policy or After her party lost the second election of 1974, Joseph decided to challenge Heath's leadership but later withdrew after an unwise speech seen as supporting eugenics. Results |} Total number of votes 29189104 All parties shown Votes summary Seats summary Eugenics is a social Philosophy which advocates the improvement of Human Hereditary traits through various forms of intervention Thatcher then decided that she would enter the race on behalf of the Josephite/CPS faction. Edward Heath, leader of the Conservative Party and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom had called and unexpectedly lost the February 1974 general election Unexpectedly she out-polled Heath on the first ballot, forcing him to resign the leadership. On the second ballot, she defeated Heath's preferred successor William Whitelaw, by 146 votes to 79, and became Conservative Party leader on 11 February 1975. William Stephen Ian Whitelaw 1st Viscount Whitelaw, KT, CH, MC, PC, DL (28 June 1918 &ndash 1 July 1999 commonly known as Events 660 BC - Traditional founding date of Japan by Emperor Jimmu. Year 1975 ( MCMLXXV) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. ^[21] She appointed Whitelaw as her deputy. Heath remained disenchanted with Thatcher to the end of his life for what he (and many of his supporters) perceived as her disloyalty in standing against him.

On 19 January 1976, she made a speech in Kensington Town Hall in which she made a scathing attack on the Soviet Union. Events 1419 - Hundred Years' War: Rouen surrenders to Henry V of England completing his reconquest of Normandy. Year 1976 ( MCMLXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Kensington is a district of West London, England within the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, located west of Charing Cross. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 The most famous part of her speech ran^[22]:

“

The Russians are bent on world dominance, and they are rapidly acquiring the means to become the most powerful imperial nation the world has seen. The men in the Soviet Politburo do not have to worry about the ebb and flow of public opinion. Politburo, short for Political Bureau, Russian Politicheskoye Buro, is the executive organization for a number of Political parties, most notably They put guns before butter, while we put just about everything before guns. In Macroeconomics, the guns versus butter model is a simple example of the Production possibility frontier.

”

In response, the Soviet Defence Ministry newspaper Krasnaya Zvezda (Red Star) gave her the nickname "Iron Lady", which was soon publicised by Radio Moscow. Krasnaya Zvezda ( Russian: Кра́сная звезда́, literally "Red Star" is a Soviet and later Russian military Iron Lady is a Nickname that has frequently been used to describe female Heads of government around the world Voice of Russia is the Russian government's international radio broadcasting service owned by the All-Russia State Television and Radio Company. She took delight in the name and it soon became associated with her image as having an unwavering and steadfast character. Her reaction to her other chief nickname, "Attila the Hen" (thought to have been coined by party grandee Sir Ian Gilmour) is unrecorded. Ian Hedworth John Little Gilmour Baron Gilmour of Craigmillar, PC, Bt

Thatcher appointed many of Heath's supporters to the Shadow Cabinet, for she had won the leadership as an outsider and had little power base of her own within the party. One, James Prior gained the important brief of shadow Employment Secretary. James Michael Leathes Prior Baron Prior, PC, known as Jim Prior, (born 11 October 1927) is a British Politician, Thatcher had to act cautiously to convert the Conservative Party to her monetarist beliefs. Monetarism is a school of economic thought concerning the determination of national income and monetary Economics. She reversed Heath's support for devolved government for Scotland. Devolution is the statutory granting of powers from the central government of a State to government at subnational level Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. In an interview for Granada Television's World in Action programme in January 1978, she said "people are really rather afraid that this country might be rather swamped by people with a different culture", arousing particular controversy at the time. Granada Television is the United Kingdom ITV contractor for North West England. World in Action was a current affairs series produced by Granada Television in the United Kingdom in the 25 years from 1963 to ^[23] Critics regarded the comment as a veiled reference to people of colour—and thus pandering to xenophobia and reactionary sentiment. She received 10,000 letters thanking her for raising the subject and the Conservatives gained a lead against Labour in the opinion polls, from both parties at 43% before the speech to 48% for Conservative and 39% for Labour immediately after. ^[24]

The Labour Government ran into difficulties with industrial disputes, strikes, increasing unemployment, and collapsing public services during the winter of 1978–79, dubbed the "Winter of Discontent". The "Winter of Discontent" is a term used to describe the British Winter of 1978 &ndash 1979, during which there were widespread The Conservatives used campaign posters with slogans such as "Labour Isn't Working"^[25] to attack the government's record over unemployment and its over-regulation of the labour market. James Callaghan's Labour government fell after a successful Motion of No Confidence in spring 1979. Leonard James Callaghan Baron Callaghan of Cardiff, KG, PC (27 March 1912 – 26 March 2005 was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1976 to 1979 A motion of no confidence (also vote of no confidence, censure motion, no-confidence motion, or confidence motion) is a Parliamentary motion

In the run up to the 1979 General Election, most opinion polls showed that voters preferred James Callaghan as Prime Minister even as the Conservative Party maintained a lead in the polls. Background Callaghan had succeeded Harold Wilson as Labour Prime Minister after the latter's surprise resignation in April 1976 Leonard James Callaghan Baron Callaghan of Cardiff, KG, PC (27 March 1912 – 26 March 2005 was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1976 to 1979 The Conservatives would go on to win a 44-seat majority in the House of Commons and Margaret Thatcher became the United Kingdom's first female Prime Minister. Arriving at 10 Downing Street, she said, in a paraphrase of St. Francis of Assisi:

“

Where there is discord, may we bring harmony. For the opera by Olivier Messiaen see Saint-François d'Assise. Where there is error, may we bring truth. Where there is doubt, may we bring faith. And where there is despair, may we bring hope.

”

Prime Minister (1979–1990)

Main article: Premiership of Margaret Thatcher

Thatcher became Prime Minister on 4 May 1979, with a mandate to reverse the UK's economic decline and to reduce the role of the state in the economy. The Premiership of Margaret Thatcher began on 4 May, 1979, with a mandate to reverse the UK's economic decline and to reduce the role of the state See also Executive Office of the President of the United States The White House, formerly known as the Executive Mansion, is the Official residence Events 1256 - The Augustinian monastic order is constituted at the Lecceto Monastery when Pope Alexander IV Year 1979 ( MCMLXXIX) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1979 Gregorian calendar) Thatcher was incensed by one contemporary view within the Civil Service, that its job was to manage the UK's decline from the days of Empire, and she wanted the country to assert a higher level of influence and leadership in international affairs. Her Majesty's Civil Service, also known as the Home Civil Service, is the permanent Bureaucracy of Crown employees that supports UK Government Ministers The British Empire was the largest empire in history and for over a century was the foremost global power. She became a very close ally, philosophically and politically, with President Ronald Reagan, elected in 1980 in the United States. Philosophy is the study of general problems concerning matters such as existence knowledge truth beauty justice validity mind and language The President of the United States is the Head of state and Head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in United States by The United States of America —commonly referred to as the During her tenure as Prime Minister she was said to need just four hours sleep a night. ^[26]

Domestic reforms

Irish hunger strike

Main article: 1981 Irish hunger strike

In 1981, a number of Provisional IRA and Irish National Liberation Army prisoners in Northern Ireland's Maze Prison (known by most Irish people as 'Long Kesh', due to its previous official name) went on hunger strike to regain the status of political prisoners, which had been revoked five years earlier under the preceding Labour government. The 1981 Irish hunger strike was the culmination of a five-year protest during The Troubles by Irish republican prisoners in Northern Ireland. The Provisional Irish Republican Army (Óglaigh na hÉireann ( IRA; also referred to as the PIRA, the Provos, or by some of its supporters as the The Irish National Liberation Army ( INLA; Arm Saoirse Náisiúnta na hÉireann in Irish is an Irish Republican, Left-wing paramilitary organisation Northern Ireland (Tuaisceart Éireann Ulster Scots: Norlin Airlann) is a Country within the United Kingdom, lying in the northeast of Her Majesty's Prison Maze (known colloquially as The H Blocks, Long Kesh, or The Maze) was a Prison used to house Paramilitary prisoners RAF Long Kesh was a Royal Air Force station at Maze, Lisburn, Northern Ireland, from 1941 until 1971 The 1981 Irish hunger strike was the culmination of a five-year protest during The Troubles by Irish republican prisoners in Northern Ireland. A political prisoner is someone held in Prison or otherwise detained perhaps under House arrest, for his or her involvement in political activity Bobby Sands, the first of the strikers, was elected as a Member of Parliament (MP) for the constituency of Fermanagh and South Tyrone a few weeks before he died. Robert Gerard Sands (Roibeard Gearóid Ó Seachnasaigh commonly known as Bobby Sands, (9 March 1954 – 5 May 1981 was a Provisional Irish Republican Army A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters to a Parliament. Fermanagh and South Tyrone is a Parliamentary Constituency in the British House of Commons. Thatcher refused at first to countenance a return to political status for republican prisoners, famously declaring "Crime is crime is crime; it is not political. "^[27] Nevertheless, after nine more men had starved to death and the strike had ended, some rights relating to political status were restored to paramilitary prisoners. Thatcher's public hard line on the treatment of paramilitaries was reinforced during the 1980 Iranian Embassy Siege where for the first time in 70 years British armed forces were authorised to use lethal force in Great Britain. The Iranian Embassy Siege of 1980 was a Siege of the Iranian embassy in London after it had been taken over by Iranian Arab Separatists

On 15 November 1985, Thatcher signed the Hillsborough Anglo-Irish Agreement with Irish Taoiseach Garret FitzGerald, the first time a British government gave the Republic of Ireland a say (albeit advisory) in the governance of Northern Ireland. Events 655 - Battle of Winwaed: Penda of Mercia is defeated by Oswiu of Northumbria. Year 1985 ( MCMLXXXV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link displays 1985 Gregorian calendar) The Anglo-Irish Agreement was an agreement between the United Kingdom and Ireland which aimed to bring an end to The Troubles in Northern Ireland The Taoiseach (ˈtiːʃəx in English t̪ˠiːʃʲəx (plural Taoisigh ( or) in Irish) also referred to as An Taoiseach ( t̪ˠiːʃʲəx is the the Garret FitzGerald (Gearóid Mac Gearailt born 9 February 1926 was the seventh Taoiseach of Ireland, serving two terms in office (July 1981 to February 1982 December The agreement was greeted with fury by Northern Irish unionists.

Economy

Thatcher took over three years after the James Callaghan Government had concluded that the Keynesian approach to demand-side management failed to do everything, realising that the economy is not self-righting and that new fiscal judgements had to be made to concentrate on inflation, a view accepted by the Thatcher Government. Leonard James Callaghan Baron Callaghan of Cardiff, KG, PC (27 March 1912 – 26 March 2005 was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1976 to 1979 ^[28] As a monetarist, Thatcher began her economic reforms by increasing interest rates to slow the growth of the money supply and thus lower inflation. Monetarism is a school of economic thought concerning the determination of national income and monetary Economics. It has been argued that this heavy reliance of government control of money supply was partly responsible for the failing of early Monetarist approaches to macroeconomic management. ^[29]

Thatcher had a preference for indirect taxation over taxes on income, and value added tax (VAT) was raised sharply to 15%, with a resultant actual short-term rise in inflation. The term indirect tax has more than one meaning In the colloquial sense an indirect tax (such as Sales tax, Value added tax (VAT or Goods and services Value added tax ( VAT) or goods and services tax ( GST) is a consumption Tax levied on value added. ^[30] These moves hit businesses – especially the manufacturing sector – and unemployment quickly passed two million, doubling the one million unemployed under the previous Labour government.

Political commentators harked back to the Heath Government's "U-turn" and speculated that 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. "^[31] That she meant what she said was confirmed in the 1981 budget, when, despite concerns expressed in an open letter from 364 leading economists,^[32] taxes were increased in the middle of a recession. In January 1982, the inflation rate had dropped back to 8. 6% from earlier highs of 18%, and interest rates were then allowed to fall. Interest is a fee paid on borrowed capital Assets lent include Money, Shares, Consumer goods through Hire purchase, major assets Unemployment continued to rise, reaching an official figure of 3. 6 million. By 1983, manufacturing output had dropped 30% from 1978, while overall economic growth was stronger, and inflation and mortgage rates were at their lowest levels since 1970. ^[33]

Thatcher's political and economic philosophy emphasised reduced state intervention, free markets, and entrepreneurialism. The President of the United States is the Head of state and Head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in United States by A free market is a Market in which property rights are voluntarily exchanged at a price arranged completely by the mutual consent of sellers and buyers An entrepreneur is a person who has possession over a company enterprise, or Venture, and assumes significant accountability for the inherent risks and the outcome After the 1983 election, the Government sold off most of the large utilities, starting with British Telecom, which had been a publicly owned monopoly since 1912. BT Group plc (formerly British Telecommunications plc) which trades as BT (ˌbiːˈtiː bee tee) (previously known as British Telecom and still Many people took advantage of share offers, although many sold their shares immediately for a quick profit and therefore the proportion of shares held by individuals rather than institutions did not increase. Software for Fixed assets management and Stock control developed in 2004. The policy of privatisation, while anathema to many on the Left, has become synonymous with Thatcherism. Privatization is the incidence or process of transferring ownership of business from the Public sector (government to the Private sector (business Thatcherism is the system of political thought attributed to the governments of Margaret Thatcher, British Prime Minister from 1979 to 1990 Wider share-ownership and council house sales became known as "popular capitalism" to its supporters (a term coined by John Redwood). John Alan Redwood (born 15 June 1951 in Dover, Kent) is a British Conservative Party Politician and Member In 1985, as a deliberate snub, the University of Oxford voted to refuse her an honorary degree in protest against her cuts in funding for higher education. The University of Oxford (informally "Oxford University" or simply "Oxford" located in the city of Oxford, Oxfordshire, England is the ^[34] This award had always previously been given to all Prime Ministers who had been educated at Oxford.

At the Dublin European Council in November 1979, Thatcher had argued that the United Kingdom paid far more to the European Economic Community than it received in spending. The European Community (EC is one of the Three pillars of the European Union (EU created under the Maastricht Treaty (1992 She declared at the summit: "We are not asking the Community or anyone else for money. We are simply asking to have our own money back". Her arguments were successful and at the June 1984 Fontainebleau Summit, the EEC agreed on an annual rebate for the United Kingdom, amounting to 66% of the difference between Britain's EU contributions and receipts. Fontainebleau is a commune in the metropolitan area of Paris, France. The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in This still remains in effect, although Tony Blair later agreed to significantly reduce the size of the rebate. Anthony Charles Lynton "Tony" Blair (born 6 May 1953 is a British Politician who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to It periodically causes political controversy among the members of the European Union. The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in

Thatcher's new system to replace local government taxes, outlined in the Conservative manifesto for the 1987 election, was introduced in Scotland in 1989 and in England and Wales in 1990. Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland The rates were replaced by the Community Charge or 'Poll Tax', which applied the same amount to every individual resident, with an 80% reduction for the unwaged. The Community Charge, popularly known as the " poll tax " was a system of taxation introduced in replacement of the rates to part fund Local government This was to be the most universally unpopular policy of her premiership. Individuals seeking to avoid paying their share of the costs of local government effectively disenfranchised themselves by removing themselves from the electoral register, and causing problems over uncollected revenue for several years, and a rise in indirect taxation.

Thatcher's popularity declined in 1989, as the economy suffered from high interest rates. She blamed her Chancellor, Nigel Lawson, who had been following an economic policy which was a preparation for monetary union; in an interview for the Financial Times, in November 1987, Thatcher claimed not to have been told of this and did not approve. Nigel Lawson Baron Lawson of Blaby, PC (born 11 March 1932 is a British Conservative Politician who was Chancellor of the Exchequer between ^[35]

At a meeting before the Madrid European Community summit in June 1989, Lawson and Foreign Secretary Geoffrey Howe persuaded Thatcher to agree to the circumstances under which she would join the Exchange Rate Mechanism, a preparation for monetary union and the abolition of the Pound Sterling. Madrid (pronounced in English in Spanish and colloquially in Spain) is the Capital and largest city of Spain. Richard Edward Geoffrey Howe Baron Howe of Aberavon, CH, PC, QC (born 20 December 1926 known until 1992 as Sir Geoffrey Howe, is a British The European Exchange Rate Mechanism, ERM, was a system introduced by the European Community in March 1979 as part of the European Monetary System (EMS The Pound Sterling ( symbol £; ISO code: GBP) subdivided into 100 pence (singular penny) is the Currency At the meeting, they both said they would resign if their demands were not met. ^[36] Thatcher responded by demoting Howe and by listening more to her adviser Sir Alan Walters on economic matters. Professor Sir Alan Arthur Walters (b June 17, 1926) in Leicester is a British Economist, best known as the former Chief Economic Adviser to Lawson resigned that October, feeling that Thatcher had undermined him.

Additional problems emerged when many of the tax rates set by local councils proved to be much higher than predicted. Opponents of the Community Charge banded together to resist bailiffs and disrupt court hearings of Community Charge debtors. Bailiff (from Late Latin baiulivus, Adjectival form of baiulus) is a Governor or Custodian (cf A court is a forum used by a power base to adjudicate disputes and dispense civil, labour administrative and criminal Justice under its Debt is that which is owed usually referencing Assets owed but the term can cover other obligations The Labour MP, Terry Fields, was jailed for 60 days for refusing on principle to pay his Community Charge. Terence Fields, known as Terry Fields, ( 8 March 1937 &ndash 28 June 2008) was a British politician, trades As the Prime Minister continued to refuse to compromise on the tax and as many as one in five people had still not paid, unrest mounted and culminated in a number of riots. The Poll Tax Riots were mass disturbances or riots, which occurred in Britain during protests against the Community Charge (commonly known as the The most serious of these happened in London on 31 March 1990, during a protest at Trafalgar Square, London, which more than 100,000 protesters attended. Events 307 - After divorcing his wife Minervina, Constantine marries Fausta, the daughter of the retired Roman Emperor Year 1990 ( MCMXC) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar) Trafalgar Square is a square in central London, England. With its position in the heart of London it is a tourist attraction its trademark is Nelson's London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. The huge unpopularity of the tax was seen as a major factor in Thatcher's downfall. ^[37]

On the Friday before the Conservative Party conference in October 1990, Thatcher ordered her new Chancellor of the Exchequer John Major to reduce interest rates by 1%. The Chancellor of the Exchequer is the title held by the British Cabinet minister who is responsible for all Economic and Financial Sir John Major KG CH ACIB (born 29 March 1943 is a British Politician who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Major persuaded her that the only way to maintain monetary stability was to join the Exchange Rate Mechanism at the same time, despite not meeting the "Madrid conditions". The Conservative Party conference that year saw a large degree of unity.

Trade unions

Thatcher was committed to reducing the power of the trades unions. A trade union or labour union is an organization of workers who have banded together to achieve common goals in key areas such as wages hours and working conditions forming Several unions launched strikes in response to legislation introduced to curb their power, but these actions eventually collapsed, and gradually Thatcher's reforms reduced the power and influence of the unions. Strike action, often simply called a strike, is a work stoppage caused by the mass refusal by Employees to perform work.

In 1982 the National Union of Mineworkers accepted a Government offer of a 9. See also the National Union of Mineworkers (South Africa. Template talkInfobox Union 3 percent raise, rejecting their leaders' call for a strike authorisation. ^[38]

The confrontation over strikes, ordered illegally without a national ballot in 1984–85 by the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) in opposition to proposals to close a large number of mines, proved decisive. See also the National Union of Mineworkers (South Africa. Template talkInfobox Union Police tactics during the strikes came under criticism from civil libertarians, but the images of crowds of militant miners attempting to prevent other miners from working proved a shock even to some supporters of the strikes. Police are agents or agencies usually of the executive, empowered to enforce the law and to effect public and social order through the legitimatized use of force thumb| |Broken Liberty Istanbul Archaeology Museum Civil liberties are freedoms that protect the Individual from the Government. Two miners, Dean Hancock and Russell Shankland, were convicted of the murder of David Wilkie, a taxi driver, whom they killed by throwing a 46 pounds (21 kg) slab of concrete through the windscreen of his car from a bridge as he drove beneath it. He was driving a colleague of theirs, David Williams, to work. Both were sentenced to life imprisonment. ^[39] A group of workers, resigned to the impending failure of the actions, worn down by months of protests, and angry at the NUM's failure to hold a national strike ballot, began to defy the Union's rulings, starting splinter groups and advising workers that returning to work was the only viable option. The Miners' Strike lasted a full year before the NUM leadership conceded without a deal. The miners' strike of 1984 – 1985 was a major Industrial action affecting the British coal industry. The Conservative government proceeded to close all but 15 of the country's pits, with the remaining 15 being sold off and privatised in 1994. The defeat of the miners' strike led to a long period of demoralisation in the whole of the trade union movement.

South African controversy

At the end of March 1984, four South Africans were arrested in Coventry, remanded in custody, and charged with contravening the UN arms embargo, which prohibited exports to apartheid South Africa of military equipment. United Nations Security Council Resolution 418, passed on 4 November 1977 imposed a mandatory Arms embargo against Apartheid South Africa. Thatcher took a personal interest in the Coventry Four, and 10 Downing Street requested daily summaries of the case from the prosecuting authority, HM Customs and Excise. Four South African alleged arms smugglers were arrested by HM Customs & Excise officers in Coventry in March 1984 and charged with conspiring to export arms from Britain ^[40] Within a month, the Coventry Four had been freed from jail and allowed to travel to South Africa on condition that they returned to England for their trial later that year. Four South African alleged arms smugglers were arrested by HM Customs & Excise officers in Coventry in March 1984 and charged with conspiring to export arms from Britain In April 1984, Thatcher sent senior British diplomat, Sir John Leahy, to negotiate the release of 16 Britons who had been taken hostage by the Angolan rebel leader, Jonas Savimbi. Sir John Leahy KCMG (born February 7, 1928) is a former senior British diplomat Angola, officially the Republic of Angola (República de Angola Pronounced ʁɛˈpublikɐ dɨ ɐ̃ˈgɔlɐ Repubilika ya Ngola is a country in south-central Jonas Malheiro Savimbi ( August 3, 1934 &ndash February 22, 2002) led UNITA, an anti-Communist rebel group that fought against At the time, Savimbi's UNITA guerrilla movement was financed and supported militarily by the United States and apartheid regime of South Africa. The National Union for the Total Independence of Angola ( União Nacional para a Independência Total de Angola) is the second-largest Political party in Angola. On 26 April 1984, Leahy succeeded in securing the release of the British hostages at the UNITA base in Jamba, Angola. Events 1467 - The miraculous image in Our Lady of Good Counsel appear in Genazzano, Italy. Year 1984 ( MCMLXXXIV) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1984 Gregorian calendar) Jamba is a town in Angola, located in the southeastern province of Cuando Cubango, just north of the Namibian border along the Caprivi Strip ^[41] In June 1984 Thatcher invited apartheid South Africa's president, P. W. Botha, and foreign minister, Pik Botha, to Chequers in an effort to stave off growing international pressure for the imposition of economic sanctions against South Africa, where Britain had invested heavily. Pieter Willem Botha (12 January 1916 – 31 October 2006 commonly known as "P Roelof Frederik "Pik" Botha (born April 27, 1932, in Rustenburg, Transvaal) is a former South African politician who served Chequers, or Chequers Court, is a Country house near Ellesborough, to the south east of Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire, England Economic sanctions are domestic penalties applied by one country (or group of countries on another for a variety of reasons She reportedly urged President Botha to end apartheid; to release Nelson Mandela; to halt the harassment of black dissidents; to stop the bombing of African National Congress (ANC) bases in front-line states; and to comply with UN Security Council resolutions and withdraw from Namibia. Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela (xolíɬaɬa mandéːla born 18 July 1918 is a former President of South Africa, the first to be elected in fully representative The African National Congress (ANC has been South Africa 's governing party supported by its Tripartite alliance with the Congress of South African Trade Unions Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country in Southern Africa on the Atlantic coast ^[42] However Botha ignored these demands. In an interview with Hugo Young for The Guardian in July 1986, Thatcher expressed her belief that economic sanctions against South Africa would be immoral because they would make thousands of black workers unemployed. Hugo John Smelter Young ( 13 October 1938 &ndash 22 September 2003) was a British Journalist and columnist and senior political ^[43] In August 1984, foreign minister, Pik Botha, decided not to allow the Coventry Four to return to stand trial, thereby forfeiting £200,000 bail money put up by the South African embassy in London.

Brighton bombing

On the early morning of 12 October 1984, the day before her 59th birthday, Thatcher escaped injury in the Brighton hotel bombing during the Conservative Party Conference when her hotel was bombed by the Provisional Irish Republican Army; five people died in the attack, including Roberta, the wife of Cabinet Minister John Wakeham. Events 539 BC - The army of Cyrus the Great of Persia takes Babylon. Year 1984 ( MCMLXXXIV) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1984 Gregorian calendar) The Brighton hotel bombing was the attack by the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA on the Grand Hotel in the English resort city of Brighton The Provisional Irish Republican Army (Óglaigh na hÉireann ( IRA; also referred to as the PIRA, the Provos, or by some of its supporters as the John Wakeham Baron Wakeham, PC, DL (born June 22, 1932) is a businessman and British Conservative Party politician A prominent member of the Cabinet, Norman Tebbit, was injured, and his wife Margaret was left paralysed. Norman Beresford Tebbit Baron Tebbit CH, PC (born 29 March 1931 is a British Conservative politician and former Member of Parliament Thatcher herself would have been injured if not for the fact that she was delayed from using the bathroom (which suffered more damage than the room she was in at the time the bomb detonated). Thatcher insisted that the conference open on time the next day and made her speech as planned in defiance of the bombers, a gesture which won widespread approval across the political spectrum. ^[44]

Relationship with Labour party

In 1986, her government controversially abolished the Greater London Council, then led by the strongly left-wing Ken Livingstone, and six Metropolitan County Councils. The Greater London Council (GLC was the top-tier Local government administrative body for Greater London from 1965 to 1986 Kenneth Robert Livingstone (born 17 June 1945 is a British Socialist Politician. The metropolitan counties are a type of county-level Administrative division of England. The government claimed this was an efficiency measure. However, Thatcher's opponents held that the move was politically motivated, as all of the abolished councils were controlled by Labour, had become powerful centres of opposition to her government, and were in favour of higher local government taxes and public spending. Several of them had however rendered themselves politically vulnerable by committing scarce public funds to causes widely seen as political and even extreme.

Elections

1983

The "Falklands Factor", along with an economic recovery in early 1983, bolstered the government's popularity. The Labour party at this time had split, and there was a new challenge in the SDP-Liberal Alliance, formed by an electoral pact between the Social Democratic Party and the Liberal Party. The SDP-Liberal Alliance was an electoral alliance of the Social Democratic Party (SDP and the Liberal Party in the United Kingdom that operated This is about the UK Social Democratic Party which existed between 1981 and 1988 The Liberal Party was one of the two major British political parties from the early 19th century until the rise of the Labour Party in the 1920s and a third party However, the alliance failed to "break the mould of British politics" as it intended, despite briefly holding an opinion poll lead before the Falklands War in 1982. The Falklands War (Guerra de las Malvinas/Guerra del Atlántico Sur also called the Falklands Conflict/Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the In the June 1983 general election, the Conservatives won 42. Results The Conservatives won with a majority of 144 seats|} Total votes cast 30661309 4% of the vote, the Labour party 27. 6% and the Alliance 25. 4% of the vote. Although the Conservatives' share of the vote had fallen slightly (1. 5%) since 1979, Labour's vote had fallen by far more (9. 3%) and in Britain's first past the post system, the Conservatives won a landslide victory even though it had the support of less than 43% of the electorate. The plurality voting system is a Single-winner voting system often used to elect executive officers or to elect members of a legislative assembly which is based on single-member In Politics, a landslide victory (or landslide) is the victory of a candidate or Political party by an overwhelming margin in an Election This resulted in the Conservative Party having an overall majority of 144 MPs.

1987

By leading her party to victory in the 1987 general election with a 101 seat majority, riding an economic boom against a weak Labour opposition advocating unilateral nuclear disarmament, Margaret Thatcher became the longest continuously serving Prime Minister of the United Kingdom since Lord Liverpool (1812 to 1827). Results |} All parties gaining over 500 votes listed Campaign and policies The Conservatives' campaign emphasized lower taxes a strong economy and defence Robert Banks Jenkinson 2nd Earl of Liverpool (7 June 1770 &ndash 4 December 1828 was a British politician and the longest-serving Prime Minister of the Most United Kingdom newspapers supported her—with the exception of The Daily Mirror, The Guardian, The Observer and The Independent—and were rewarded with regular press briefings by her press secretary, Bernard Ingham. This article is a list of Newspapers in the United Kingdom. UK daily newspapers Traditionally newspapers could be split into serious-minded newspapers usually referred The Daily Mirror, often referred to simply as The Mirror, is a British Tabloid daily Newspaper founded in 1903 The Guardian (until 1959 The Manchester Guardian) is a British Newspaper owned by the Guardian Media Group. The Observer is a British Newspaper published on Sundays In about the same place on the political spectrum as its daily sister paper The The Independent is a British compact Newspaper published by Tony O'Reilly 's Independent News & Media. Sir Bernard Ingham (born 21 June 1932) is a journalist best known as Margaret Thatcher 's Chief Press Secretary whilst she was Prime Minister

1989

Thatcher was challenged for the leadership of the Conservative Party by Sir Anthony Meyer. The 1989 Conservative Party leadership election took place on 5 December 1989. for the English actor of the 1970s and 1980s see Anthony Meyer (actor Sir Anthony John Charles Meyer 3rd Baronet ( 27 October As Meyer was a virtually unknown backbench MP, he was viewed as a "stalking horse" candidate for more prominent members of the party. For other meanings see Backbench A backbencher is a Member of Parliament (MP or a legislator who does not hold governmental A stalking horse is someone or something whose role is to become the focal point for or the initiator of a debate or challenge Thatcher easily defeated Meyer's challenge, but there were sixty ballot papers either cast for Meyer or abstaining, a surprisingly large number for a sitting Prime Minister. Her supporters in the Party, however, viewed the results as a success, claiming that after ten years as Prime Minister and with approximately 370 Conservative MPs voting, the opposition was surprisingly small. ^[45]

Views on homosexuality

Though an early backer of decriminalisation of male homosexuality, Thatcher, at the 1987 Conservative party conference, issued the statement that "Children who need to be taught to respect traditional moral values are being taught that they have an inalienable right to be gay". Homosexuality refers to sexual behavior with or attraction to people of the same sex or to a Homosexual orientation. Backbench Conservative MPs and Peers had already begun a backlash against the 'promotion' of homosexuality and, in December 1987, the controversial 'Section 28' was added as an amendment to what became the Local Government Act 1988. Section 28 of the Local Government Act 1988 was a controversial amendment to the United Kingdom 's Local Government Act 1986 enacted on 24 May The United Kingdom Local Government Act of 1988 was famous for introducing the controversial Section 28 into law This legislation was subsequently abolished by Tony Blair's Labour administration.

Foreign policy

The Falklands

Main article: Falklands War

On 2 April 1982, a ruling military junta in Argentina invaded the Falkland Islands, a British overseas territory that Argentina had claimed since an 1830s dispute on the British settlement. The Falklands War (Guerra de las Malvinas/Guerra del Atlántico Sur also called the Falklands Conflict/Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the Events 68 - Galba, Governor of Hispania, names himself legatus senatus populique Romani, breaking the line of Year 1982 ( MCMLXXXII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar) For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Argentina topics. A dependent territory dependent area or dependency is a territory that does not possess full political Independence or Sovereignty as a History of the claims See also History of the Falkland Islands See also Timeline of the history of the Falkland Islands See also Falkland Within days Thatcher sent a naval task force to recapture the islands. For the computer game see Joint Task Force (computer game. A task force (TF is a temporary unit or formation established to work Despite the huge logistical difficulties the operation was a success, resulting in a wave of patriotic enthusiasm and support for her government, with Newsweek declaring "The Empire Strikes Back". Patriotism is commonly defined as love of and/or devotion to one's country There were also several controversies that arose as a result of the Falklands War and Thatcher's handling of the conflict.

Cold War

In the Cold War, Mrs Thatcher supported United States President Ronald Reagan's policies of deterrence against the Soviets. See also Executive Office of the President of the United States The White House, formerly known as the Executive Mansion, is the Official residence State dinners in different countries follow different rules and are governed by different protocols. Events 534 - A second and final revision of the Codex Justinianus is published Year 1988 ( MCMLXXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar) Cold War is the state of conflict tension and competition that existed between the United States and the Soviet Union (USSR and their respective allies from the The President of the United States is the Head of state and Head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in United States by This article refers to deterrent theories of punishment For the legal theory of justice see Deterrence (legal. This contrasted with the policy of détente which the West had pursued during the 1970s, and caused friction with allies who still adhered to the idea of détente. Détente is a French term meaning a relaxing or easing the term has been used in international politics since the early 1970s US forces were permitted by Mrs. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Thatcher to station nuclear cruise missiles at British bases, arousing mass protests by the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament. A cruise missile is a guided Missile that carries an explosive payload and uses a lifting wing and a propulsion system usually a Jet engine, to allow However, she later was the first Western leader to respond warmly to the rise of the future reformist Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, declaring that she liked him, and told Ronald Reagan, describing him as "a man we can do business with" after a meeting in 1984, three months before he came to power. Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev ( Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachyov;; born 2 March 1931 in Privolnoye Stavropol Krai) is a Russian politician This was a start of a move by the West back to a new détente with the USSR under Gorbachev's leadership, which coincided with the final erosion of Soviet power prior to its eventual collapse in 1991. Thatcher outlasted the Cold War, which ended in 1989, and those who share her views on it credit her with a part in the West's victory, by both the deterrence and détente postures.

Her liking for defence ties with the United States was demonstrated in the Westland affair when she acted with colleagues to allow the helicopter manufacturer Westland, a vital defence contractor, to refuse to link with the Italian firm Agusta in order for it to link with the management's preferred option, Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation of the United States. The Westland affair was a political scandal for the Conservative government of Margaret Thatcher in 1986 Westland Aircraft was a British Aircraft manufacturer located in Yeovil in Somerset. Augusta Agusta (now part of AgustaWestland) is an Italian Helicopter manufacturer Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation is an American Aircraft manufacturer Defence Secretary Michael Heseltine, who had pushed the Agusta deal, resigned in protest after this, and remained an influential critic and potential leadership challenger. The Secretary of State for Defence is the senior United Kingdom government minister in charge of the Ministry of Defence. Michael Ray Dibdin Heseltine, Baron Heseltine, CH, PC (born 21 March 1933 is a Welsh -born British businessman and Conservative He would eventually prove instrumental in Thatcher's fall in 1990.

According to Helmut Kohl, West Germany's ex-Chancellor, Margaret Thatcher was also a strong opponent of the German reunification that was developing at unexpected speed in 1989. German reunification (Deutsche Wiedervereinigung took place twice after 1945 first in 1957 the Saarland was permitted to join the Federal Republic of Germany However she failed to halt it. ^[46]

Hong Kong

In 1984, she visited China and signed the Sino-British Joint Declaration with Deng Xiaoping on 19 December, which committed the People's Republic of China to award Hong Kong the status of a Special Administrative Region. The Sino-British Joint Declaration, formally known as the Joint Declaration of the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of Deng Xiaoping ( 22 August 1904 19 February 1997) was a prominent Chinese Revolutionary, Politician, Pragmatist and Reformer Events 324 - Licinius abdicates his position as Roman Emperor. Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES Hong Kong ( officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, is a territory located on China 's south coast on the Pearl River Delta, and borders A Special Administrative Region ( SAR) is a high autonomous administrative division of the People's Republic of China. Under the terms of the One Country, Two Systems agreement, which Deng himself proposed, China agreed to leave Hong Kong's economic status unchanged after the handover on 1 July 1997 for a period of fifty years—until 2047. " One country two systems " is an idea originally proposed by Deng Xiaoping during the early 1980s then Paramount Leader of the People's Republic The transfer of sovereignty of Hong Kong from the United Kingdom to the People's Republic of China, often referred to as the Handover "July 1st" redirects here For the Ayumi Hamasaki song see H (song. Year 1997 ( MCMXCVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1997 Gregorian calendar Britain agreed to leave, unconditionally, in 1997. ^[47]

European Union

At Bruges, Belgium, in 1988, Thatcher made a speech in which she outlined her opposition to proposals from the European Community for a federal structure and increasing centralisation of decision-making. Bruges (Brugge is the capital and largest city of the province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium. The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in Although she had supported British membership, Thatcher believed that the role of the EC should be limited to ensuring free trade and effective competition, and feared that new EC regulations would reverse the changes she was making in the UK: "We have not successfully rolled back the frontiers of the state in Britain, only to see them re-imposed at a European level, with a European super-state exercising a new dominance from Brussels". The speech caused an outcry from other European leaders, and exposed for the first time the deep split that was emerging over European policy inside her Conservative Party.

Thatcher, the former chemist, became publicly concerned with environmental issues in the late 1980s. In 1988, she made a major speech^[48] communicating the problems of global warming, ozone depletion and acid rain. Global warming is the increase in the average measured temperature of the Ozone depletion describes two distinct but related observations a slow steady decline of about 4 percent per decade in the total amount of Ozone in Earth's Acid rain is Rain or any other form of precipitation that is unusually Acidic It has harmful effects on plants aquatic animals and infastructure Referring to her important role in the struggle against ozone depletion, Carl Sagan claimed that she demonstrated the importance in the modern world of leaders having an understanding of science. Carl Edward Sagan ( November 9 1934 &ndash December 20 1996) was an American Astronomer, astrochemist, author

Gulf War

One of Thatcher's acts in her last half year in office was to put pressure on US President George H. W. Bush to deploy troops to the Middle East to drive Saddam Hussein's (Iraqi) army out of Kuwait. Ba (officially The Bermuda Islands or The Somers Isles) is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Events 467 - Anthemius is elevated to Emperor of the Western Roman Empire. Year 1990 ( MCMXC) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar) George Herbert Walker Bush (born June 12 1924 served as the forty-first President of the United States from 1989 to 1993 The Middle East is a Subcontinent with no clear boundaries often used as a synonym to Near East, in opposition to Far East. Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti ( Arabic: ar صدام حسين عبد المجيد التكريتي --> April 28 1937 &ndash December 30 For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iraq topics. The State of Kuwait ( دولة الكويت IPA [dawlatt̪ alkuwajt̪]) is a sovereign Arab Emirate on the coast of the Persian Gulf, enclosed Bush was somewhat apprehensive about the plan, but Thatcher's memoirs summarise her advice to him during a telephone conversation with the words, "this was no time to go wobbly!"^[49] Thatcher's government provided military forces to the international coalition in the Gulf War to pursue the ouster of Iraq from Kuwait. ^[50]

Fall from power

See also: Conservative Party (UK) leadership election, 1990

Thatcher's political downfall was, according to witnesses such as Alan Clark, one of the most dramatic episodes in British political history. The 1990 Conservative Party leadership election in the United Kingdom took place in November 1990 following the decision of former Defence and Alan Kenneth Mackenzie Clark (13 April 1928 &ndash 5 September 1999 was a British Conservative Politician, Historian and Diarist By 1990, opposition to Thatcher's policies on local government taxation (the community charge, or poll tax),^[51] and the divisions opening in the Conservative Party over European integration made her seem increasingly politically vulnerable and her party increasingly divided. The Community Charge, popularly known as the " poll tax " was a system of taxation introduced in replacement of the rates to part fund Local government European integration is the process of political legal economic (and in some cases social and cultural integration of European states including some states that are partly in Europe Her distaste for consensus politics and willingness to override colleagues' opinions, including that of Cabinet, emboldened the backlash against her when it did occur. ^[52] The dislike for Thatcher that had previously come primarily from her political opponents was now being expressed by some members of her own party.

On 1 November 1990, Sir Geoffrey Howe, one of Thatcher's oldest and staunchest supporters, resigned from his position as Deputy Prime Minister in protest at Thatcher's European policy. Events 996 - Emperor Otto III issues a deed to Gottschalk Bishop of Freising which is the oldest known document using the name Ostarrîchi Year 1990 ( MCMXC) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar) Richard Edward Geoffrey Howe Baron Howe of Aberavon, CH, PC, QC (born 20 December 1926 known until 1992 as Sir Geoffrey Howe, is a British In his resignation speech in the House of Commons two weeks later, he suggested that the time had come for "others to consider their own response to the tragic conflict of loyalties" with which he stated that he had wrestled for perhaps too long. The House of Commons' is the Lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords Her former cabinet colleague Michael Heseltine subsequently challenged her for the leadership of the party, and attracted sufficient support in the first round of voting to prolong the contest to a second ballot. Michael Ray Dibdin Heseltine, Baron Heseltine, CH, PC (born 21 March 1933 is a Welsh -born British businessman and Conservative Though she initially stated that she intended to contest the second ballot, Thatcher decided, after consulting with her Cabinet colleagues, to withdraw from the contest. On 22 November, at just after 9. Events 498 - Kofi Aseidu- After the death of Anastasius II, Symmachus is elected Pope in the Lateran 30 a. m. , she announced to the Cabinet that she would not be a candidate in the second ballot. Shortly afterwards, her staff made public what was, in effect, her resignation statement:

“

Having consulted widely among my colleagues, I have concluded that the unity of the Party and the prospects of victory in a General Election would be better served if I stood down to enable Cabinet colleagues to enter the ballot for the leadership. I should like to thank all those in Cabinet and outside who have given me such dedicated support.

”

Neil Kinnock, Leader of the Opposition, proposed a motion of no confidence in the government, and Margaret Thatcher seized the opportunity this presented on the day of her resignation to deliver one of her most memorable performances:

“

. Neil Gordon Kinnock Baron Kinnock PC (born 28 March 1942 is a British Politician. . . a single currency is about the politics of Europe, it is about a federal Europe by the back door. So I shall consider the proposal of the Honourable Member for Bolsover (Mr. Skinner). Dennis Edward Skinner (born February 11, 1932, Clay Cross, Derbyshire) is a British Politician, who has been the Labour Now where were we? I am enjoying this.

”

She supported John Major as her successor and he duly won the leadership contest, although in the years to come her approval of Major would fall away. Sir John Major KG CH ACIB (born 29 March 1943 is a British Politician who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom After her resignation a MORI poll found that 52% agreed with the proposition that "On balance she had been good for the country", while 48% disagreed, thinking she had not. Ipsos MORI is the second largest survey research organisation in the UK formed by two of the UK's leading companies in October 2005 In Logic and Philosophy, proposition refers to either (a the content or Meaning of a meaningful Declarative sentence ^[53] In 1991, she was given a long and unprecedented standing ovation at the party's annual conference, although she politely rejected calls from delegates for her to make a speech. She did, however, occasionally speak in the House of Commons after she was Prime Minister. She retired from the House at the 1992 election, at the age of 66 years. Results |} The turnout was 33514074 from an Electorate of 43275316 voting in a total of 651 seats

Post 1992 career

Orders and honours

Since her resignation, Thatcher has remained active in the politics of the United Kingdom, as well as the world. She was raised to the House of Lords by the conferment of a life peerage as Baroness Thatcher, of Kesteven in the County of Lincolnshire in 1992; she did not take a hereditary title. In the United Kingdom, life peers are created members of the Peerage whose titles may not be inherited (those whose titles are inheritable are known as Hereditary The Parts of Kesteven are a traditional subdivision of Lincolnshire, England. ^[54][55] By virtue of the life barony, she entered the House of Lords. The House of Lords is the second house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom and is also commonly referred to as "the Lords" Thatcher had already been honoured by the Queen in 1990, shortly after her resignation as Prime Minister, when awarded the Order of Merit, one of the UK's highest distinctions. The Order of Merit is a British and Commonwealth Order bestowed by the Monarch. ^[56] At the same time it was announced that her husband, Denis Thatcher, would be given a baronetcy, which was confirmed in 1991^[56][57] (ensuring that their son Mark would inherit a title). A baronet (traditional abbreviation Bart, modern abbreviation Bt) or the rare female equivalent a baronetess (abbreviation Btss) is the holder Sir Mark Thatcher 2nd Baronet (born 15 August 1953 is the only son of Sir Denis Thatcher and Baroness Thatcher, the former British Prime Minister This was the first creation of a baronetcy since 1965. In 1995, Thatcher was raised to the Order of the Garter, the United Kingdom's highest order of Chivalry. The Most Noble Order of the Garter is an Order of chivalry, or Knighthood, originating in Medieval England, and presently bestowed on recipients Chivalric order Chivalry is a term related to the Medieval institution of Knighthood. ^[58]

Post-Prime Ministerial influence

Thatcher authored her memoirs in two volumes, The Path to Power and The Downing Street Years. for other uses see Memoir (disambiguation As a literary Genre, a memoir (from the French: mémoire In 1993 The Downing Street Years were turned into a documentary series by the BBC, in which she described the Cabinet rebellion that brought about her resignation as "treachery with a smile on its face".

Thatcher made a series of speeches in the Lords criticising the Maastricht Treaty, describing it as "a treaty too far" and stated "I could never have signed this treaty". The Maastricht Treaty (formally the Treaty on European Union, TEU) was signed on 7 February 1992 in Maastricht, the Netherlands after final ^[59] She cited A. V. Dicey, to the effect that, since all three main parties were in favour of revisiting the treaty, the people should have their say. Albert Venn Dicey (February 4 1835 &ndash April 7 1922 was a British Jurist and constitutional theorist who wrote An Introduction to the Study of ^[60]

On 6 August 1992 she called for NATO to stop the Serbian assault on Gorazde and Sarajevo in order to end ethnic cleansing and to preserve the Bosnian state. Events 1538 - Bogotá, Colombia, is founded by Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada. Year 1992 ( MCMXCII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar) The North Atlantic Treaty Goražde is a city and municipality in eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina on the Drina river TemplateInfobox City for more fields--> Sarajevo is the Capital city and largest urban center of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with Ethnic cleansing is a Euphemism referring to the persecution through imprisonment expulsion or killing of members of an ethnic minority by a majority to achieve ethnic homogeneity Bosnia and Herzegovina ( Latin script: Bosna i Hercegovina, Cyrillic script: Босна и Херцеговина is a country on the Balkan She described the situation in Bosnia as "reminiscent of the worst excesses of the Nazis,"^[61] warning that there could be a "holocaust" in Bosnia and described the conflict as a "killing field the like of which I thought we would never see in Europe again. Nazism, which was a short name for National Socialism (Nationalsozialismus refers primarily to the Ideology and practices of the National Socialist German "

From 1993 to 2000, she served as Chancellor of the College of William and Mary in Virginia, which, established by Royal Charter in 1693, is the sole royal foundation in the contiguous United States. Andrews Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. The 40th President of the United States, Ronald Wilson Reagan, died on June 5 2004 after suffering from Alzheimer's disease for nearly a decade The College of William and Mary (officially The College of William and Mary in Virginia, also known as William & Mary or W&M) is a Public university A Royal Charter is a Charter granted by the Sovereign on the advice of the Privy council to legitimize an incorporated body such as a city company She was also Chancellor of the University of Buckingham, the UK's only private university and retired from in 1998. The University of Buckingham is the only Private university in the United Kingdom.

Although she remained supportive in public, in private she made her displeasure with many of John Major's policies plain, and her views were conveyed to the press and widely reported. She was critical of the rise in public spending under Major, his tax increases, and his support of the European Union. The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in After Tony Blair's election as Labour Party leader in 1994, Thatcher gave an interview in May 1995 in which she praised Blair as "probably the most formidable Labour leader since Hugh Gaitskell. Anthony Charles Lynton "Tony" Blair (born 6 May 1953 is a British Politician who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to A leadership election was held on July 21, 1994 for the Labour Party in the United Kingdom, after the death of incumbent leader John Smith. Hugh Todd Naylor Gaitskell ( 9 April 1906 &ndash 18 January 1963) was a British politician leader of the Labour Party from 1955 I see a lot of socialism behind their front bench, but not in Mr Blair. Socialism refers to a broad set of economic theories of social organization advocating state or collective ownership and administration of the Means of production and distribution I think he genuinely has moved. "^[62]

In 1998, Thatcher made an unofficial visit to the former Chilean president Augusto Pinochet, while he was under house arrest in Surrey. Chile, officially the Republic of Chile ( Spanish:) is a country in South America occupying a long and narrow Coastal strip wedged between the Augusto José Ramón Pinochet Ugarte (November Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. Pinochet was fighting extradition for human rights abuses committed during his tenure. Human rights refers to the "basic Rights and freedoms to which all humans are entitled Thatcher expressed her support and friendship for Pinochet. ^[63] Pinochet had been a key ally of Britain during the Falklands War. The Falklands War (Guerra de las Malvinas/Guerra del Atlántico Sur also called the Falklands Conflict/Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the Also in 1998, she made a £2,000,000 donation to Cambridge University for the endowment of a Margaret Thatcher Chair in Entrepreneurial Studies. The University of Cambridge (often Cambridge University) located in Cambridge, England, is the second-oldest university in the She also donated the archive of her personal papers to Churchill College, Cambridge where the collection continues to be expanded. Churchill College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Cambridge and was founded in 1958 as the national and Commonwealth memorial to Winston

At Thatcher's first speech to a Conservative Party conference in nine years in 1999, she not only defended Pinochet's actions as Chilean president, but made some controversial remarks on a continental Europe. The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is a Political party in the United Kingdom. ^[64] Her comments aroused some criticism from Malcolm Rifkind, a former Foreign Secretary under John Major, who claimed that Lady Thatcher was giving "the impression that Britain and British opinion is somehow prejudiced and anti-European". Sir Malcolm Leslie Rifkind KCMG QC (born 21 June 1946 is a British Conservative Politician and Member of Parliament for The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, commonly referred to as the Foreign Secretary, is a member of the United Kingdom Government heading the Sir John Major KG CH ACIB (born 29 March 1943 is a British Politician who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom ^[65]

Margaret Thatcher actively supported the Conservative general election campaign in 2001. Results |} Total votes cast 26368204 All parties with more than 500 votes shown In the Conservative leadership election shortly after, Lady Thatcher came out in support of Iain Duncan Smith because she believed he would "make infinitely the better leader" than Kenneth Clarke due to Clarke's "old-fashioned views of the role of the state and his unbounded enthusiasm for European integration". The 2001 Conservative leadership election was held after the United Kingdom Conservative Party failed to make inroads into the Labour government's lead in the George Iain Duncan Smith, PC, MP, (born 9 April 1954 is a British politician ^[66]

In 2002, she published Statecraft: Strategies for a Changing World detailing her thoughts on international relations since her resignation in 1990. The chapters on the European Union were particularly controversial; she called for a fundamental renegotiation of Britain's membership to preserve the UK's sovereignty and, if that failed, for Britain to leave and join NAFTA. These chapters were serialised in The Times on Monday, 18 March and caused a political furore. Events 37 - The Roman Senate annuls Tiberius ' will and proclaims Caligula emperor

In December 2004, it was reported that Thatcher had told a private meeting of Conservative MPs that she was against the British Government's plan to introduce identity cards. Enabling legislation for the British national identity card was passed under the Identity Cards Act 2006 She is said to have remarked that ID cards were a "Germanic concept and completely alien to this country". ^[67]

Health concerns

Thatcher was advised by her doctors in 2002 to make no more public speeches on health grounds, having suffered several small strokes. ^[68] According to her former press spokesman Bernard Ingham, Thatcher has no short-term memory as a result of the strokes. ^[69] On 7 March 2008, Thatcher was admitted to St Thomas' Hospital, Central London for tests due to health concerns, after she felt ill whilst attending a House of Lords' dinner. Events 161 - Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius dies and is succeeded by co-Emperors Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common The House of Lords is the second house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom and is also commonly referred to as "the Lords" ^[70]

Recent activities

Lady Thatcher was widowed upon the death of Sir Denis Thatcher on 26 June 2003. The United States Secretary of Defense ( SECDEF) is the head of the U Donald Henry Rumsfeld (born July 9 1932 is a United States Businessman, Politician, the 13th Secretary of Defense under President The Joint Chiefs of Staff ( JCS) is a group comprising the Chiefs of service of each major branch of the Armed services in the United States armed forces Peter Pace (born November 5, 1945 in Brooklyn, New York) was the 16th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the WIDOW is a full-length Album recorded by British rock band Ritual released in 1983 Events 363 - Roman Emperor Julian is killed during the retreat from the Sassanid Empire. Year 2003 ( MMIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. A funeral service was held honouring him at the Royal Hospital in Chelsea on 3 July with Lady Thatcher present, as well as her children Mark and Carol. Events 324 - Battle of Adrianople Constantine I defeats Licinius, who flees to Byzantium. ^[71] Thatcher paid tribute to him by saying, "Being Prime Minister is a lonely job. In a sense, it ought to be—you cannot lead from a crowd. But with Denis there I was never alone. What a man. What a husband. What a friend". ^[72]

On 11 June 2004, Thatcher attended the funeral of, and delivered a tribute via videotape to, former United States President Ronald Reagan at his state funeral at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. In view of her failing mental faculties following several small strokes, the message had been pre-recorded several months earlier. Events 1184 BC - Trojan War: Troy is sacked and burned according to the calculations of Eratosthenes. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " The 40th President of the United States, Ronald Wilson Reagan, died on June 5 2004 after suffering from Alzheimer's disease for nearly a decade Washington DC ( formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D Thatcher then flew to California with the Reagan entourage, and attended the memorial service and interment ceremony for President Reagan at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Center for Public Affairs is the Presidential library of Ronald Wilson Reagan, the 40th President of the United States

Thatcher marked her 80th birthday with a party at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Hyde Park on 13 October 2005, where the guests included Queen Elizabeth II, The Duke of Edinburgh, and Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy. The Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group (MOHG is a hotel management company which is part of Jardine Matheson Holdings Limited and is formally known as Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park is one of the largest Parks in central London, England and one of the Royal Parks of London, famous for its Speakers' Corner Events 54 - Nero ascends to the Roman throne 409 - Vandals and Alans crossed the Pyrenees Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. For the ship see RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Context States headed by Elizabeth II There, Geoffrey Howe, now Lord Howe of Aberavon, commented on her political career: "Her real triumph was to have transformed not just one party but two, so that when Labour did eventually return, the great bulk of Thatcherism was accepted as irreversible. "

To commemorate the September 11th terror attacks on the United States, Thatcher attended the official Washington, D.C. memorial service marking the 5th anniversary. Washington DC ( formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D She attended as a guest of the US Vice President, Dick Cheney, and met with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice during her visit. Richard Bruce "Dick" Cheney (born January 30 1941 is the forty-sixth and current Vice President of the United States. Condoleezza Rice (born November 14 1954 is the 66th United States Thatcher was last in the United States for the funeral of former US Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger in April 2006. Caspar Willard "Cap" Weinberger ( August 18, 1917 &ndash March 28, 2006) was an American politician and Secretary ^[73]

On 12 November 2006, she appeared at the Remembrance Day parade at the Cenotaph in London, leaning heavily on the arm of former Prime Minister, John Major. Events 764 - Tibetan troops occupy Chang'an, the capital of the Chinese Tang Dynasty, for fifteen days Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Remembrance Day also known as Poppy Day, Armistice Day (the event it commemorates or Veterans Day is a day to commemorate the A cenotaph is a tomb or a Monument erected in honour of a person or group of persons whose remains are elsewhere Sir John Major KG CH ACIB (born 29 March 1943 is a British Politician who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom One week later, she released an effusive statement of condolence on the death of her friend and economic mentor, Milton Friedman, the man often described as the inspiration behind Thatcherism. Milton Friedman (July 31 1912 November 16 2006 was an American Nobel Laureate Economist and Public intellectual. Thatcherism is the system of political thought attributed to the governments of Margaret Thatcher, British Prime Minister from 1979 to 1990 On 10 December she announced she was "deeply saddened" by the death of the former Chilean dictator General Pinochet. Events 1041 - Empress Zoe of Byzantium elevates her adoptive son to the throne of the Eastern Roman Empire as Michael V Chile, officially the Republic of Chile ( Spanish:) is a country in South America occupying a long and narrow Coastal strip wedged between the A dictator is an Authoritarian ruler (eg Absolutist or autocratic) who assumes sole and absolute power without hereditary ascension such as an Absolute Augusto José Ramón Pinochet Ugarte (November ^[74]

A statue of Lady Thatcher was unveiled in the British Houses of Parliament on 21 February 2007. The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom and British overseas territories Events 362 - Athanasius returns to Alexandria. 1245 - Thomas, the first known Bishop of Finland Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Thatcher made a rare and brief speech in the members' lobby of the House of Commons. She gibed, "I might have preferred iron—but bronze will do. . . It won't rust. And, this time I hope, the head will stay on" (a previous statue in stone had been attacked and decapitated while on public exhibition). ^[75]

On 13 September 2007, Lady Thatcher was invited to 10 Downing Street to have tea with Prime Minister Gordon Brown and his wife, Sarah. Events 509 BC - The Temple of Jupiter on Rome 's Capitoline Hill is dedicated on the ides of September Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. WikipediaManual of Style (biographies#Academic titles --> James Gordon Brown (born 20 February 1951 is Sarah Brown (née Macaulay; born 31 October 1963 is the wife of Gordon Brown, the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. Gordon Brown referred to Lady Thatcher as a "conviction politician. " and said of himself, "I'm a conviction politician just like her. "^[76] However William Hague attacked this decision, saying to Gordon Brown:

“

You may fawn now at the feet of our greatest prime minister – but you are no Margaret Thatcher. William Jefferson Hague (born 26 March 1961 is a British Politician. Margaret Thatcher would never have devastated the pension funds of this nation, nor kicked its small businesses in the teeth. We, Gordon, backed her when she rescued our country in the face of every denunciation and insult from the likes of you. [77]

”

Brown's spokesman, however, denied these claims and insisted that the meeting was "not unusual", it was customary for Prime Ministers to invite their predecessors to tea and that Mr Brown would be "happy" to meet any former Prime Minister. ^[78]

On 30 January 2008, Lady Thatcher met the incumbent Tory Leader, David Cameron at an awards ceremony at London's Guildhall where she was presented with a 'Lifetime Achievement Award'. Events 1648 - Eighty Years' War: The Treaty of Münster is signed ending the conflict between the Netherlands and Spain 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is a Political party in the United Kingdom. David William Donald Cameron (born 9 October 1966 is a British Politician and the current leader of the Conservative Party and Leader of Her Majesty's ^[79]

Legacy

Thatcher is well remembered for her famed remark "There is no such thing as society"^[80] to the reporter Douglas Keay, for Woman's Own magazine, 23 September 1987:

I think we have gone through a period when too many children and people have been given to understand "I have a problem, it is the Government's job to cope with it!" or "I have a problem, I will go and get a grant to cope with it!" "I am homeless, the Government must house me!" and so they are casting their problems on society and who is society? There is no such thing! There are individual men and women and there are families and no government can do anything except through people and people look to themselves first. Events 1122 - Concordat of Worms. 1459 - Battle of Blore Heath, the first major battle of the English Year 1987 ( MCMLXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar) It is our duty to look after ourselves and then also to help look after our neighbour and life is a reciprocal business and people have got the entitlements too much in mind without the obligations. . . ^[81]

In 1996, the Scott Inquiry into the Arms-to-Iraq affair investigated the Thatcher government's record in dealing with Saddam Hussein. The Scott Report (the Report of the Inquiry into the Export of Defence Equipment and Dual-Use Goods to Iraq and Related Prosecutions) was a Judicial inquiry commissioned The Arms-to-Iraq affair concerned the uncovering of the government-endorsed sale of arms by British companies to Saddam Hussein 's Iraq. Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti ( Arabic: ar صدام حسين عبد المجيد التكريتي --> April 28 1937 &ndash December 30 It revealed how £1bn of Whitehall money was used in soft loan guarantees for British exporters to Iraq. A soft loan is a Loan with a below-market rate of interest This is also known as soft financing. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iraq topics. The judge found that during the Iran-Iraq war, officials destroyed documents relating to the export of Chieftain tank parts to Jordan which ended up in Iraq. The FV 4201 Chieftain was the Main battle tank of the United Kingdom during the 1960s and 1970s Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (الأردنّ al-Urdunn) is an Arab country in Southwest Asia spanning the southern Ministers clandestinely relaxed official guidelines to help private companies sell machine tools which were used in munitions factories. The British company Racal exported sophisticated Jaguar V radios to the former Iraqi dictator's army on credit. Racal Electronics plc was once the third-largest British electronics firm before being purchased by Thomson-CSF (now Thales Group) in 2000, as a way for Members of the Conservative cabinet refused to stop lending guaranteed funds to Saddam even after he executed a British journalist, Farzad Bazoft, Thatcher’s cabinet minuting that they did not want to damage British industry. Farzad Bazoft ( May 22, 1958 – March 15, 1990) was an Iranian born Journalist who settled in the United Kingdom

New Labour and Blairism have incorporated much of the economic, social and political tenets of "Thatcherism" in the same manner as, in a previous era, the Conservative Party from the 1950s until the days of Edward Heath accepted many of the basic assumptions of the welfare state instituted by Labour governments. The Labour Party is a Political party in the United Kingdom. Founded at the start of the 20th century it has been since the 1920s the principal party of the In United Kingdom politics, the term Blairite refers to a personal and/or political supporter of Tony Blair, Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 Sir Edward Richard George Heath, KG, MBE (9 July 1916 &ndash 17 July 2005 often known as Ted Heath, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom This article refers specifically to the Welfare state of the United Kingdom. The curtailing and large-scale dismantling of elements of the welfare state under Thatcher have largely remained. Among others, Thatcher's program of privatising state-owned enterprises has not been reversed. Privatization is the incidence or process of transferring ownership of business from the Public sector (government to the Private sector (business Nationalization, also spelled nationalisation, is the act of taking an industry or assets into the Public ownership of a national government Indeed, successive Tory and Labour governments have further curtailed the involvement of the state in the economy and have further dismantled public ownership.

Thatcher's impact on the trade union movement in Britain has been lasting, with the breaking of the miners' strike of 1984-1985 seen as a watershed moment, or even a breaking point, for a union movement which has been unable to regain the degree of political power it exercised up through the 1970s. A trade union or labour union is an organization of workers who have banded together to achieve common goals in key areas such as wages hours and working conditions forming The miners' strike of 1984 – 1985 was a major Industrial action affecting the British coal industry. Unionisation rates in Britain have permanently declined since the 1980s, and the legislative instruments introduced to curtail the impact of strikes have not been reversed. The Labour Party has worked to loosen its ties to the trade union movement. Although the power of trade unions is still significantly lower than it was before Thatcher came to power, the Employment Relations Act 2004 was introduced under the Blair government to make statutory recognition of trade unions accessible and to further protect workers taking industrial action.

Thatcher's legacy has continued to strongly influence the Conservative Party itself. Successive leaders, starting with John Major, and continuing in opposition with William Hague, Iain Duncan Smith and Michael Howard, have struggled with real or perceived factions in the Parliamentary and national party to determine what parts of her heritage should be retained or jettisoned. Sir John Major KG CH ACIB (born 29 March 1943 is a British Politician who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom William Jefferson Hague (born 26 March 1961 is a British Politician. George Iain Duncan Smith, PC, MP, (born 9 April 1954 is a British politician Michael Howard QC (born 7 July 1941 is a British Politician, a Conservative MP since the 1983 General Election for the constituency of

Thatcher is credited by Ronald Reagan with persuading him that Mikhail Gorbachev was sincere in his desire to reform and liberalise the Soviet Union. The resulting thaw in East-West relations helped to end the Cold War. Cold War is the state of conflict tension and competition that existed between the United States and the Soviet Union (USSR and their respective allies from the In recognition of this, Lady Thatcher was awarded the 1998 Ronald Reagan Freedom Award by Mrs. Nancy Reagan. The Ronald Reagan Freedom Award is the highest civilian honor bestowed by the private Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation. Nancy Davis Reagan (born Anne Frances Robbins on July 6 1921 is the widow of former United States President Ronald Reagan and served as an influential President Ronald Reagan, who was not able to attend the ceremony, was a longtime friend of Lady Thatcher. ^[82]

In a list compiled by New Statesman in 2006, she was voted fifth in the list of "Heroes of our time". The New Statesman is a British Left-wing political Magazine published weekly in London. ^[83] She was also named a "Hero of Freedom" by the libertarian magazine Reason. Reason is a libertarian monthly magazine from the Reason Foundation. Libertarianism is a term used by a broad spectrum of political philosophies which prioritize individual Liberty and seek to minimize or even abolish the Reason is a libertarian monthly magazine from the Reason Foundation. ^[84]

In July 2002, theatre producer Paul Kelleher, 37, decapitated a £150,000, 8 ft (2. In July 2002 theatre producer Paul Kelleher, 37 decapitated a £150000 8ft marble sculpture of former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. 4 m) marble sculpture of Thatcher. Using a cricket bat hidden in his trousers, Kelleher took a swipe at the statue which was on display at the Guildhall Art Gallery, central London. The Guildhall Art Gallery houses the art collection of the City of London, England. When he failed to knock off the head, he grabbed a metal pole to complete the act. Kelleher was found guilty of criminal damage at Southwark Crown Court and was jailed for three months. [1] [2]

In September 2006, Thatcher was named an honorary patron of the Heritage Foundation, an influential Washington, D.C.-based public policy research institute, in recognition of her "singular contributions as a leader of the free world and to the improvement of the life of her nation and people. The Heritage Foundation is an American conservative Think tank. Washington DC ( formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D " ^[85]

In February 2007, she became the first Prime Minister of the United Kingdom to be honoured with a statue in the House of Commons while still alive. The statue is made of bronze and stands opposite her political hero and predecessor, Winston Churchill. Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, KG, OM, CH, TD, FRS, PC, PC (Can ( 30 November 1874 ^[86] The statue, by sculptor Antony Dufort, shows her as if she were addressing the House of Commons, with her right arm outstretched. ^[87] Thatcher said she was thrilled with it. ^[88]

In March, 2007, Variety reported that the makers of the Oscar-winning drama The Queen were planning a film on Thatcher's days leading up to the Falklands War. Variety is a weekly entertainment trade newspaper founded in New York in 1905 by Sime Silverman The Queen Drama film directed by Stephen Frears, Peter Morgan and starring Dame Helen Mirren in the title role Queen The Falklands War (Guerra de las Malvinas/Guerra del Atlántico Sur also called the Falklands Conflict/Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the As of late summer 2007, no stars have been attached to the project, which is still in planning stages. [3]

In August 2007, the BBC announced plans for The Long Walk to Finchley, covering Thatcher’s life from her early twenties to mid-thirties. Margaret Thatcher - The Long Walk to Finchley, subtitled in the initial credits How Margaret might have done it, is a 2008 BBC Four television drama based on the young

In October 2007, Maggie's End, a satirical play set in the immediate aftermath of her death, and written by Ed Waugh and Trevor Wood, examined the contrasting emotions generated by the Thatcher legacy. Seen from the point of view of one family, the play sees jubilant street parties celebrating her death, contrasted with plans by New Labour (confirmed by a real-life BBC report of leaked plans [4]) to afford her a State Funeral. Anarchist group Class War have planned a real-life street party in London's Trafalgar Square, to be held on the Saturday immediately following her death. Class War was a UK Class struggle based group and Newspaper originally set up by Ian Bone and others in 1983 Trafalgar Square is a square in central London, England. With its position in the heart of London it is a tourist attraction its trademark is Nelson's [5] [6] [7] [8] She also appeared as a major character in The Falklands Play. The Falklands Play is a dramatic account of the political events leading up to and including the 1982 Falklands War.

In April 2008 plans were announced for another film, Thatcher, focusing on her final year in power. Filming is scheduled to begin in summer 2008, with Lindsay Duncan starring in the title role. Lindsay Vere Duncan (born 7 November 1950) is a Scottish Tony Award -winning actress. ^[89][90]

Thatcher was the subject or the inspiration for a number of protest songs. In 1982, The Jam released "Town Called Malice", containing the lyrics, "It's enough to make you stop believing when tears come fast and furious in a Town Called Malice" - the song reached Number One in February 1982. The Jam were an English Mod revival band active during the late 1970s and early 1980s The song, according to the BBC, was "an elegy to humdrum everyday existence and broken dreams which barely disguised Paul Weller's fury about the state of Britain". [9] Other songs included "Stand Down Margaret" by The Beat (1980); "Waiting For The Great Leap Forwards" on the album "Workers Playtime" by Billy Bragg (1988); "Two Million Voices" by Angelic Upstarts (1981) - a reference to the numbers of unemployed people in Britain (a similar theme was the subject of "One in Ten" by UB40 (1981)); "Goose Green (Taking Tea With Pinochet)" by Christy Moore; "Margaret On The Guillotine" from the album "Viva Hate" by Morrissey and "Get Your Filthy Hands Off My Desert" on the album "Final Cut" by Pink Floyd. The Beat (known in North America as The English Beat) are a 2 Tone Ska revival band founded in England in 1978 Stephen William Bragg (born December 20, 1957 in Essex, England) better known as Billy Bragg, is an English musician who The Angelic Upstarts are an anti-fascist, socialist Working class Oi! punk and Skinhead band formed in South Shields UB40 are a British Reggae band formed in 1978 in Birmingham. Featuring the same line-up of 8 musicians from 1978-2008 the band placed more than 50 Christopher Andrew 'Christy' Moore (born 7 May 1945 in Newbridge County Kildare, Ireland is a popular Irish Folk singer, songwriter and Guitarist. Steven Patrick Morrissey (ˈmɒɹɪsiː born May 22, 1959) known primarily as Morrissey, is a British Singer and Lyricist Pink Floyd are

"Tramp the Dirt Down" recorded by Elvis Costello, contains the lyrics

Well I hope I don’t die too soon

I pray the lord my soul to save

Oh I’ll be a good boy, I’m trying so hard to behave

Because there’s one thing I know, I’d like to live

Long enough to savour

That’s when they finally put you in the ground

I’ll stand on your grave and tramp the dirt down

Titles and honours

Styles from birth

Styles and titles Baroness Thatcher has held from birth, in chronological order:

• Miss Margaret Roberts (13 October 1925 – 13 December 1951)
• Mrs Denis Thatcher (13 December 1951 – 8 October 1959)
• Mrs Denis Thatcher, MP (8 October 1959 – 22 June 1970)
• The Rt Hon. A style of office, or honorific, is a term which by Tradition or Law precedes a reference to a person who holds a post or Title, or to the Events 54 - Nero ascends to the Roman throne 409 - Vandals and Alans crossed the Pyrenees Year 1925 ( MCMXXV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1294 - Saint Celestine V abdicates the papacy after only five months Celestine hoped to return to his previous life Year 1951 ( MCMLI) was a Common year starting on Monday. Events of 1951 January Events 1294 - Saint Celestine V abdicates the papacy after only five months Celestine hoped to return to his previous life Year 1951 ( MCMLI) was a Common year starting on Monday. Events of 1951 January Events 314 - Roman Emperor Licinius is defeated by his colleague Constantine I at the Battle of Cibalae, and loses The year 1959 ( MCMLIX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 314 - Roman Emperor Licinius is defeated by his colleague Constantine I at the Battle of Cibalae, and loses The year 1959 ( MCMLIX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 217 BC - Battle of Raphia: Ptolemy IV of Egypt defeats Antiochus III the Great of the Seleucid kingdom. Year 1970 ( MCMLXX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link shows full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Margaret Thatcher, MP (22 June 1970 – 7 December 1990)
• The Rt Hon. Events 217 BC - Battle of Raphia: Ptolemy IV of Egypt defeats Antiochus III the Great of the Seleucid kingdom. Year 1970 ( MCMLXX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link shows full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 43 BC - Marcus Tullius Cicero assassinated 1696 - Connecticut Route 108, one of the oldest highways Year 1990 ( MCMXC) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar) Margaret Thatcher, OM, MP (7 December 1990 – 4 February 1991)
• The Rt Hon. Events 43 BC - Marcus Tullius Cicero assassinated 1696 - Connecticut Route 108, one of the oldest highways Year 1990 ( MCMXC) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar) Events 211 - Roman Emperor Septimius Severus dies leaving the Roman Empire in the hands of his two quarrelsome sons Year 1991 ( MCMXCI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar. Lady Thatcher, OM, MP (4 February 1991 – 16 March 1992)
• The Rt Hon. Events 211 - Roman Emperor Septimius Severus dies leaving the Roman Empire in the hands of his two quarrelsome sons Year 1991 ( MCMXCI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar. Events 597 BC - Babylonians capture Jerusalem, replace Jehoiachin with Zedekiah as king Year 1992 ( MCMXCII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar) Lady Thatcher, OM (16 March 1992 – 26 June 1992)
• The Rt Hon. Events 597 BC - Babylonians capture Jerusalem, replace Jehoiachin with Zedekiah as king Year 1992 ( MCMXCII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar) Events 363 - Roman Emperor Julian is killed during the retreat from the Sassanid Empire. Year 1992 ( MCMXCII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar) The Baroness Thatcher, OM, PC (26 June 1992 – 22 April 1995)
• The Rt Hon. Events 363 - Roman Emperor Julian is killed during the retreat from the Sassanid Empire. Year 1992 ( MCMXCII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar) Events 1500 - Portuguese Navigator Pedro Álvares Cabral becomes the first European to sight Brazil. Year 1995 ( MCMXCV) was a Common year starting on Sunday. Events of 1995 The Baroness Thatcher, LG, OM, PC (since 22 April 1995)

Honours

• Lady of the Most Noble Order of the Garter (LG)
• Member of the Order of Merit (OM)
• Member of Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council (PC)
• Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS)
• Honorary member of the gentlemen's club the Carlton Club, and the first woman entitled to full membership rights. Events 1500 - Portuguese Navigator Pedro Álvares Cabral becomes the first European to sight Brazil. Year 1995 ( MCMXCV) was a Common year starting on Sunday. Events of 1995 The Most Noble Order of the Garter is an Order of chivalry, or Knighthood, originating in Medieval England, and presently bestowed on recipients The Order of Merit is a British and Commonwealth Order bestowed by the Monarch. Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council is a body of advisors to the British Sovereign. The Royal Society of London for the Improvement of Natural Knowledge, known simply as The Royal Society, is a Learned society for science that was founded in 1660 A gentlemen's club is a members-only private Club of a type originally set up by and for English Upper class men The Carlton Club is a gentlemen's club in London. It was founded in 1832 by Tory Peers, MPs and Gentlemen, as a place

Foreign honours

• Presidential Medal of Freedom
• Republican Senatorial Medal of Freedom
• Patron of the Heritage Foundation
• Ronald Reagan Freedom Award
• In December 1999 Thatcher was among 18 included in Gallup's List of Widely Admired People of the 20th Century, from a poll conducted of the American people. The Presidential Medal of Freedom is a decoration bestowed by the President of the United States and is along with the equivalent Congressional Gold Medal bestowed The United States Republican Senatorial Medal of Freedom, is the highest and most prestigious award that Republican U The Heritage Foundation is an American conservative Think tank. The Ronald Reagan Freedom Award is the highest civilian honor bestowed by the private Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation. Gallup's List of Widely Admired People, a poll of United States citizens to volunteer the names of the individuals whom they most admire is a list compiled annually by The Gallup

Chancellorships

• Buckingham University (1992–1998)
• College of William & Mary, Virginia, USA (1993–2000)

Commemorations

• Falkland Islands
  • Margaret Thatcher Day (public holiday), 10 January
  • Thatcher Drive, Stanley
• South Georgia
  • Thatcher Peninsula

See also

• Thatcherism
• Euroscepticism
• Thatcher effect
• Thatcher Ministry
• Sermon on the Mound
• Opposition to trade unions

Footnotes

References

Books

• Statecraft: Strategies for Changing World by Margaret Thatcher (HarperCollins, 2002) ISBN 0-06-019973-3
• The Collected Speeches of Margaret Thatcher by Margaret Thatcher, Robin Harris (editor) (HarperCollins, 1997) ISBN 0-00-255703-7
• The Path to Power (Thatcher)|The Path to Power by Margaret Thatcher (HarperCollins, 1995) ISBN 0-00-255050-4
• The Downing Street Years by Margaret Thatcher (HarperCollins, 1993) ISBN 0-00-255354-6
• The Falklands and South Georgia Island by Tony Wheeler (Lonely Planet)

Biographies

Ministerial autobiographies

External links

• Margaret Thatcher Foundation
• The Papers of Margaret Thatcher, held at the Churchill Archives Centre in Cambridge. The Churchill Archives Centre (CAC is one of the largest repositories in the United Kingdom for the preservation and study of modern personal papers
• Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom—A public policy center dedicated to advancing the ideas of Margaret Thatcher
• More about Margaret Thatcher on the Downing Street website.
• Margaret Thatcher biography at Notable Names Database.
• List of books and articles about Margaret Thatcher on Royal Historical Society Bibliography.

Political offices
Preceded by Patricia Hornsby-Smith	Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Pensions 1961 – 1964 with Richard Sharples (1961–1962) Lynch Maydon (1962–1964)	Succeeded by Harold Davies Norman Pentland
Preceded by Edward Short	Secretary of State for Education and Science 1970 – 1974	Succeeded by Reginald Prentice
Preceded by Edward Heath	Leader of the Opposition 1975 – 1979	Succeeded by James Callaghan
Preceded by James Callaghan	Prime Minister of the United Kingdom 4 May 1979 – 28 November 1990	Succeeded by John Major
Preceded by Ronald Reagan United States	Chair of the G8 1984	Succeeded by Helmut Kohl Germany
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by John Crowder	Member of Parliament for Finchley 1959 – 1992	Succeeded by Hartley Booth
Party political offices
Preceded by Edward Heath	Leader of the British Conservative Party 1975 – 1990	Succeeded by John Major
Honorary titles
Preceded by Edward Heath	Oldest UK Prime Minister still living 17 July 2005 – present	Incumbent
Awards
Preceded by Bob Hope	Recipient of The Ronald Reagan Freedom Award 1998	Succeeded by Billy Graham

Persondata
NAME	Thatcher, Margaret Hilda
ALTERNATIVE NAMES
SHORT DESCRIPTION	Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
DATE OF BIRTH	13 October 1925
PLACE OF BIRTH	Grantham, England
DATE OF DEATH
PLACE OF DEATH

Margaret Patricia Hornsby-Smith Baroness Hornsby-Smith, DBE PC ( 17 March 1914 &ndash 3 July 1985) was a Conservative The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Pensions was a junior Ministerial office at Parliamentary Secretary rank in the United Kingdom Government supporting the Major Sir Richard Christopher Sharples KCMG OBE MC (1916&mdash March 10, 1973, St Lieutenant-Commander Stephen Lynch Conway Maydon, DSO and bar DSC, RN ( 15 December, 1913 &ndash 2 March, 1971 Harold Davies Baron Davies of Leek, PC ( 31 July 1904 &ndash 28 October 1985) was a British Labour Party politician Norman Pentland ( 9 September 1912 &ndash 28 October 1972) was a British Labour Member of Parliament for Edward Watson Short Baron Glenamara, CH, PC (born 17 December 1912) is a former Labour Member of Parliament The Secretary of State for Education and Skills was the chief minister of the Department for Education and Skills in the United Kingdom government Reginald Ernest Prentice Baron Prentice, PC ( 16 July 1923 &ndash 18 January 2001) was a politician in the United Kingdom Sir Edward Richard George Heath, KG, MBE (9 July 1916 &ndash 17 July 2005 often known as Ted Heath, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom The Leader of the Opposition (sometimes known as the Leader of the Opposition in the House of Commons) in the United Kingdom is the politician who leads Leonard James Callaghan Baron Callaghan of Cardiff, KG, PC (27 March 1912 – 26 March 2005 was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1976 to 1979 Leonard James Callaghan Baron Callaghan of Cardiff, KG, PC (27 March 1912 – 26 March 2005 was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1976 to 1979 The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the political leader of the United Kingdom Sir John Major KG CH ACIB (born 29 March 1943 is a British Politician who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Helmut Josef Michael Kohl (born 3 April 1930 is a German conservative politician and statesman Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom and British overseas territories Sir John Frederick Ellenborough Crowder ( 10 November 1890 &mdash 9 July 1961) was the Conservative Member of Parliament A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters to a Parliament. Finchley was a Constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Background Following the Suez Crisis in 1956 Anthony Eden the Conservative Prime Minister became unpopular and resigned the following year Results |} The turnout was 33514074 from an Electorate of 43275316 voting in a total of 651 seats Vernon Edward Hartley Booth, known as Hartley Booth (born July 17, 1946) is a British politician Sir Edward Richard George Heath, KG, MBE (9 July 1916 &ndash 17 July 2005 often known as Ted Heath, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is a Political party in the United Kingdom. Sir John Major KG CH ACIB (born 29 March 1943 is a British Politician who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Sir Edward Richard George Heath, KG, MBE (9 July 1916 &ndash 17 July 2005 often known as Ted Heath, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the political leader of the United Kingdom Bob Hope, KBE KCSG ( May 29, 1903 &ndash July 27, 2003) was an American comedian and actor who appeared in The Ronald Reagan Freedom Award is the highest civilian honor bestowed by the private Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation. William Franklin Graham Jr KBE (born November 7 1918 better known as Billy Graham, is an evangelist and an Evangelical Christian Events 54 - Nero ascends to the Roman throne 409 - Vandals and Alans crossed the Pyrenees Year 1925 ( MCMXXV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Grantham is a Market town within the South Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England.

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