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Affiliation | Conservative |
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2004-01-01 |
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Name | Margaret Thatcher |
Previous Name | 10/13/1925 - 12/01/1951 Margaret Roberts
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Address | Belgravia London, XX , England |
Email | None |
Website | [Link] |
Born |
October 13, 1925
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Died | April 08, 2013
(87 years)
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Contributor | User 13 |
Last Modifed | Rob Ritchie Jan 28, 2018 12:26am |
Tags |
Widowed -
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Info | Margaret Thatcher was the longest serving Prime Minister for more than 150 years and was the first woman to serve as Prime Minister.
Thatcher always claimed that her father, who ran a chain of Groceries and who dabbled in local politics (becoming an Alderman for a few years, until the Labour majority on the town council sacked him , was a major formative influence. Thatcher was educated at the local grammar school and at Oxford where she studied chemistry. She also became president of the university Conservative association.
Mrs Thatcher later read for the Bar, before being elected in 1959 as the Conservative MP for Finchley (a suburban constituency in North London). She held junior posts before becoming shadow spokesperson for Education, and entered the Cabinet as Education Secretary in 1970. In Opposition she stood against Edward Heath for the party leadership in 1975. Her victory was considered a surprise by many.
In 1979, the Conservative Party won the General Election in part thanks to a wave of public sector strikes and Margaret Thatcher succeeded James Callaghan as Prime Minister. Thatcher's first two years in office were not easy. Due to here own economic policies, unemployment soared, but the economy in the South East boomed. She brought more of her supporters into the Cabinet, and bolstered her reputation by leading the country to war against Argentina in the Falkland Islands. Shortly after this the Conservatives won the 1983 election by a landslide, aided by a fragmented opposition.
Margaret Thatcher's government followed a radical programme of privatisation and deregulation, reform of the Trade Unions, tax cuts and the introduction of market mechanisms into health and education. The aim was to reduce the role of government and increase individual self-reliance. She also became a familiar figure internationally, striking up a famous friendship with US President Reagan and gaining the praise of Soviet leader Gorbachev.
One great difficulty during her time in office was the issue of Europe. Her long-serving Foreign Secretary, Sir Geoffrey Howe resigned in November 1990 in protest at Thatcher's attitude to Europe. His resignation speech set in train events which were to lead to Thatcher's downfall later that month.
Michael Heseltine challenged Thatcher for the leadership, and while he failed to win, he gained 152 votes - enough to make it evident that a crucial minority favoured a change. Thatcher was eventually persuaded not to go forward to the second ballot, which was won by her Chancellor of the Exchequer, John Major.
At the time of her forced resignation, she was the most unpopular Prime Minister since the introduction of Opinion Polls.
She left the House of Commons in 1992, and now sits in the Lords as Baroness Thatcher.
Margaret Thatcher's writings include two volumes of memoirs: "The Downing Street Years" (1993) and "The Path to Power" (1995).
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Date |
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Headline |
Article |
Contributor |
Apr 17, 2013 05:00pm |
News |
Amanda Thatcher emerges centre-stage at Lady Thatcher's funeral
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Article |
particleman |
Apr 17, 2013 10:00am |
Commentary |
Margaret Thatcher's funeral was deeply political
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Article |
New Jerusalem |
Apr 17, 2013 09:55am |
News |
Margaret Thatcher Funeral: Easington Colliery Club Holds A Party
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Article |
New Jerusalem |
Apr 17, 2013 09:00am |
News |
Mining village celebrates Margaret Thatcher's funeral
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Article |
New Jerusalem |
Apr 16, 2013 03:00pm |
News |
Senate at war over Thatcher resolution
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Article |
John |
Apr 09, 2013 05:00pm |
News |
'Ding Dong! The Witch Is Dead' could reach number one following Margaret Thatcher's death
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Article |
Penguin |
Apr 08, 2013 07:55pm |
News |
Margaret Thatcher and misapplied death etiquette
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Article |
Penguin |
Apr 08, 2013 02:30pm |
News |
Margaret Thatcher's death greeted with street parties in Brixton and Glasgow
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Article |
Homegrown Democrat |
Apr 08, 2013 09:00am |
News |
Privatising Margaret Thatcher's funeral would be a fitting tribute to her legacy
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Article |
Karma Policeman |
Jun 07, 2011 11:00am |
News |
Margaret Thatcher to Sarah Palin: don't bother dropping by
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Article |
TX DEM |
Nov 11, 2009 10:00pm |
General |
Cat's demise prompts rumours of [Margaret] Thatcher death
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Article |
Monsieur |
Sep 10, 2009 10:00pm |
Statement |
Thatcher told Gorbachev Britain did not want German reunification
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Article |
RP |
Aug 25, 2008 02:00pm |
News |
Margaret Thatcher Suffering From Dementia, Family Says
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Article |
COSDem |
May 16, 2008 09:00pm |
Analysis |
Baroness Thatcher tried to seduce Sir Edward Heath, claims new BBC drama
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Article |
Ralphie |
Jun 25, 2007 08:35pm |
Blog Entry |
Thatcher the gay icon
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Article |
Ralphie |
Mar 18, 2007 09:00pm |
Video |
HC S: [Confidence in Her Majesty’s Government] [film]
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Article |
Karma Policeman |
Nov 22, 2005 12:00am |
Analysis |
The Thatcher years in statistics
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Article |
Karma Policeman |
Oct 14, 2005 03:00pm |
Interview |
Thatcher reveals her doubts over basis for Iraq war
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Article |
RP |
Oct 03, 2005 12:10am |
Investigation |
Thatcher quizzed on Tom DeLay links
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Article |
RP |
Aug 26, 2004 12:00am |
News |
Coup Plot: [Margaret] Thatcher's Son Charged
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Article |
RP |
Jun 22, 1997 01:00pm |
Scandal |
Thatcher's dad: mayor, preacher, groper
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Article |
Karma Policeman |
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