Margaret Thatcher - The Chaucer School Canterbury

MARGARET
THATCHER
Who was
she?
Margaret Hilda
Thatcher, Baroness
Thatcher, LG, OM, PC,
FRS was a British
politician who was
Prime Minister of the
United Kingdom from
1979 to 1990 and the
Leader of the
Conservative Party from
1975 to 1990.
MAGGIE
She was a bit
like Marmite
– you either
loved her or
hated her…..
Thatcher was born
Margaret Hilda Roberts in
Grantham, Lincolnshire,
on 13 October 1925. Her
father was Alfred Roberts,
originally from
Northamptonshire, and
her mother was Beatrice
Ethel from Lincolnshire.
She spent her childhood
in Grantham, where her
father owned two grocery
shops.
She and her older sister Muriel were raised in
the flat above the larger of the shops, located
near the railway line. Her father was active in
local politics and the Methodist church, serving
as an alderman and a local preacher and
brought up
his daughter as a
strict Methodist
Her school reports
showed ‘hard work
and continual
improvement’
She was head girl in 1942–43. In her
upper sixth year she applied for a scholarship to study
chemistry at Oxford, but she was initially rejected and
was offered a place only after another candidate
withdrew. She graduated in 1947 with Second-Class
Honours in the four-year Chemistry Bachelor of Science
degree
In the 1950 and 1951 general elections she
was the Conservative candidate for the safe
Labour seat of Dartford. Though unsuccessful
in the elections themselves, she did attract
media attention as the youngest and the only
female candidate.
Margaret roberts married divorced businessman,
denis thatcher, in 1951, who also funded her law
studies. She qualified as a barrister in 1953, and
specialized in taxation. That same year her twins,
carol and mark, were born. Denis remained in the
background throughout her career.
Margaret thatcher was elected as conservative
member of parliament for finchley in 1959. She was
named education secretary in 1970 by then prime
minister Edward Heath, whom she defeated as leader
of the party five years later. In 1979 she became the
first female prime minister.
WHEN SHE ENTERED OFFICE IN 1979, SHE
PROMISED THAT THE CONSERVATIVES WOULD
CUT INCOME TAX, REDUCE PUBLIC EXPENDITURE,
MAKE IT EASIER FOR PEOPLE TO BUY THEIR OWN
HOMES AND CURB THE POWER OF THE UNIONS.
SHE CULTIVATED THE IMAGE OF THE "IRON LADY."
SHE ENHANCED HER TOUGH REPUTATION WITH A
DECISIVE RESPONSE TO THE ARGENTINE INVASION
OF THE FALKLAND ISLANDS IN 1982. SHE SENT A
NAVAL TASK FORCE AND THE ISLANDS WERE RETAKEN WHEN THE ARGENTINE FORCES
SURRENDERED. VICTORY IN THE FALKLANDS
ENSURED A CONSERVATIVE LANDSLIDE IN THE 1983
ELECTION.
THATCHER FORMED A SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP
WITH US PRESIDENT RONALD REAGAN. ON HIS
DEATH SHE DESCRIBED REAGAN AS A GREAT
AMERICAN WHO "WON THE COLD WAR."
IN 1984, THE NATIONAL UNION OF
MINERS WENT ON STRIKE OVER PIT
CLOSURES. MARGARET THATCHER TOOK
ON THE MINERS BY STOCKPILING COAL
AT POWER STATIONS AND USING THE
POLICE TO BREAK PICKET LINES.
Only three deep coal pits now remain in the UK.
170 were in operation in 1984 employing 190,000
people.
An IRA bomb
exploded in the
Conservative Party
conference hotel in
Brighton in southern
England in October
1984, where Thatcher
was staying. Five
people died and many
others were seriously
injured, but Thatcher
survived.
IN THE SPRING OF 1990 MARGARET THATCHER
INTRODUCED THE COMMUNITY CHARGE,
COMMONLY KNOWN AS THE POLL TAX. LOCAL
COUNCIL RATES WERE REPLACED WITH A FLAT
RATE PAID BY EVERY RESIDENT REGARDLESS OF
INCOME. THIS WAS A HUGE POLITICAL MISTAKE,
LEADING TO RIOTS AND MARCHES ACROSS THE UK.
DESPITE WINNING A THIRD ELECTION VICTORY IN 1987,
MARGARET THATCHER RESIGNED IN 1990 AFTER FACING
A LEADERSHIP CHALLENGE. JOHN MAJOR WAS ELECTED
HER SUCCESSOR AND MARGARET THATCHER RETURNED
TO THE BACK BENCHES, FINALLY STANDING DOWN AS A
MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT IN 1992 WHEN THE
CONSERVATIVES, AGAINST ALL PREDICTIONS, WERE
AGAIN RETURNED TO POWER
SHE RECEIVED THE ORDER OF THE GARTER IN 1995 AND
BECAME BARONESS THATCHER. AFTER A SERIES OF
MINOR STROKES, HER DOCTORS ADVISED HER AGAINST
MAKING PUBLIC SPEAKING APPEARANCES AND SHE
APPEARED INCREASINGLY FRAIL.
Lady Thatcher will receive a Ceremonial funeral
with military honours. The service will be held on
Wednesday 17 April at St Paul's Cathedral.
Lady Thatcher’s family have asked that, if people
wish to pay their respects, they consider making
a donation to the Royal Hospital Chelsea, rather
than laying flowers.