'I don't think there will be a woman Prime Minister in my lifetime' M. Thatcher as education secretary in 1973.
Dear students & members of this blog,
A piece of shocking, though not unexpected, news, has hit Britain today. One of its most controversial, yet indispensable political figures of the last century, former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, died earlier today of a stroke. She was in office from 1979 to 1990, being the first woman to lead the Conservative Party and to serve as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and the one who has stayed in office the longest (three consecutive terms).
Right before she entered no. 10 Downing Street for the first time ever, in 1979, she pronounced these famous words, paraphrasing St. Francis of Assisi:
"Where there is discord, may we bring harmony. 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."
But the fact remains that the country was never more divided than when she was in office. Still today, Britons don't agree as to what her legacy is, and if her work had a positive or a negative impact on the nation. Whatever the case, and regardless of opinions and political affinities, she was certainly a key figure in the British history of the 20th century. The older generations must know who she was and what she was like and what she meant for Britain. The younger generations might never have heard of her. So here you have some information on her life and her political history, so that you can have your own opinion on her impact and her relevance.
Right before she entered no. 10 Downing Street for the first time ever, in 1979, she pronounced these famous words, paraphrasing St. Francis of Assisi:
"Where there is discord, may we bring harmony. 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."
But the fact remains that the country was never more divided than when she was in office. Still today, Britons don't agree as to what her legacy is, and if her work had a positive or a negative impact on the nation. Whatever the case, and regardless of opinions and political affinities, she was certainly a key figure in the British history of the 20th century. The older generations must know who she was and what she was like and what she meant for Britain. The younger generations might never have heard of her. So here you have some information on her life and her political history, so that you can have your own opinion on her impact and her relevance.
Obituary: Baroness Thatcher
Here you have the highlights of MrsThatcher's life:
LIFE OF MARGARET THATCHER
- 13 October 1925 - Born Margaret Hilda Roberts in Grantham, Lincolnshire
- 1951 - Married businessman Denis Thatcher
- 1959 - Becomes MP for Finchley
- 1970 - Made minister for education
- 1975 - Elected Conservative leader
- 1979 - Becomes UK's first female prime minister
- 1982 - Falklands War
- 1983 - Elected prime minister for second time
- 1984 - Survives Grand Hotel bombing
- 1984-5 - Takes on unions in Miners' Strike
- 1987 - Wins third term in Downing Street
- 1990 - Resigns as prime minister
- 1992 - Stands down as MP and accepts peerage
- 2002 - Retires from public speaking
- 8 April 2013 - Dies after suffering a stroke
As it was pointed out before, there have been countless reactions to Baroness Thatcher's death, from those which stated that 'she ruined the country' to those that thought of her as a 'pioneering figure for women everywhere'.
Mixed reaction to former PM's death
As for her funeral, Baroness Thatcher is to have a ceremonial funeral - a step short of a state funeral - with military honours to be held at St Paul's Cathedral in London. The funeral parade will begin at Chapel of St Mary Undercroft at the Palace of Westminster. A hearse will take the body to the RAF Chapel at the church of St Clement Danes on the Strand. Baroness Thatcher's coffin will be transferred to a gun carriage and drawn by the Kings Troop Royal Artillery to St Paul's Cathedral. The route (see picture below) is to be lined by all three armed forces.
For more info, click on bbc.co.uk
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