née roberts october april british politician prime minister united_kingdom leader longest serving british prime minister 20th century woman held office soviet journalist dubbed iron lady nickname associated politics leadership style prime minister implemented policies come known originally research chemist elected member parliament appointed secretary state education science government defeated heath conservative party leadership election leader opposition woman lead major political party united_kingdom prime minister winning general election moving introduced series political economic initiatives intended reverse high unemployment britain struggles wake winter discontent ongoing recession political philosophy economic policies emphasised particularly financial sector flexible labour markets state owned companies reducing power influence trade unions popularity years office waned amid recession high unemployment victory war recovering economy brought resurgence support resulting election elected term period support community charge referred poll tax widely unpopular views shared cabinet resigned prime minister party leader november launched challenge leadership retiring given life county lincolnshire entitled sit house_of_lords series small strokes advised withdraw public speaking despite managed eulogy ronald_reagan prior death broadcast funeral died stroke london age early life education born october lincolnshire father originally mother née lincolnshire spent childhood father owned grocery shops older sister raised flat larger father active local politics methodist church serving local preacher brought daughter strict methodist attending came liberal family stood customary local government independent mayor lost position labour_party won majority attended won scholarship girls school school reports showed hard work continual improvement activities included piano field hockey poetry swimming walking head girl upper sixth year applied scholarship study chemistry oxford initially rejected offered place candidate withdrew roberts arrived oxford graduated second class honours year degree ray supervision structure working chemistry thinking law politics reportedly proud prime minister science degree female prime minister roberts president influenced university political works road condemned economic intervention government precursor authoritarian state graduating roberts moved essex work research chemist applied job rejected personnel department assessed dangerously self roberts joined local attended party conference representative oxford friends friend chair kent looking candidates officials association impressed asked apply approved list selected january aged added approved list post dinner following formal adoption conservative candidate february met successful wealthy divorced businessman drove essex train preparation election roberts moved supported working research chemist team developing ice cream early political career general elections roberts conservative candidate safe labour seat local party selected candidate dynamic public speaker roberts prepared fearless answers prospective candidate recalled opened mouth rest began look second rate attracted media attention youngest female candidate lost occasions reduced labour majority campaigns supported parents married december funded wife studies bar qualified specialised taxation later year twins carol mark born delivered section marriage led referred considered dated official sources selection minutes travel society publications queen election member parliament preferred member parliament defeated sought selection conservative party candidate election january chose stand candidate general election later years stating felt twins felt soon couldn began looking conservative safe seat selected candidate april narrowly beating elected seat hard campaign election fortunate result lottery propose new legislation maiden speech support private member bill admission meetings act requiring local authorities hold council meetings public went official position voting restoration judicial corporal punishment talent drive caused mentioned future prime minister early stating late woman prime minister lifetime male population october promoted bench parliamentary administration youngest woman history receive post mps elected promoted conservatives lost election position advocated party policy allowing tenants buy council houses moved shadow treasury team treasury opposed labour mandatory price income controls arguing produce effects contrary intended economy party leaders viewed potential shadow cabinet member proposed member conservatives defeat party leader chief whip chose shadow cabinet sole woman member criticised high tax policies steps socialism communism arguing lower taxes served incentive hard work conservative mps support bill male homosexuality voted favour bill abortion ban hare supported retention capital punishment voted divorce laws london chose international visitor leadership program called foreign leader program professional exchange programme gave opportunity spend weeks visiting cities political figures institutions cabinet shadow cabinet member embassy reportedly described possible future prime minister description helped meet prominent people busy focused economic issues including pike retirement heath appointed later year shadow cabinet fuel power spokesman shortly general election promoted shadow transport spokesman later education education secretary won general election subsequently appointed cabinet secretary state education science months office attracted public attention result administration attempts cut spending gave priority academic needs schools imposed public expenditure cuts state education system resulting abolition free milk aged seven held children suffer schools charged milk agreed provide younger children daily purposes cabinet papers later revealed opposed policy forced treasury decision provoked storm protest labour press leading moniker reportedly considered leaving politics aftermath later wrote autobiography learned valuable lesson experience incurred maximum political minimum political benefit term office marked proposals local education authorities close grammar schools adopt comprehensive secondary education committed secondary modern grammar school system education determined preserve grammar schools tenure education secretary turned proposals schools proportion pupils attending comprehensive schools consequently rose cent cent leader opposition heath government continued experience difficulties oil union demands wage increases lost february general election labour formed minority government went win narrow majority october general election heath leadership looked increasingly doubt initially obvious replacement eventually main challenger promising fresh start main support came time office gave reputation instead defeated heath ballot resigned leadership second ballot defeated preferred successor vote right left lines region experience education having effects support stronger mps right southern england attended public schools party leader february appointed deputy heath reconciled leadership began attend regularly think tank founded magnate disciple visiting reading publications early 1960s influenced ideas face ideological movement opposing welfare state economics believed weakening britain institute pamphlets proposed government lower taxes freedom business consumers television critic writing observer voting leadership compared voice cat sliding begun work presentation advice television producer chance met actor arranged lessons voice coach succeeded completely suppressing lincolnshire dialect stress notably house_of_commons april accused labour bench january speech scathing attack soviet_union russians bent world dominance rapidly acquiring means powerful imperial nation world seen men soviet worry flow public opinion guns butter guns response newspaper called iron lady adopted wanted prevent creation scottish assembly told conservative mps vote scotland december defeated new bills proposed supported legislation allow english vote referendum britain economy 1970s weak foreign minister warned fellow labour cabinet members possibility breakdown democracy telling young man economy began improve opinion polls showed labour lead general election expected later year labour win possibility prime minister surprised announcing september general election year wait going polls reacted branding labour government chickens leader joined criticising labour running scared labour government faced fresh public direction country damaging series strikes winter dubbed winter discontent conservatives attacked labour government unemployment record advertising slogan labour isn working general election called government lost motion confidence early conservatives won seat majority house_of_commons took charge united kingdom prime minister arriving said prayer instrument peace bring harmony error bring truth doubt bring faith despair bring hope relations queen prime minister met weekly queen elizabeth_ii discuss government business relationship came close scrutiny july sunday_times reported claims attributed queen advisers rift buckingham palace downing street wide range domestic international issues palace issued official denial heading speculation possible constitutional crisis retirement senior palace source dismissed nonsense idea got queen fallen policies later wrote found queen attitude work government absolutely correct stories clashes powerful women good economy taxation economic policy influenced thinking chancellor lowered direct taxes income increased indirect taxes increased interest rates slow growth money supply lower inflation introduced cash limits public spending reduced expenditure social services education housing cuts higher education spending resulted oxford educated post war prime minister awarded honorary doctorate university_of_oxford vote governing assembly student petition new centrally funded enjoy success schools set control expenditure opening closing schools centre left think tank described having extraordinary range powers conservatives cabinet called expressed doubt policies england riots resulted british media discussing need policy turn conference addressed issue directly speech written playwright included lines turn want lady turning job approval rating fell december lower recorded previous prime minister recession early 1980s deepened increased taxes despite concerns expressed statement signed leading issued end march began experience signs economic recovery inflation high unemployment million time 1930s overall economic growth stronger inflation mortgage rates lowest levels manufacturing output dropped unemployment remained high peaking million unemployment falling economy stable strong inflation low opinion polls showed comfortable conservative lead local council election results successful prompting general election june year despite deadline election months away election saw elected successive term 1980s revenue tax north_sea oil extraction short term funding source balance economy pay costs reform reformed local government taxes replacing domestic rates tax based nominal rental value home poll tax charged adult resident new tax introduced scotland england wales following year proved unpopular policies public culminated strong demonstration london march demonstration square deteriorated leaving people injured arrest community charge abolished successor industrial relations committed reducing power trade unions leadership accused parliamentary democracy economic performance strike action unions launched strikes response legislation introduced curb power resistance eventually collapsed union members voted labour general election according bbc managed destroy power trade unions generation miners strike biggest confrontation unions government march proposed close state owned mines cut jobs thirds country miners led downed tools protest refused hold ballot strike having previously lost ballots national strike january october march led strike declared illegal refused meet union demands compared miners dispute conflict years earlier declaring speech fight enemy aware enemy difficult fight dangerous liberty year strike march leadership conceded deal cost economy estimated billion strike blamed pound fall dollar government closed coal mines total closed remained eventual closure coal mines losing money resulted loss tens thousands jobs devastated entire communities miners helped bring heath government determined succeed failed strategy preparing fuel stocks appointing union leader ensuring police adequately trained equipped riot gear contributed victory number peaked million working days lost year miners strike resulting loss million working days fell steadily rest fewer million working days lost continued fall time office witnessed sharp decline trade union density percentage workers belonging trade union falling year office trade union membership fell million fewer million policy called crucial ingredient election sale state utilities accelerated billion raised sale industries billion sale council houses process especially preparation industries associated marked improvements performance particularly terms labour productivity industries including gas water electricity natural involved little increase competition industries demonstrated improvement state ownership instance great gains industry government appointed faced trade union opposition close plants reduce workforce half regulation significantly expanded compensate loss direct government control foundation regulatory bodies clear pattern degree competition regulation performance industries cases benefited consumers terms lower prices improved efficiency results overall mixed resisted rail said told transport secretary railway government mention railways shortly resignation accepted arguments successor implemented effect railway disputed large growth passenger numbers increasing efficiency matched large public concern foreign companies running british railways public assets combined financial attempt fuel economic growth abolished britain exchange controls allowing capital invested foreign markets removed restrictions government encouraged growth finance service sectors compensate britain ailing manufacturing industry northern_ireland prisoners northern_ireland carried hunger strikes effort regain status political prisoners removed preceding labour government began strike saying fast death prison inmates won concessions living conditions refused return political status prisoners declaring crime crime crime political government privately contacted republican leaders bid bring hunger strikes end deaths sands strike ended rights restored paramilitary prisoners official recognition political status violence northern_ireland escalated significantly hunger strikes politician described biggest known narrowly escaped injury assassination attempt brighton hotel early morning october people killed including wife cabinet minister staying hotel attend insisted open scheduled following day delivered speech planned widely supported political spectrum enhanced popularity public november irish established forum meetings governments november signed anglo irish agreement time british government given advisory role governance northern_ireland protest says movement attracted rally belfast resigned minister state mps resigned parliamentary seats returned subsequent elections january environment supported active climate protection policy instrumental creation environmental protection act founding exeter helped climate change acid rain general pollution british mainstream early 1980s speeches included september general assembly november visit earth summit later climate change policy foreign affairs foreign policy crisis came soviet invasion afghanistan condemned invasion said showed bankruptcy policy helped convince british athletes boycott moscow olympics gave weak support american president tried punish ussr economic sanctions britain economic situation nato reluctant cut trade ties reported government secretly supplied military equipment early closely aligned cold war policies united_states president ronald_reagan based shared distrust communism strongly opposed reagan october invasion reagan assured invasion contemplated felt fully trust reagan year prime minister supported nato decision deploy nuclear cruise missiles western_europe permitted station cruise missiles starting november triggering mass protests bought nuclear missile submarine system replace nuclear forces eventual cost billion prices preference defence ties demonstrated affair january acted colleagues allow struggling helicopter manufacturer refuse takeover offer italian firm favour management preferred option link defence secretary supported deal resigned protest april ruling military argentina ordered invasion british controlled triggering war subsequent crisis defining moment suggestion set chaired small war cabinet formally called overseas defence committee charge conduct war april authorised dispatched naval task force retake islands argentina surrendered june operation hailed success notwithstanding deaths british servicemen deaths totalled half nuclear powered submarine torpedoed sank cruiser general criticised neglect defence led war especially parliament decision sink general overall considered highly capable committed war leader factor economic recovery beginning early divided opposition contributed second election victory referred war spirit hastings suggested reflected preference streamlined decision making war cabinet deal making peace time cabinet government september visited china discuss sovereignty hong_kong china communist state visited british prime minister visit china meeting sought agreement continued british presence territory stated sovereignty hong_kong non willing settle sovereignty issue britain formal negotiations governments promised maintain hong_kong stability prosperity year negotiations conceded government signed sino british joint declaration beijing agreeing hand hong_kong sovereignty saying favour peaceful negotiations end stood sanctions imposed south_africa commonwealth attempted preserve trade south_africa government abandon included president friend inviting visit june spite inevitable demonstrations government dismissed october typical terrorist organisation government supported keeping seat ousted power vietnamese war denying time sent train non communist members fight vietnamese backed government european integration pronounced particularly election victory speech outlined opposition proposals forerunner european_union federal structure increased decision making party supported british membership national referendum believed role organisation limited ensuring free trade effective competition feared approach odds views smaller government remarked successfully rolled state britain imposed european level european super state exercising new dominance brussels firmly opposed membership precursor european monetary union believing british economy despite urging chancellor foreign secretary persuaded join october proved high rate april permitted use royal_air_force bases bombing libya retaliation alleged bombing berlin citing right self defence article charter polls suggested fewer british citizens approved decision state visit iraqi leader invaded neighbouring kuwait august talks president succeeded reagan recommended intervention pressure bush deploy troops middle_east drive kuwait bush plan prompting remark telephone conversation time government provided military forces international coalition build gulf war resigned time hostilities began january western leaders respond warmly soviet leader following reagan summit meetings reforms enacted ussr declared november cold war new relationship wider cold war went state visit soviet_union met chairman initially opposed german telling lead change postwar borders allow development undermine stability international situation security expressed concern united germany align closely soviet_union away nato challenges leadership resignation challenged leadership little known sir leadership election conservative mps eligible vote voted supporters party viewed result success rejected suggestions discontent party second lowest average approval rating post war prime minister polls consistently showed popular party self described conviction politician insisted care poll ratings pointing instead unbeaten election record opinion polls september reported labour established lead conservatives november conservatives trailing labour months ratings personality willingness colleagues opinions contributed discontent november remaining member original cabinet resigned position deputy prime minister refusal agree britain join resignation speech november howe commented european stance like sending opening batsmen find moment balls bowled bats broken game team captain resignation fatal day mounted challenge leadership opinion polls indicated conservatives national lead labour won ballot votes attracted sufficient support force second ballot party rules needed win majority margin equivalent conservative mps order win leadership election outright came votes short initially stated intended fight fight win second ballot consultation cabinet persuaded withdraw visiting queen calling world leaders making final speech left downing street tears reportedly regarded betrayal replaced prime minister party leader chancellor prevailed subsequent ballots major oversaw conservative support months leading general election led conservatives fourth successive victory april favoured major leadership contest support weakened later years later life returned years leaving retired house election aged saying leaving allow freedom speak mind leaving house_of_commons prime minister set foundation british wing dissolved financial difficulties wrote volumes memoirs path power husband moved house chester square residential garden square central london district hired tobacco company consultant year annual contribution foundation earned speech delivered august called nato stop serbian assault end ethnic war compared situation bosnia worst nazis warned holocaust advocate croatian independence interview croatian commented yugoslav wars critical western governments recognising croatia independent states supplying arms serbian led attacked series speeches lords criticising treaty describing treaty far stated signed treaty cited stating main parties favour treaty people referendum honorary chancellor virginia private university opened election labour_party leader praised blair interview probably formidable labour leader lot socialism bench blair think genuinely moved called release chilean dictator spain arrested sought try human rights violations cited help gave britain war visited house arrest near london released march medical grounds home secretary facing trial general election supported conservative general election campaign conservative leadership election shortly supported encouraged president aggressively tackle unfinished business iraq praised strong bold leadership standing bush iraq war subject strategies changing world published year dedicated ronald_reagan writing peace middle_east toppled book said israel trade land peace european_union fundamentally classic project monument intellectuals programme inevitable destiny failure argued britain terms membership leave join year suffered small strokes advised doctors engage public speaking march announced advice doctors cancel planned speaking engagements accept husband death sir died cancer june cremated july paid tribute writing prime minister lonely job sense ought lead crowd man husband friend final years june doctor orders attended state funeral service ronald_reagan delivered eulogy view health message pre recorded months earlier flew california reagan entourage attended memorial service ceremony president reagan presidential library celebrated birthday london october guests included queen duke edinburgh princess lord howe present said leader real triumph transformed party labour eventually return great bulk accepted according later article daily_telegraph daughter carol revealed mother saying doesn read memory loss pointless remember beginning sentence time reaches end later recounted struck mother conversation confused yugoslav conflicts recalled pain needing tell mother repeatedly dead attended official washington memorial service commemorate fifth anniversary september attacks united_states guest vice president met secretary state visit february living british prime minister honoured statue bronze statue stands opposite political hero sir winston_churchill unveiled february attendance brief speech members lobby house_of_commons responding preferred iron bronze won public supporter prague declaration european conscience communism resulting prague process sent public letter support preceding conference collapsing house_of_lords dinner admitted central london march tests hospitalised fell broke arm returned downing street late november unveiling official portrait artist unusual honour living prime minister stone previously painted portraits queen queen mother july attend ceremony unveiling foot statue american president ronald_reagan outside london unable attend health july announced office house_of_lords closed earlier month named competent british prime minister past years poll death funeral died april age suffering stroke staying suite london december having difficulty stairs chester square home reactions news death mixed ranging tributes britain greatest peacetime prime minister public celebrations death expressions details funeral agreed advance received ceremonial funeral including military honours church service april queen elizabeth_ii duke edinburgh attended funeral second time queen reign attended funeral prime minister winston_churchill service body cremated husband cremated september service held saints chapel private ceremony ashes interred grounds hospital husband legacy political legacy represented systematic decisive rejection reversal post war consensus major political parties largely agreed central themes welfare state industry close regulation economy major exception widely popular promised safe hands defined political philosophy major controversial break nation conservatives like predecessor statement published woman magazine september think gone period children people given understand problem government job cope problem grant cope homeless government house casting problems society society thing individual men women families government people people look duty look help look neighbour life business people got mind obligations number adults owning shares rose cent cent tenure million families bought council houses giving increase cent cent owner houses sold cent leading large profits new owners personal wealth rose cent real terms 1980s mainly rising house prices increased earnings shares utilities sold market value ensure quick wide sales national income marked periods high unemployment social unrest critics left political spectrum fault economic policies unemployment level areas affected high unemployment economic policies remain social problems drug abuse family breakdown speaking scotland april 30th anniversary election prime minister insisted regrets right introduce poll tax withdraw subsidies outdated industries markets terminal decline subsidies created culture damage britain political economist called new financial growth model casino capitalism reflecting view speculation financial trading important economy industry critics left describe divisive claim promoted greed writing new statesman february challenged view reforms brought net benefit critics contend despite britain woman prime minister little advance political cause women party government british regarded enemy stance immigration perceived rising racist public discourse professor called new racism influenced outset term came refer policies aspects ethical outlook personal style including moral nationalism interest individual approach achieving political goals nickname iron lady originally given soviets associated politics leadership style tenure years days prime minister longest lord salisbury years days spells starting longest continuous period office lord liverpool years days starting voted fourth greatest british prime minister 20th century poll academics organised ranked number bbc poll greatest time magazine named important people 20th century death prompted mixed reactions including reflections criticism praise groups celebrated death leeds bristol glasgow crowd gathered square celebrate demise protest legacy shortly death scotland minister argued policies consequence encouraging scottish lord agreed scotland tonight provided impetus cultural depictions earliest prime minister involved wells writer performer voicing future image producer teamed producer satirical audio album iron lady consisting songs rise power album released september months premier subject inspiration 1980s protest songs helped form collective support labour opposition media wells collaborated spoof dear bill letters ran column magazine published book form later west end stage revue named wells role revue followed special directed portrayed image british bully ridiculed ministers voiced depicted television programmes documentaries films plays played long play film long walk title character films portrayed margaret iron lady depicted suffering disease titles awards honours secretary state education science woman entitled membership rights honorary member leader bestowed time highest existing south african award president elected fellow caused controversy existing weeks leaving office appointed member order merit order personal gift queen husband time marked january commemorating visit stanley named task force troops set foot member house_of_lords life appointed lady companion order highest order patron established
Margaret Thatcher