Baroness Margaret Thatcher

Conservative 1979 to 1990

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Born

13 October 1925, Grantham, Lincolnshire

Died

8 April 2013, London

Major acts

Housing Act 1980: gave security of tenure, and the right to buy homes, to tenants of local authorities and other bodies.

Baroness Margaret Thatcher, the 'Iron Lady', was the first female British Prime Minister and the longest serving PM for over 150 years.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Her first 2 years in office were not easy - unemployment was very high, but the economy gradually showed improvement. She brought more of her supporters into the Cabinet, and added to her reputation by leading the country to war against Argentina in the Falkland Islands.

 

She also became a familiar figure internationally, creating 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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

She left the House of Commons in 1992, and was appointed a life peerage in the House of Lords in the same year, receiving the title of Baroness Thatcher of Kesteven.

 

In 1995 she was appointed as Lady Companion of the Order of the Garter, the highest order of Chivalry in the UK.

Her writings include 2 volumes of memoirs: The Downing Street Years and The Path to Power.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thatcher died on 8 April 2013 at The Ritz Hotel in London, after suffering a stroke. She received a ceremonial funeral including full military honours, with a church service at St Paul’s Cathedral.