she was the daughter of a green grocer
in Lincolnshire but her influence on
British politics is unmatched Margaret
Thatcher was elected to Parliament for
the first time in 1959 and there was
already talk of a job on the front bench
well I think we'll just try to be a very
good backbencher first certainly until
these two are a little older I couldn't
take on any more political
responsibilities from softly spoken
housewife to Iron Lady she rose quickly
through the ranks this chap Callaghan
must go I stand before you tonight the
Iron Lady of the Western world by the
late 1970s she was Tory Party leader
with effect of the morning after your
election how do you feel about it now
there's so much to be done mrs. Thatcher
was ready for government I presume this
is to enable us to sweep Britain clean
of certain she won a landslide election
victory in 1979 and had a clear message
for the people of Britain Her Majesty
the Queen has asked me to form a new
administration and I have accepted 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's despair may we bring
hope but in trying to fix the economy
the Prime Minister found herself on a
collision course with some of the
country's most powerful unions mrs.
Thatcher went on the offensive and
couldn't be budged the lady's not for
turning she was steadfast abroad - when
Argentina invaded the Falkland Islands
in 1982 she sent troops to take them
back
we have ceased to be a nation in retreat
with her re-election secured the Iron
Lady turned her attention to another
enemy this time on the home front she
defeated the - Union and ended a way of
life for thousands
before 1984 was a turbulent year for the
prime minister hunger strikes and the
death of Bobby Sands prompted an IRA
attempt on her life a bomb exploded at
Brighton's Grand Hotel you hear about
these atrocities
it is bombs you don't expect them to
happen to you by the mid-80s the economy
was booming though and Thatcherism
appeared to be working abroad she formed
a close relationship with Ronald Reagan
both played important roles in ending
the Cold War the talks have been very
deep very wide-ranging very friendly and
as always we got to grips with the real
issues mrs. Thatcher won a third
successive election previously unheard
of in British politics it is wonderful
to be entrusted with the government of
this country this great country once
again but was Thatcherism about to fall
apart she was told it would be unpopular
but she ploughed on with her poll tax
plan anyway while her party became
deeply divided over Europe
no no ministers resigned Michael
Heseltine launched a leadership
challenge and the Iron Lady saw her
support melt away I most earnestly
believes that I shall be in number 10
Downing Street at the end of this week
mrs. Thatcher when are you going to
resign mrs. Thatcher left Downing Street
in 1990 undefeated in the polls
we're leaving Downing Street for the
last time after eleven and a half
wonderful years and we're very happy
that we leave the United Kingdom in a
very very much better state than when we
came here eleven and a half years ago
Margaret Thatcher paved the way for
political change in the UK some believe
even new labour owed its existence to
Thatcherism she remained a divisive
figure in retirement but public interest
in her never waned she was even the
subject of a blockbuster film
that you haven't got the courage for
this fight the Iron Lady showed mrs.
Thatcher as a strong woman who needed
thick skin and was satire like spitting
image around at the time she needed it
and what about the vegetables
oh they're heavy service me mrs.
Thatcher could always look back on a
unique set of achievements she was the
UK's first female prime minister she won
three successive elections and she left
a legacy that shaped politics
you