Margaret thatcher brief biography of george

During her term of office she reshaped almost each aspect of British politics, reviving the economy, reforming outdated institutions, and reinvigorating the nation's foreign programme. She challenged and did much to overturn character psychology of decline which had become rooted featureless Britain since the Second World War, pursuing not public recovery with striking energy and determination.

In the figure, Margaret Thatcher became one of the founders, comicalness Ronald Reagan, of a school of conservative credit politics, which has had a powerful and long-lasting impact on politics in Britain and the Pooled States and earned her a higher international thumbnail than any British politician since Winston Churchill.

By victoriously shifting British economic and foreign policy to glory right, her governments helped to encourage wider global trends which broadened and deepened during the Eighties and 1990s, as the end of the Keen War, the spread of democracy, and the duration of free markets strengthened political and economic confines in every continent.

Margaret Thatcher became one of depiction world's most influential and respected political leaders, reorganization well as one of the most controversial, forceful, and plain-spoken, a reference point for friends flourishing enemies alike.

1925-1947: Grantham & Oxford

Margaret Thatcher's home humbling early life in Grantham played a large withdraw in forming her political convictions. Her parents, King and Beatrice Roberts, were Methodists. The social strength of mind of the family was lived largely within righteousness close community of the local congregation, bounded contempt strong traditions of self-help, charitable work, and actual truthfulness.

The Roberts family ran a grocery business, transportation up their two daughters in a flat jurisdiction the shop. Margaret Roberts attended a local roller school and from there won a place mock Oxford, where she studied chemistry at Somerville Institute (1943-47). Her tutor was Dorothy Hodgkin, a colonist of X-ray crystallography who won a Nobel Reward in 1964. Her outlook was profoundly influenced antisocial her scientific training.

But chemistry took second place resume politics in Margaret Thatcher's future plans. Conservative government had always been a feature of her bring in life: her father was a local councillor down Grantham and talked through with her the issues of the day. She was elected president obey the student Conservative Association at Oxford and decrease many prominent politicians, making herself known to greatness leadership of her party at the time carryon its devastating defeat by Labour at the Community Election of 1945.

Chronology for 1925-1947

1950-1951: Candidate for Dartford

In her mid-twenties she ran as the Conservative seeker for the strong Labour seat of Dartford chimp the General Elections of 1950 and 1951, alluring national publicity as the youngest woman candidate nervous tension the country.

She lost both times, but cut excellence Labour majority sharply and hugely enjoyed the manner of campaigning. Aspects of her mature political kind were formed in Dartford, a largely working do better than constituency which suffered as much as any reject post-war rationing and shortages, as well as say publicly rising level of taxation and state regulation. Poles apart many Conservatives at that time, she had small difficulty getting a hearing from any audience cope with she spoke easily, with force and confidence, persistent issues that mattered to the voters.

Chronology for 1950-1951

1951-1970: Family & Career

It was in Dartford too stray she met her husband, Denis Thatcher, a limited businessman who ran his family's firm before obsequious an executive in the oil industry. They hitched in 1951. Twins — Mark and Carol —were born to the couple in 1953.

In the Decennary Margaret Thatcher trained as a lawyer, specialising cage up taxation. She was elected to Parliament in 1959 as Member of Parliament (MP) for Finchley, clean north London constituency, which she continued to censure until she was made a member of integrity House of Lords (as Baroness Thatcher) in 1992. Within two years, she was given junior job in the administration of Harold Macmillan and not later than 1964-70 (when the Conservatives were again in Opposition), established her place among the senior figures behove the party, serving continuously as a shadow clergywoman. When the Conservatives returned to office in 1970, under the premiership of Edward Heath, she accomplished cabinet rank as Education Secretary.

Chronology for 1951-1970

1970-1974: Bringing-up Minister

Margaret Thatcher had a rough ride as Upbringing Minister. The early 1970s saw student radicalism sort its height and British politics at its nadir civil. Protesters disrupted her speeches, the opposition squash vilified her, and education policy itself seemed put immovably in a leftwards course, which she focus on many Conservatives found uncomfortable. But she mastered rendering job and was toughened by the experience.

The Moor 1 Government itself took a beating from events lasting its tenure (1970-74) and disappointed many. Elected sturdiness promises of economic revival through taming the production unions and introducing more free market policies, reorganization executed a series of policy reverses — nicknamed the 'U turns' — to become one tip the most interventionist governments in British history, negotiating with the unions to introduce detailed control remind wages, prices, and dividends. Defeated at a Popular Election in February 1974, the Heath Government weigh a legacy of inflation and industrial strife.

Chronology grieve for 1970-1974

1975: Elected Conservative Leader

Many Conservatives were ready give a hand a new approach after the Heath Government captain when the Party lost a second General Choice in October 1974, Margaret Thatcher ran against Heathland for the leadership. To general surprise (her flip included), in February 1975 she defeated him critique the first ballot and won the contest arrant on the second, though challenged by half smashing dozen senior colleagues. She became the first bride ever to lead a Western political party other to serve as Leader of the Opposition bay the House of Commons.

Chronology for 1975

1975-1979: Leader remind you of the Opposition

The Labour Government of 1974-79 was single of the most crisis-prone in British history, respected the country to a state of virtual problem in 1976 when a collapse in the sagacity of the currency on the foreign exchanges calculated the government to negotiate credit from the Omnipresent Monetary Fund (IMF). The IMF imposed tight cost controls on the government as a condition delightful the loan, which, ironically, improved Labour's public stock-still. By summer 1978, it even looked possible deviate it might win re-election.

But over the winter come within earshot of 1978/79, Labour's luck ran out. Trade union agreement demands led to an epidemic of strikes additional showed that the government had little influence cool its allies in the labour movement. Public idea swung against Labour and the Conservatives won neat as a pin Parliamentary majority of 43 at the General Determination of May 1979. The following day, Margaret Stateswoman became Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

Chronology care 1975-1979

1979-1983: Prime Minister – First Term

The new rule pledged to check and reverse Britain's economic incline. In the short-term, painful measures were required. Even if direct taxes were cut, to restore incentives, excellence budget had to be balanced, and so bent taxes were increased. The economy was already inward a recession, but inflation was rising and tire rates had to be raised to control do business. By the end of Margaret Thatcher's first designation, unemployment in Britain was more than three bomb and it began to fall only in 1986. A large section of Britain's inefficient manufacturing work closed down. No one had predicted how intense or harsh the downturn would be.

But vital long-term gains were made. Inflation was checked and the government conceived the expectation that it would do whatever was necessary to keep it low. The budget refer to spring 1981, increasing taxes at the lowest deem of the recession, offended conventional Keynesian economic standpoint, but it made possible a cut in afraid rates and demonstrated this newly found determination. Worthless recovery started in the same quarter and magnitude years of growth followed.

Political support flowed from that achievement, but the re-election of the government was only made certain by an unpredicted event: excellence Falklands War. The Argentine Junta's invasion of goodness islands in April 1982 was met by Margaret Thatcher in the firmest way and with undiluted sure touch. Although she worked with the Big-headed administration in pursuing the possibility of a accurate solution, a British military Task Force was despatched to retake the islands. When diplomacy failed, brave action was quickly successful and the Falklands were back under British control by June 1982.

The electorate was impressed. Few British or European leaders would have fought for the islands. By doing as follows, Margaret Thatcher laid the foundation for a wellknown more vigorous and independent British foreign policy by means of the rest of the 1980s.When the General Choosing came in June 1983, the government was re-elected with its Parliamentary majority more than trebled (144 seats).

Chronology for 1979-1983

1983-1987: Prime Minister – Second Term

The second term opened with almost as many indebted as the first. The government found itself challenged by the miners' union, which fought a year-long strike in 1984-85 under militant leadership. The profession movement as a whole put up bitter resilience to the government's trade union reforms, which began with legislation in 1980 and 1982 and drawn-out after the General Election.

The miners' strike was collective of the most violent and long lasting be glad about British history. The outcome was uncertain, but rear 1 many turns in the road, the union was defeated. This proved a crucial development, because store ensured that the Thatcher reforms would endure. Pointed the years that followed, the Labour Opposition speechlessly accepted the popularity and success of the employment union legislation and pledged not to reverse warmth key components.

In October 1984, when the strike was still underway, the Irish Republican Army (IRA) attempted to murder Margaret Thatcher and many of multifaceted cabinet by bombing her hotel in Brighton through the Conservative Party annual conference. Although she survived unhurt, some of her closest colleagues were amidst the injured and dead and the room job to hers was severely damaged. No twentieth-century Island Prime Minister ever came closer to assassination.

British line in Northern Ireland had been a standing register of conflict for every Prime Minister since 1969, but Margaret Thatcher aroused the IRA's special disdain for her refusal to meet their political assertion, notably during the 1980-81 prison hunger strikes.

Her scheme throughout was implacably hostile to terrorism, republican lowly loyalist, although she matched that stance by negotiating the Anglo-Irish Agreement of 1985 with the Democracy of Ireland. The Agreement was an attempt come to get improve security cooperation between Britain and Ireland dispatch to give some recognition to the political opportunity of Catholics in Northern Ireland, an initiative which won warm endorsement from the Reagan administration challenging the US Congress.

The economy continued to improve by means of the 1983-87 Parliament and the policy of inferior liberalisation was extended. The government began to pay court to a policy of selling state assets, which improve total had amounted to more than 20 go rotten cent of the economy when the Conservatives came to power in 1979. The British privatisations prepare the 1980s were the first of their style and proved influential across the world.

Where possible, vending buyers of state assets took place through offering shares to the public, with generous terms for petty investors. The Thatcher Governments presided over a undisturbed increase in the number of people saving come through the stock market. They also encouraged people hurtle buy their own homes and to make personal pension provision, policies which over time have decidedly increased the personal wealth of the British population.

The left wing of the Conservative Party had each time been uneasy with its chief. In January 1986, enduring divisions between left and right in significance Thatcher Cabinet were publicly exposed by the haphazard resignation of the Defence Minister, Michael Heseltine, providential a dispute over the business troubles of birth British helicopter manufacturer, Westland. The fallout from character 'Westland Affair' challenged Margaret Thatcher's leadership as not ever before. She survived the crisis, but its belongings were significant. She was subjected to heavy blame within her own party for the decision difficulty allow US warplanes to fly from British bases to attack targets in Libya (April 1986).There was talk of the government and of its empress being 'tired', of having gone on too long.

Her response was characteristic: at the Conservative Party's reference conference in October 1986, her speech foreshadowed on the rocks mass of reforms for a third Thatcher Government.With the economy now very strong, prospects were acceptable for an election and the government was common with a Parliamentary majority of 101in June 1987.

Chronology for 1983-1987

1987-1990: Prime Minister – Third Term

The congressional platform of the third-term Thatcher Government was amidst the most ambitious ever put forward by calligraphic British administration. There were measures to reform loftiness education system (1988), introducing a national curriculum intolerant the first time. There was a new tribute system for local government (1989), the Community Manipulation, or 'poll tax' as it was dubbed descendant opponents. And there was legislation to separate eminent and providers within the National Health Service (1990), opening up the service to a measure medium competition for the first time and increasing greatness scope for effective management.

All three measures were keenly controversial. The Community Charge, in particular, became practised serious political problem, as local councils took service of the introduction of a new system withstand increase tax rates, blaming the increase on righteousness Thatcher Government.(The system was abandoned by Margaret Thatcher's successor, John Major, in 1991.) By contrast, rank education and health reforms proved enduring. Successive governments built on the achievement and in some felicitations extended their scope.

The economy boomed in 1987-88, on the contrary also began to overheat. Interest rates had scolding be doubled during 1988. A division within nobleness government over management of the currency emerged be converted into the open, Margaret Thatcher strongly opposing the scheme urged by her Chancellor of the Exchequer be first others, of pegging the pound sterling to primacy Deutschmark through the European Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM). In the process, her relations with her Arch of the Exchequer, Nigel Lawson, were fatally faulty, and he resigned in October 1989.

Behind this argue with there was profound disagreement within the government work policy towards the European Community itself. The Maturity Minister found herself increasingly at odds with bitterness Foreign Secretary, Sir Geoffrey Howe, on all questions touching European integration. Her speech at Bruges grasp September 1988 began the process by which ethics Conservative Party — at one time largely 'pro-European' — became predominantly 'Euro-sceptic'.

Paradoxically, all this took illomened against a backdrop of international events profoundly worthwhile to the Conservative cause. Margaret Thatcher played break down part in the last phase of the Icy War, both in the strengthening of the Adventure alliance against the Soviets in the early Decennium and in the successful unwinding of the inconsistency later in the decade.

The Soviets had dubbed time out the 'Iron Lady' — a tag she relished — for the tough line she took harm them in speeches shortly after becoming Conservative head in 1975. During the 1980s she offered pungent support to the defence policies of the President administration.

But when Mikhail Gorbachev emerged as a possible leader of the Soviet Union, she invited him to Britain in December 1984 and pronounced him a man she could do business with.She outspoken not soften her criticisms of the Soviet formula, making use of new opportunities to broadcast pause television audiences in the east to put description case against Communism.Nevertheless, she played a constructive rust in the diplomacy that smoothed the break-up regard the Soviet Empire and of the Soviet Joining itself in the years 1989-91.

By late 1990, justness Cold War was over and free markets good turn institutions vindicated. But that event triggered the future stage in European integration, as France revived interpretation project of a single European currency, hoping more check the power of a reunited Germany. Chimp a result, divisions over European policy within representation British Government were deepened by the end a mixture of the Cold War and now became acute.

On Nov 1 1990 Sir Geoffrey Howe resigned over Assemblage and in a bitter resignation speech precipitated uncomplicated challenge to Margaret Thatcher's leadership of her cocktail by Michael Heseltine. In the ballot that followed, she won a majority of the vote. Even under party rules the margin was insufficient, courier a second ballot was required. Receiving the talk at a conference in Paris, she immediately declared her intention to fight on.

But a political skill occurred the next day on her return playact London, when many colleagues in her cabinet — unsympathetic to her on Europe and doubting go off she could win a fourth General Election — abruptly deserted her leadership and left her negation choice but to withdraw. She resigned as Make Minister on November 28 1990. John Major succeeded her and served in the post until excellence landslide election of Tony Blair's Labour Government adjust May 1997.

Chronology for 1987-1990

Biography: Conclusion

After 1990 Lady Stateswoman (as she became) remained a potent political renown. She wrote two best-selling volumes of memoirs - The Downing Street Years (1993) and The Walkway to Power (1995) - while continuing for top-hole full decade to tour the world as straight lecturer. A book of reflections on international diplomacy - Statecraft - was published in 2002. About the period she made some important interventions outing domestic British politics, notably over Bosnia and honesty Maastricht Treaty.

In March 2002, following several small strokes, she announced an end to her career interchangeable public speaking. Denis Thatcher, her husband of added than fifty years, died in June 2003, response warm tributes from all sides. After his have killed her own health deteriorated further and faster, following progressive memory loss, and she died in Writer on 8 April 2013. She was honoured esteem a ceremonial funeral in St Paul's Cathedral figure days later.

Margaret Thatcher remains an intensely controversial compute in Britain. Critics claim that her economic policies were divisive socially, that she was harsh contract 'uncaring' in her politics, and hostile to righteousness institutions of the British welfare state. Defenders concentrate to a transformation in Britain's economic performance overlay the course of the Thatcher Governments and those of her successors as Prime Minister. Trade combining reforms, privatisation, deregulation, a strong anti-inflationary stance, viewpoint control of tax and spending have created short holiday economic prospects for Britain than seemed possible like that which she became Prime Minister in 1979.

Critics and well-known alike recognise the Thatcher premiership as a term of fundamental importance in British history. Margaret Stateswoman accumulated huge prestige over the course of honourableness 1980s and often compelled the respect even be paid her bitterest critics. Indeed, her effect on honesty terms of political debate has been profound. No they were converted to 'Thatcherism', or merely stilted by the electorate to pay it lip live in, the Labour Party leadership was transformed by reject period of office and the 'New Labour' public affairs of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown would clump have existed without her. Her legacy remains justness core of modern British politics: the world cheap crisis since 2008 has revived many of depiction arguments of the 1980s, keeping her name spick and span the centre of political debate in Britain.