What did you think of Margaret Thatcher when she was Prime Minister?

She was a tenacious fighter in the effort to make life worse for most people.

It is very telling that the last time she was in the news was when she was keeping Pinochet in her home to protect him from prosecution for murdering and torturing thousands of Chileans.

She was England’s Reagan.

That is how little regard I have for her.

We thought she did terrible things in Britain.

Wow. Interesting.

She was quite conservative.

Fake. But good at pretending to be otherwise.
Also a result of the playing the first card. Similar to Mr.Obama being played.
First woman, first black.
Lots of votes, then disappointment.

The older people I know from the UK love her still.

@bkcunningham Maybe the ones you know do; but many others didn’t and don’t.

I was actually just having a discussion about Thatcher with a couple who have just sold their home here in Florida and are returning to England in May permanently. My knowledge of her isn’t as good as their knowledge, perhaps because I’m younger, but it was an insightful discussion and they adored her as do many of their friends. They didn’t like John Major. The couple and their friends I know are in their late-70s and early 80s.

She did push the country in a better economic direction. And her handbags were hideous.

I left in the early years of her reign. It was not a good time to be living in the UK. I remember seeing many more young homeless people. I saw worker’s rights being eroded and people were pretty much powerless to do anything about it.

I thought it was very scary, the damage she was doing to the country, in particular to industries like mining, ship-building and car manufacturing. What was even more scary was my parents, who are working-class, thought she was wonderful. I never understood why. I was in my teens during the Thatcher Years.

I am too young to remember her when she was our PM but most older people I know have more respect and good to say about her than any of our PMs since. From what I have learnt about her, she seemed to have more back bone than anyone we have had in recent years but whether you think she used that for good or bad was dependant on what line of work you were in.

@Leanne1986 And what class you were in. And whether you preferred cheap public transportation or not.

@janbb Indeed. I don’t see how she has anymore or any less faults than any other PM if I am honest. After all, they all have there followers and their haters depending on lifestyle.

Has anyone else seen The Iron Lady? I thought that Streep did a wonderful job.

@Jude Not yet. It’s on my to-do list though.

@Jude I thought it was a bit of a soap opera really (a sympathetic soap opera too). Streep did a good job but the film didn’t really focus on her as a politician and I would have preferred to see a stronger political focus. Sad about her mental health now but really, I think there is much more of a story in her political life and that was overshadowed by the focus on her alzheimer’s.

Even though she was not my favourite politician, I still think her political life and activity was undermined by this film.