Margaret Thatcher has died.

[Charlie]

Former Prime Minister Baroness Thatcher has died at 87 following a stroke, her spokesman has said.

 

Lord Bell said: "It is with great sadness that Mark and Carol Thatcher announced that their mother Baroness Thatcher died peacefully following a stroke this morning."

 

Baroness Thatcher was Conservative prime minister from 1979 to 1990.

 

She was the first woman to hold the post. Her family is expected to make a further statement later.

 

Baroness Thatcher, born Margaret Roberts, became the Conservative MP for Finchley, north London in 1959, retiring from the Commons in 1992.

 

Having been education secretary, she successfully challenged former prime minister Edward Heath for her party's leadership in 1975.

 

She won general elections in 1979, 1983 and 1987.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-22067155

[Goron_3]

Not a fan of her politics but she was an amazing role model for many. Disappointed to see so many negative comments towards her doing the rounds on twitter.

[bob]

She was great in that film last year.

[EEVILMURRAY]

Couldn't we just rename the Madonna/Thatcher topic but with Thatcher having a strike line through it?

[Agent Gibbs]

I think all the negative impact she had on the UK far outweighs any "good" she may have done.

 

I don't like the idea of anyone dying, but with Thatcher......i'm borderline neutral/happy that she's gone

 

edit, since it was a good point by @Animal

 

I wouldn't. I'm not 'celebrating' her death but I would never call her a hero whatsoever. This is exactly the type of hypocrisy I hate about some people though. It's like when Michael Jackson died, all of the people who believed he was a paedophile suddenly forgot the stuff they said and started calling him a legend and saying nothing but good things. Same can be said for Amy Winehouse and Whitney Houston. It shouldn't matter if they're dead or alive, stick to your guns! I've always loved Whitney Houston's and Michael Jackson's music but not really Amy Winehouse's and I won't change that viewpoint just because they're deceased nor should I have to.

 

My point is, just because Thatcher has died does not mean I will call her a hero and just because she is dead shouldn't mean that everybody's viewpoint should automatically change. I believe that she is not a hero and those who believe the same thing I do should not change their feelings just because she died.

 

On another note, how spooky is it that this topic started last week!

 

i think that's my stance, i've always hated her and will always hate her, she may have been viewed as a strong woman and a role model, but a lot of her policies and legacies aren't worthy of praise , the state of British industry and energy supplies can be levied at her door, and its unforgivable.

Part of me never wants to see anyone die, but with her i am rather neutral towards it

Edited April 8, 2013 by Agent Gibbs

[Beast]

Not a fan of her politics but she was an amazing role model for many. Disappointed to see so many negative comments towards her doing the rounds on twitter.

 

I don't necessarily agree with the negatives but there was a neutral one that I found saying that they don't celebrate any death but they don't feel upset about her passing and I'm not afraid to say that I agree with it. I don't feel upset nor do I feel happy either. She did a lot of damage to people that nobody can just forget and I don't think they ever will.

 

As I said before, I'd not celebrate a death but I'm not calling her a hero or praising her at all.

[Blade]

I despise Thatcher the milk snatcher. Hated her politics. Hated her policies.

 

But RIP.

 

I respect Margaret Thatcher who was not afraid to make controversial decisions and defend her beliefs no matter what. No denying that she was a leader and carried out her role as Prime Minister with passion.

[nekunando]

I've never particularly paid much attention to politics so I honestly don't know what happened during her time as Prime Minister.. but I've always thought that Roy Hodgson looks a bit like her

[Daft]

[Serebii]

While she made some bad decisions during her tenure, she also made a lot of decent ones which still hold true today so I'm not going to say "yay", or lament the loss. Besides, all politicians are as bad as eachother.

 

May she rest in peace

[Charlie]

If Thatcher didn't become PM the country would be very different. She changed the country from industrial to service-based. You can't say that at at the time things weren't bad because they clearly were, however there has been a long-term benefit that a lot of people forget about or don't appreciate.

 

She did good, she did bad. She should be remembered as a leader who stuck to her guns, went after what she thought was right. She drastically removed the power from the Trade Unions that had got out of hand. She allowed 1 million people to get onto the property ladder by letting them by their council houses at a large discount and then passed an Act that gave grants to repair the homes.

 

She will however remain extremely controversial and unpopular because of the massive unemployment at points in her Premiership, especially after the coal strikes in 198-1985. People can't be expected to forget things like that when it affected entire families and entire towns. The poll tax fiasco is another example of reasons why people are quite rightly annoyed.

 

I think what can be said and should be agreed upon by any decent person is that celebrating someone's death, someone who dedicated a lot of her life to the country, is wrong.

 

Any leader who made multiple massive decisions is always going to strike up a lot of controversy and differing opinions from the different sides. Everyone needs to take a step back and wear the shoes of someone on the opposite side so they can weigh up a true opinion.

[Serebii]

If Thatcher didn't become PM the country would be very different. She changed the country from industrial to service-based. You can't say that at at the time things weren't bad because they clearly were, however there has been a long-term benefit that a lot of people forget about or don't appreciate.

 

This bit is very true, especially today. The current government is trying to clear the country's deficit, which does require some trimming of parts, but people complain because it potentially hits them in the short-term. The general populace can seldom see things in the long-term, or the bigger picture.

 

But I digress, some of the consequences for her plans were pretty dire

Edited April 8, 2013 by Serebii

[Agent Gibbs]

great post Charlie that sums it up really, she was very very divisive in her approaches, on one hand she did a lot of improvements, but then on another she did a lot of things that were to the countries determent, there are areas that have never recovered from her influence.

[Jon]

I have a certain level of respect for anyone who has beliefs and sticks solemnly too them, whether I agree with them or not.

 

For every person who loathed her, there was a person who loved her. My dad always said it was better to have lived and divided opinion than drift through a life of obscurity.

 

RIP.

[Guy]

My parents and their friends pretty much groomed me to hate Thatcher from how venomously they speak of her reign, but the truth is I really don't know enough about the subject to make any form of educated judgement on her actions and her as a person. Lots of "working class" people hated her, lots of people didn't.

 

One thing's for sure, the Internet isn't slacking on the jokes.

 

Judging by recent news articles, I'm sure the final few years of her life were pretty miserable and I can't help but feel kinda sad about that.

[The fish]

She did a couple of good thing - the unions were too powerful, and PACE was needed. Most of her record, however, is very bad indeed.

 

Let's hope the flying monkeys can survive on £57 a week.

[Goron_3]

My parents and their friends pretty much groomed me to hate Thatcher from how venomously they speak of her reign, but the truth is I really don't know enough about the subject to make any form of educated judgement on her actions and her as a person. Lots of "working class" people hated her, lots of people didn't.

 

One thing's for sure, the Internet isn't slacking on the jokes.

 

Judging by recent news articles, I'm sure the final few years of her life were pretty miserable and I can't help but feel kinda sad about that.

 

It's very sad to think that someone who was so powerful and such an inspiration to women had to endure what she did. It just doesn't seem right.

 

Reminds me of Mohammed Ali; from World Heavyweight Champion to a guy that can barely move around the place.

[Zell]

Dementia and Alzheimer's sucks hard and I wouldn't wish it upon my worst enemy. It's something I genuinely fear having in later life and I usually focus my charity towards that kind of research.

[Mr-Paul]

Even though she was Prime Minister for only a few months of my life, I strongly believe she didn't do a lot of good for this country. Privatisation has ruined this country, putting public services into the hands of money grabbing businessmen. It was meant to improve them, but instead has just driven prices up to near unaffordable levels while the rich just get richer.

 

While allowing people to buy their council houses was a good thing overall, they should have built new homes to replace them. There is a significant lack of social housing for people who need it now, and that has led to the situation we have now where the government forks out billions in housing benefit to private housing providers who charge a fortune because they know the government will pay it.

 

Would this country be a better place if we never had her? We'll never know, but she, along with Reagan, set this free market capitalist world into motion, and i'm not sure that's really a good thing.

 

I'm fed up of all the coverage already, but rest in peace Maggie. Although I disliked her and her policies, and have little respect for her, she was a remarkable person to be the first female Prime Minister.

[Jimbob]

For all the good she did, there was a lot of bad that happened as well. These things happen in governments, and no leader will ever keep the entire nation happy at all.

 

Still, she was a good leader of the country and the first lady to become PM, which is an achievement in it's own right. R.I.P.

[MoogleViper]

She allowed 1 million people to get onto the property ladder by letting them by their council houses at a large discount and then passed an Act that gave grants to repair the homes.

 

Are you actually saying the right to buy was a good thing?

 

It massively inflated the cost of property, so now first time buyers are pretty much just fucked.

 

It also drastically reduced the availability of affordable rent. So rent suddenly shot up. This was a wet dream for property investors, who rushed out to buy more property, pushing the price up even further. So now, not only are you unable to buy a house, but rent cleans out your paycheck as well. Great job, Thatcher.

 

And then there's the issue of making council houses attractive.

 

I respect Margaret Thatcher who was not afraid to make controversial decisions and defend her beliefs no matter what.

 

Since when is fiercely sticking to your decisions something to be respected? People should be afraid of making certain decisions. That's what stops people from making terrible decisions.

 

"Her decisions were absolutely horrible, but at least she wasn't afraid to make them."

 

The fuck sort of logic is that?

[Emma]

I am celebrating tonight with some chocolate and cider!!

 

She ruined many lives and communities and her actions still continue to cause problems now. I don't care if I'm not respecting her or her family. Where is the respect she gave to all the families she fucked?

 

For all those saying she defended her beliefs... she actually made lots of u-turns during her political career, just like all politicians do.

[Goron_3]

Are you actually saying the right to buy was a good thing?

 

It massively inflated the cost of property, so now first time buyers are pretty much just fucked.

 

It also drastically reduced the availability of affordable rent. So rent suddenly shot up. This was a wet dream for property investors, who rushed out to buy more property, pushing the price up even further. So now, not only are you unable to buy a house, but rent cleans out your paycheck as well. Great job, Thatcher.

 

And then there's the issue of making council houses attractive.

 

 

 

Since when is fiercely sticking to your decisions something to be respected? People should be afraid of making certain decisions. That's what stops people from making terrible decisions.

 

"Her decisions were absolutely horrible, but at least she wasn't afraid to make them."

 

The fuck sort of logic is that?

 

Well I'm essentially a MP within my students' Union (got elected into my position last year) and let me tell you, meeting people who stick to a decision is one of best feelings you will get in life. Whether its right or wrong, I have a lot of admiration for those people because they are clearly going a long way in life and will inevitably change things/make their make.

 

Just a shame half the others on my team are the opposite..

[Kaepora_Gaebora]

I don't know anywhere near enough to say whether she ruined or improved lives, but surely the time to 'celebrate' was in 1990 when she resigned as PM? Celebrating now has nothing to do with her policies or decisions, isnt it's just celebrating that an elderly woman has died after suffering a stroke?

[Blade]

I am celebrating tonight with some chocolate and cider!!

 

She ruined many lives and communities and her actions still continue to cause problems now. I don't care if I'm not respecting her or her family. Where is the respect she gave to all the families she fucked?

 

For all those saying she defended her beliefs... she actually made lots of u-turns during her political career, just like all politicians do.

 

Although i despise her you cannot deny that she did her job with passion.

 

Im now going to have 40 pints of milk.

 

In all seriousness though. People saying its a sad day.Really?! REALLY?! She died in the Ritz! It was a sad day when my grandad and uncle couldn't afford to pay to feed their kids.