Former British PM Margaret Thatcher dies at 87

Margaret Thatcher, “The Iron Lady”, has died at the age of 87 following a stroke. I will remember her best for her interview with former Australian 60 Minutes reporter George Negus where she ‘owned’ him good. The above video is an excerpt and the complete interview can be found here:

Full Australian 60 Minutes interview of Margaret Thatcher by reporter George Negus

Naturally, there are more announcements, obituaries and commentaries than you can poke a stick at. Here’s a few to start you off:

BBC: Ex-Prime Minister Baroness Thatcher dies, aged 87

DailyMail: Former prime minister Baroness Thatcher dies peacefully in her suite at the Ritz after suffering a massive stroke at 87

The Guardian: Margaret Thatcher dead at 87 following stroke

Slashdot: Margaret Thatcher Dies At 87

As an Australian living in Australia, I was never directly impacted by her governance – all my knowledge comes from what I saw on TV, read in the papers and was told by other Brits. These are my opinions:

In the interviews that I have seen, she always spoke with confidence and assurance, looking always on-the-ball – firm, but in control of her emotions.

Her handling of the Falklands War with Argentina was courageous and helped regain British pride and prestige that had been lost since the breakup of the British Empire following World War 2. It also helped end the rule of the brutal military junta in Argentina that had committed horrible abuses against its people

In shutting down unproductive British industries, she helped rebuild the British economy, which was in a very bad state, but her method caused great pain to many people who lost their livelihoods. Had I been a British factory worker or miner, Thatcher’s promises of long-term growth would not have done anything to help put food on my dinner table once I had been placed out of work. Could there have been a gentler alternative way to restructure the British Economy? I don’t know. Aggressive British unions also had their part to play and their influence had to be reduced to move forward.

She was staunchly anti-communist and that was a good thing

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