Margaret Thatcher passes away at age 87

Former Prime Minister, Baroness Thatcher, has died “peacefully” at the age of 87 after suffering a stroke, her family announced.

The first female Prime Minister, Lady Thatcher’s government privatised several state-owned industries during her term of service from 1979 to 1990. She was also in power when the UK went to war with Argentina over the Falkland Islands in 1982, and resigned when Michael Heseltine launched a challenge of her leadership after the introduction of the poll tax. Ms. Thatcher held peerage as Baroness Thatcher for the rest of her life, wrote two books, and became the first Prime Minister to establish a charitable foundation.

The Queen spoke of her sadness at the death, and in a statement on the Downing Street Twitter feed, Mr Cameron said, “It was with great sadness that l learned of Lady Thatcher’s death. We’ve lost a great leader, a great prime minister and a great Briton.” A Buckingham Palace spokesman said, “The Queen was sad to hear the news of the death of Baroness Thatcher. Her Majesty will be sending a private message of sympathy to the family.” 

London Mayor Boris Johnson also tweeted, “Very sad to hear of death of Baroness Thatcher. Her memory will live long after the world has forgotten the grey suits of today’s politics.”

Whether your Facebook wall is full of praise and eulogies or hate and denigration, we at The Stand, and indeed St Andrews, are greatly saddened at the loss of a groundbreaking Prime Minister and equally as transformative woman.

Image courtesy of bbc.co.uk