Hilda buys the farm.

[Pannonian]

Excellent point about Thacter's legacy versus Reagan's:

The [...] difference between Thatcher and Reagan is that the Tories haven't gone mad and made Thatcher look like a milquetoast moderate. In this sense her legacy has been more durable than Reagan's. She re-centered British politics to a place where it's more or less stayed, while today's American right has completely left Reagan in the dust.

The greatest of the post-WWII British politicians in terms of influence on the zeitgeist. Whether or not one agrees with her politics (and I don't), she has unarguably repositioned British politics so that every modern British politician peddles varying versions of her politics. Before Thatcher, there were still Tories and Socialists. These no longer exist in any meaningful number, and in their place are varying colours of Thatcherites.

[Major Robert Dump]

I wasn't alive back then, so I have no opinion

[Pannonian]

I wasn't alive back then, so I have no opinion

If you've heard any of Blair's speeches aimed at the British electorate, that's the Thatcherite influence to a tee. All the catchwords for freedom to, right to, etc. Americans probably take all that for granted from their founders and their lyrical odes to liberty. However, in Britain liberty was more of an understanding, and it was Thatcher who put them to words and formed an ideology and policies to suit. What opponents dislike is the side effects of those policies, but with the mainstream well and truly taken over by Thatcherite politics, there is no political language that both addresses these issues and is electable.

"If Margaret Thatcher is re-elected as prime minister on Thursday, I warn you. I warn you that you will have pain – when healing and relief depend upon payment. I warn you that you will have ignorance – when talents are untended and wits are wasted, when learning is a privilege and not a right. I warn you that you will have poverty – when pensions slip and benefits are whittled away by a government that won’t pay in an economy that can't pay. I warn you that you will be cold – when fuel charges are used as a tax system that the rich don't notice and the poor can't afford.

I warn you that you must not expect work – when many cannot spend, more will not be able to earn. When they don't earn, they don't spend. When they don't spend, work dies. I warn you not to go into the streets alone after dark or into the streets in large crowds of protest in the light. I warn you that you will be quiet – when the curfew of fear and the gibbet of unemployment make you obedient. I warn you that you will have defence of a sort – with a risk and at a price that passes all understanding. I warn you that you will be home-bound – when fares and transport bills kill leisure and lock you up. I warn you that you will borrow less – when credit, loans, mortgages and easy payments are refused to people on your melting income.

If Margaret Thatcher wins on Thursday, I warn you not to be ordinary. I warn you not to be young. I warn you not to fall ill. I warn you not to get old."

A magnificent speech from the hugely underrated orator-politician Neil Kinnock, and the prophecies have largely been proven true as the side effects of Thatcher's policies. There's no chance of anyone giving that speech ever getting into a position of power though. That is the legacy of Margaret Thatcher.

[Papewaio]

Thatcher was an interesting, strong, smart conservative.

Her time as Prime Minister was at the peak of the Cold War, massive UK privitisation, Falklands War, The Troubles and many more complex issues.

UK isn't Portugal, Italy, Greece or Spain. Part of that is the market reforms made under her stewardship.

Whilst not all her policies were popular or well received. At least she appeared to deliver them from a consistent belief system and was fairly transparent about it. Sure it wasn't a popular, mud slinging backstabbing we hold in such high regard of today's politicians. But it was a quaint time and her policies had all the transparency of a Croquet mallet to the family jewels.

[HopAlongBunny]

R.I.P.

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

I think she did a lot of damage, and a lot of good.

Those dancing on her grave are doing something inherently evil, rejoicing in the death of another human being. Thatcher was not a terrible person, not even remotely close.

RIP

[InsaneApache]

A magnificent speech from the hugely underrated orator-politician Neil Kinnock, and the prophecies have largely been proven true as the side effects of Thatcher's policies. There's no chance of anyone giving that speech ever getting into a position of power though. That is the legacy of Margaret Thatcher.

Oh is that the guy who was opposed to the EU. Until he and his wife earned millions (our taxes BTW) and then found an epiphany as a die hard EU supporter. Traitor.

Whilst not all her policies were popular or well received. At least she appeared to deliver them from a consistent belief system and was fairly transparent about it. Sure it wasn't a popular, mud slinging backstabbing we hold in such high regard of today's politicians. But it was a quaint time and her policies had all the transparency of a Croquet mallet to the family jewels.

Election after election she increased her popular vote. Unlike Blair.

[LittleGrizzly]

I think she did a lot of damage, and a lot of good.

Those dancing on her grave are doing something inherently evil, rejoicing in the death of another human being. Thatcher was not a terrible person, not even remotely close.

RIP

For me it is just the same as those who celebrate the deaths of other people that they might not like.

I am not equating them but many celebrated when Saddam and Osama died.

RIP and my thoughts to her friends and family.