Rest in peace Mrs. Thatcher

Like many people in Britain today, I have been following the news about the death of Baroness Thatcher. I wasn't sure if writing a blog post was a good idea but I felt compelled to write something about this extraordinary woman, after all, regardless of your political standing, you can't argue against the fact that she shaped British politics and has had a lasting effect (good and/or bad) on the state of the United Kingdom as we know it today.

 

Growing up in a Conservative constituency and from a family that did benefit from some of her government's policies, I have always had a lot of respect for Mrs. Thatcher. In a political world ran by men she made her voice heard and will go down as one of the most powerful women in modern history. It was only as I became older and started to study politics that I began to see the kinks in her neo-liberalism armour.

It has been over 20 years since Thatcher was in office and yet many people in the UK still have deep wounds and dislike for Britain's first female Prime Minister. Hindsight gives us the ability now to evaluate her politics. What you can't contest with is the democratic process that re-elected her to power during her time as PM, winning a landslide victory in 1983 and a majority in 1987. Whether you liked her or not, the electorate still voted for her, even through the troubled times many British people were facing.

I expect to get a few negative comments about writing this post, however much I have tried to keep it away from discussing political views. I, myself, have mixed opinions but nevertheless I hope that 'The Iron Lady' will be allowed to be laid to rest peacefully. The time for political reflection can come at a later date. A woman, a controversial woman at that has passed away, and her loved ones should be able to say goodbye to her in a dignified way. There will definitely only be one Margaret Thatcher!