Thatcher, Margaret (ON HOLD)

Description

Autograph ID: 7060
Condition: Very good
Description: “Margaret (“Maggie”) Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, (1925-2013) was a British stateswoman, UK PM 1979-2000, led the Conservative Party 1975-90. She was the longest-serving 20th century British Prime Minister, 1st woman to hold that office. A Soviet journalist dubbed her “The Iron Lady” which became associated with her uncompromising politics and leadership style. As Prime Minister, she implemented policies known as Thatcherism. She worked briefly as a research chemist before becoming a barrister, and was elected MP for Finchley in 1959. PM Heath appointed her Secretary of State for Education and Science and, in 1975, Thatcher defeated Heath to become Leader of the Opposition, 1st woman to lead a major UK political party. She became Prime Minister after winning the 1979 general election. She introduced a series of economic policies intended to reverse high unemployment and Britain’s struggles in the wake of the “Winter of Discontent” and an ongoing recession. Her political philosophy and economic policies emphasized deregulation (particularly of the financial sector), flexible labor markets, the privatization of state-owned companies, and reducing the power and influence of trade unions. Thatcher became closely aligned with President Reagan’s Cold War policies based on their shared distrust of Communism. Her popularity in her first years in office waned amid recession and rising unemployment, until victory in the 1982 Falklands War and the recovering economy brought a resurgence of support, resulting in her decisive 1983 re-election. She survived an assassination attempt in the 1984 Brighton hotel bombing. Thatcher was re-elected for a 3rd term in 1987 but her subsequent support for the Community Charge (“poll tax”) was widely unpopular, and her views on the European Community were not shared by others in her Cabinet. After the two-year negotiations, Thatcher conceded to the PRC government and signed the Sino-British Joint Declaration in Beijing in 1984, agreeing to hand over Hong Kong’s sovereignty in 1997. She resigned as PM and party leader November 1990, after a challenge to her leadership. After holding an audience with the Queen, calling other world leaders, and making a final Commons speech, on Nov. 28 she left Downing Street in tears and reportedly regarded her ousting as a betrayal. She was replaced as Prime Minister and party leader by Chancellor John Major. Thatcher returned as a constituency parliamentarian after leaving the premiership and retired from the House at the 1992 general election. After retiring from the Commons in 1992, she wrote her memoirs and commented on global issues. She was given a life peerage as Baroness Thatcher of Kesteven in the County of Lincolnshire) which entitled her to sit in the House of Lords. On 11 June 2004, Thatcher (against doctor’s orders) attended the state funeral for her friend Ronald Reagan and delivered her eulogy via videotape pre-recorded several months earlier. She flew to California with the Reagan entourage, and attended the memorial service and interment ceremony at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. In 2006, Thatcher attended the official Washington memorial service to commemorate the 5th anniversary of the September 11 attacks. In February 2007, she became the 1st living British PM to be honored with a statue in the Houses of Parliament, opposite that of her political hero, Sir Winston Churchill. The Queen and Prince Philip attended funerals for only 2 PMs: hers and Churchill’s. Although a controversial figure in British politics, she is nonetheless viewed favorably in historical rankings of British PMs. Her tenure constituted a re-alignment towards neoliberal policies in the UK and debate over Thatcherism still continues.

5 x 7 handsome Isle of Mann Post Office postmarked official First Day of Issue cacheted envelope with 4 stamps picturing Thatcher’s hero, Sir Winston Churchill, signed by her. With portrait for matting and framing.”
Type: First Day Cover