I was surprised to hear of her death because although at her age, she wasn't in the best of health, there wasn't any signs anywhere that she would pass away today.
I won't applaud her death because love her or otherwise hate her, the death of a person is always sad news. Apart from being a politician, she was also a mum, a wife and like all of us, she would have had hopes an aspirations for herself and her family like we all do. That said, in her instance, she achieved levels of greatness on a political level that most people can only dream about.
As for the Falklands, I have to concede that I cant envisage any other politician of her era that would have taken the gamble that Op Corporate undoubtedly was, and quite honestly before the HMS Sheffield I don't think the country was behind her, after that it was without doubt a case of "well that's it, brits have died, no going back now"
I do applaud her achievements in becoming Prime Minister and whether you agree or otherwise with her policies and her legacy, she changed the country immeasurably. She was a class act and a hard one to follow, something that all those who have followed in her footsteps into No 10 have probably never quite managed to emulate to the degree that she did.
Personally I didn't agree with many of her policies, but I can recognize a person of great charisma, great courage, determination, and a political presence head and shoulders above any other politician of my lifetimes. Had she shared my political views she would have been a saint, but that doesn't stop me recognizing that she was instrumental in profound change in this country, a true conviction politician (of which we need far more on both sides of the house)
If the Labour Party had a Margaret Thatcher like leader, who knows what the political landscape might look like in Britain now?
My thoughts are with her family and friends on this very sad day for them.
