FX.co ★ Margaret Thatcher: 90th anniversary

October 13 marks 90 years since the birth of Margaret Thatcher, the first female prime minister of Great Britain. In Russia she is known as the "Iron Lady". She was dubbed the Iron Lady by a Soviet newspaper Red Star following a speech she gave in 1976—a nickname that she proudly claimed. This characteristic took root both in the Thatcher's homeland, and all over the world. She was also called "the only man in the British cabinet" and "the strongest man in NATO".

Margaret Thatcher began to engage in politics from the university bench. She was elected president of the student Conservative Association at Oxford in 1946 and met many prominent politicians. During this period, her political convictions were formed.

Photo: Margaret Thatcher during her visit to Herford (Germany), where the British Rhine Army was stationed, January 1976.

The United Kingdom general election of 1979 was held on May 3, 1979 and is considered as a pivotal point in the 20th century British politics. The Conservatives under Margaret Thatcher defeated James Callaghan's incumbent Labor government in the first of four consecutive general election victories for the Conservative Party, receiving 339 seats in the House of Commons from 635 possible.

Photo: Margaret Thatcher in Strasbourg, June 1979.

The political program of Margaret Thatcher included:

- Reduction of the state apparatus;

- Reduction of government spendings on construction and social services, except medicine;

- Freedom of entreprise and minimal state participation in the economy;

- Global privatization.

Subsequently, her policy was called "Thatcherism."

Photo: Margaret Thatcher at the European Community summit, April 27, 1980.

Following the results of the 1987 elections, Margaret Thatcher for the first time in the history of the present Great Britain remained at the helm of the country for the third term.

Photo: Margaret Thatcher with Queen Elizabeth II at the residence of British Prime Ministers.

In 1984, a group of politicians from the USSR was invited to London. It is noted that Margaret Thatcher met them very cordially. Among the high-ranking officials was Mikhail Gorbachev, the future General Secretary of the Soviet Union. Subsequently, Thatcher spoke well of him.

Leaving the chair of the prime minister, Margaret Thatcher spent two years at the head of the House of Commons.

Photo: Margaret Thatcher with fishermen from the village of Padstow, Cornwall.

In 1992, Margaret Thatcher left parliament to be able to freely express her opinion on various issues.

Photo: British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher sits in the cockpit in her Royal Air Force VE-10 aircraft during a flight to Hong Kong from Beijing on December 20, 1984.

David Cameron: "Margaret Thatcher succeeded against all the odds, and the real thing about Margaret Thatcher is that she didn't just lead our country, she saved our country, and I believe she will go down as the greatest British peacetime prime minister."

After her forced resignation in 1990, she was asked what she had changed as leader of the country, and she answered: "Everything."

Margaret Thatcher died on April 8, 2013 in old age. She was honored at a ceremonial funeral in St Paul's Cathedral nine days later.