Former Prime Minister of U K Margaret Thatcher Turns 87(Oct 13,1925 - Oct 13,2012)

Former Conservative Prime Minister of U K Margaret Thatcher turns 87 today Oct 13,2012.

Margaret Thatcher was the longest serving PM of U K(1979–1990) and the only woman ever to have held the post.
Margaret Thatcher was nicknamed the '' Iron Lady '' for her uncompromising politics and leadership style

 First Term(1979-83)

 

Margaret Thatcher(Conservative Party) became the PM of U K after winning the 1979 UK General Election defeating James Callaghan(Labour Party)the incumbent getting 339 seats against Labour Party's 269 seats out of the total 635 seats in the House of Commons.
Second Term(1983-87)

 

Margaret Thatcher's popularity during her first years in office waned amid recession and high unemployment, until economic recovery and the 1982 Falklands War brought a resurgence of support, resulting in her re-election in 1983 .In the 1983 UK General Election,Margaret Thatcher's Conservative Party got 397 seats against the Michael Foot's Labour Party's 209 seats out of the total 650 seats  in the House of Commons.
Third Term(1987-90) 

 

The election was the third consecutive election victory for the Conservative Party  under the leadership of Margaret Thatcher who became the first Prime Minister since the 2nd Earl of Liverpool  in 1820 to lead a party into three successive election victories.
The Conservatives were returned to government which got 376 seats(suffered a net loss of only 21 seats over the previous term winning tally of 397 seats)and Labour Party won 229 seats out of the total 650 seats  in the House of Commons.

Challenges to Margaret Thatcher's Leadership

Margaret Thatcher was challenged for the leadership of the Conservative Party by the little-known backbench MP Sir Anthony Meyer  in the 1989 Leadership Election held on Dec 05, 1989.  

 

Of the 374 Conservative MPs eligible to vote 314 voted for Thatcher and 33 for Sir Anthony Meyer.

On Nov 01, 1990 Geoffrey Howe,the last remaining member of Thatcher's original 1979 cabinet, resigned from his position as Deputy Prime Minister over her refusal to agree to a timetable for Britain to join the European single currency.

 

 

The next day, Michael Heseltine mounted a challenge for the leadership of the Conservative Party.Opinion polls had indicated that he would give the Conservatives a national lead over Labour.Although Thatcher won the first ballot, Heseltine attracted sufficient support (152 votes) to force a second ballot .Margaret Thatcher initially stated that she intended to "fight on and fight to win" the second ballot, but consultation with her Cabinet persuaded her to withdraw.

After seeing the Queen, calling other world leaders, and making one final Commons speech, she left Downing Street in tears. She regarded her ousting as a betrayal.Margaret Thatcher was replaced as Prime Minister and party leader by John Major.

 

 Margaret Thatcher's Retirement
Margaret Thatcher retired from the House at the 1992 election, aged 66, saying that leaving the Commons would allow her more freedom to speak her mind.