Margaret Thatcher
@realmrsthatcher
Followers
21K
Following
9K
Media
1K
Statuses
2K
Britain's 49th Prime Minister - In office 4 May 1979 – 28 November 1990. Soundbites, quotes, and facts from the Iron Lady on issues of the day.
Joined February 2022
What absolute nonsense. Don't most people want to work hard to do better by their own families? To have a better house, better holidays, better furniture? Isn't that a worthwhile thing?. Wouldn't life be very much better if more people took responsibility for their families and
43
322
1K
If the right honourable gentleman is suggesting that we ever get to a position where we cannot return illegal immigrants to their country of origin, then he is proposing international chaos.
583
12K
50K
If the right honourable gentleman is suggesting that we ever get to a position where we cannot return illegal immigrants to their country of origin, then he is proposing international chaos.
831
8K
19K
Wogan: "They don't seem to make any concession to the fact that you're a woman.". Thatcher: "No. Why should they? I don't make any concession to the fact that they're men."😂.
225
3K
18K
Be very wary of high taxes. Any government that has high taxation is giving itself more powers and the people less.
170
3K
10K
I happen to believe that when some criminals go out and do such hideous, cruel crimes, and in particular when they do terrible things to children, I think they have forfeited their own right to life.
140
1K
7K
If you ever get trial by television or guilt by accusation, that day freedom dies.
178
2K
6K
Governments are there to serve the liberties of the people, not to restrict them.
113
1K
5K
I'm not concerned with diplomacy. I'm concerned with fighting terrorism. That is my duty to the people of Britain. That is the duty I uphold.
70
922
5K
When the state does everything for you, it will soon take everything from you. You will then have no basis for personal freedom, political freedom, or economic freedom.
92
1K
4K
Europe will be stronger precisely because it has France as France, Spain as Spain, and Britain as Britain—each with its own customs, traditions and identity. It would be folly to try to fit them into some identikit European personality.
97
1K
4K
Wogan: "They don't seem to make any concession to the fact that you're a woman.". Thatcher: "No. Why should they? I don't make any concession to the fact that they're men."😂.
93
818
4K
Wars are not caused by the build up of weapons. They are caused when an aggressor believes he can achieve his objectives at an acceptable price. The war of 1939 was not caused by an arms race. It sprang from a tyrant's belief that other countries lacked the means and the will to
86
1K
4K
Once you compress incentives from the top-down and say, "It doesn't matter how much you earn I'm going to take the lion's share away," they say, "Alright, I'm no longer going to do the lion's part." Then they stop creating the extra wealth which would benefit both themselves and
152
874
4K
It is a little known fact that Margaret Thatcher also visited AIDS patients at the very hospital Princess Diana attended. There are no pictures, however, as the Prime Minister did not wish to look like she was "trying to upstage her". The below is an excerpt of Thatcher's visit
Princess Diana shook hands with an AIDS patient without gloves in 1991. At the time, this act was groundbreaking because many people didn't fully understand how AIDS was spread. Consequently, those with the disease often had to spend time alone in AIDS wards. Diana visited
84
591
3K
Wogan: "They don't seem to make any concession to the fact that you're a woman.". Thatcher: "No. Why should they? I don't make any concession to the fact that they're men."😂
67
637
3K
Freedom can also be lost little by little, by what the Fabians call the doctrine of gradualness. A little more taxation here, a little more government expenditure there, year after year until the people are no longer the masters of the state but its servants. There are always,
50
859
3K
On 12th October 1984, an assassination attempt was made on Margaret Thatcher and her government by the IRA. Five people were killed and a further 31 were injured. Thatcher narrowly escaped the explosion. Thatcher was greatly lauded for her commitment to ensuring the Conservative
69
570
3K
Britain isn't just another country. We've never been just another country. It was Britain who stood when everyone else surrendered.
78
594
2K
Socialists don't like ordinary people choosing, for they might not choose socialism.
103
835
2K
Let us never forget this fundamental truth: the state has no source of money other than the money people earn themselves. If the state wishes to spend more, it can do so only by borrowing your savings or by taxing you more. And it is no good thinking that someone else will
75
745
2K
Be very wary of high taxes. Any government that has high taxation is giving itself more powers and the people less.
65
755
2K
We've been ruled by men who live by illusions:. —The illusion that you can spend money you haven't earned without eventually going bankrupt or falling into the hands of your creditors; . —The illusion that real jobs can be conjured into existence by government decree like rabbits
32
512
2K
People are really rather afraid that this country might be rather swamped by people with a different culture. And you know, the British character has done so much for democracy, for law and done so much throughout the world that if there is any fear that it might be swamped,
49
488
2K
The 'Falkland Islands' was the first case [postwar] where any country decided that an aggressor should not succeed. It was the first case of upholding international law. And if I might gently remind you, it's probably because of that Argentina has democracy today.
37
219
2K
The one thing about left-wing politicians is they're always fanatical. They never let go. It's their religion. They go on and on.
51
389
2K
I often think of my father when I hear some academics pontificating about how to solve the unemployment problem. I'm tempted to say to them, 'Well, if you find it so easy to solve, why don't you go out and start up a business and employ by your own effort? I will tell you why,
39
411
2K
I looked at the pictures of Mr. Putin trying to look for a trace of humanity. I should have known better.
49
434
1K
Wogan: "They don't seem to make any concession to the fact that you're a woman.". Thatcher: "No. Why should they? I don't make any concession to the fact that they're men." 😂. #InternationalWomensDay
77
401
1K
"To borrow and to borrow and to borrow" is not Macbeth with a heavy cold—it is Labour Party policy.
48
338
1K
We've had the election. We know the result. We warmly congratulate the Prime Minister and his new government. Naturally, I commiserate with John Major and all our candidates who did not win this time. And perhaps I may just remind you that over the last 18 years it was a
71
170
1K
They want a Europe of subsidies; a Europe of socialist restrictions; a Europe of protectionism. They want it because that's how they would like to run—or is it to ruin—this country. Every time we have stood up and fought for Britain and British interests, the frontbench opposite
26
305
1K
Let us be clear: We didn't join Europe to be swallowed up in some bureaucratic conglomerate where it's Euro-this and Euro-that and forget about being British or French or Italian or Spanish. We're British and we're proud of it. Proud of our traditions, proud of our national
28
293
1K
We shall oppose politicians, national or local, who want to interfere in the operational independence of the police. There is no place for politics in policing.
34
393
1K
#OnThisDay in 2013, Britain lost its greatest peacetime prime minister, and the longest-serving since 1827, Margaret Thatcher. "Of course, no human mind, nor indeed any conceivable computer, can calculate the sum total of my career in politics in terms of happiness, achievement
66
203
1K
We didn't vote to go into a European Economic Community in order to give up a large part of our parliamentary sovereignty to a European bureaucracy of non-elected people. Nor did we go into Europe to have a European court tell ours what to do.
42
395
1K
"She was brought down in the end, not by the electorate, but by her colleagues. Not only is it quite remarkable that she won three elections running—someone else has done that since—what was remarkable is that she polled slightly more votes on the occasion of her third victory
33
163
1K
Our first duty to freedom is to defend our own.
49
284
929
I believe in promoting women on straightforward merit, which is what I did. I wouldn't like it myself for anyone to think I reached my job by a quota. I didn't. I got there by merit.
Eight hundred years of the post of Chancellor of the Exchequer. Every one, a man. On July 5 this year, we changed that.
16
170
948
Let us never forget this fundamental truth: the state has no source of money other than the money people earn themselves. It is no good thinking that someone else will pay. That "someone else" is you. There is no such thing as public money, there is only taxpayers' money.
24
357
860
On this day in 1979, Margaret Thatcher became the first female prime minister of the United Kingdom. After her win, on the steps of Downing Street, she famously quoted a prayer attributed to St Francis of Assisi:. "Where there is discord may we bring harmony,.Where there is
38
213
905
Yes, there are some people who want a federal Europe, and they would be prepared to sacrifice a large part of our parliamentary democracy to get it. There is no doubt that the Leader of the Opposition desperately yearns for the approval of those who are federalists, including
61
283
845
The more a family has of its own money to spend, the more independent it is of the state. The more that is taken away from that family by taxation, the more the family are under the heel of the state. And that is where socialism wants them.
31
322
891
#OnThisDay in 1990, Margaret Thatcher announces her resignation as Prime Minister. Later that day, Thatcher gave one of her most memorable performances in the House of Commons. Beith: "Will the Prime Minister tell us whether she intends to continue her personal fight against a
37
193
857
There has come into existence a fashionable view, convenient to many special interest groups, that there is no need to accept the verdict of the majority: that the minority should be quite free to bully, even coerce, to get the verdict reversed. Marxists, of course, always had
27
295
834
When I'm out of politics I'm going to run a business. It will be called 'Rent-A-Spine'.
53
213
789
When you reduce tax you don't necessarily reduce the yield because the incentive itself means that people work harder, get more income, and therefore you get the same tax yield from a greater amount of income although the rates are lower.
25
201
826
"Consensus doesn't give you really any direction in life. It's like mixing all the constituent ingredients together but not necessarily coming out with a cake. I didn't operate on consensus.". "But isn't consensus what democracy is all about?". "No it is not. Democracy is quite
14
241
800
I believe I represent an attitude; an approach. And I believe that approach is borne out by the development of my own life, going to an ordinary state school and having no privileges at all, except perhaps the ones which count most: a good home background with parents who are
25
134
759
Let me give you my vision: . A man's right to work as he will, to spend what he earns, to own property, to have the state as servant and not as master—these are the British inheritance. They are the essence of a free economy, and on that freedom all our other freedoms depend.
15
258
722
A society which puts a higher value on state handouts to its able-bodied citizens than on measures to protect those citizens from internal crime and external threats is one which risks becoming decadent.
14
194
723
They think it's attractive to offer to the young a future wholly controlled by the operation of the socialist state. What is their message? To each his own pigeonhole. From each, total conformity. We utterly reject it.
21
175
767
I came to office with one deliberate intent: to change Britain from a dependent to a self-reliant society—from a give-it-to-me, to a do-it-yourself nation. A get-up-and-go, instead of a sit-back-and-wait-for-it Britain. This means creating a new culture—an enterprise
29
176
747
#OnThisDay in 1984, the IRA attempted to assassinate members of the British government at the Grand Hotel in Brighton. Five people were killed and a further 31 were injured. Margaret Thatcher narrowly escaped the explosion. Thatcher was greatly lauded for her commitment to
25
163
704
It is easier to tell other people what to do about it than it is to sort it out yourself.
21
189
686
Never be bewitched by public opinion polls. They change very quickly. Set out your political principles, explain what you believe and why, the policies which flow from them, and how you're going to implement them.
11
160
687
Private property is vital to freedom. The more industries you have in the hands of government, the more the bureaucrats run things. Bureaucrats on the whole are not good at business, they're not good at industry. They shouldn't have the running of it. The more powers you put
16
184
684
State socialism is not in the character of the British people. It has no place in our traditions. It has no hold on our hearts.
16
144
672
On this day in 1975, Margaret Thatcher becomes leader of the Conservative Party—the first woman to be elected leader of a major British political party. She would remain leader for over 15 years, until her resignation in 1990. "I heard Keith Joseph was not going to run against
23
115
657
Nowadays socialism is often dressed up as environmentalism, feminism, or international concern for human rights. All sound good in the abstract. But scratch the surface and you'll likely discover anti-capitalism, patronising and distorting quotas, and intrusions upon the
20
210
607
"'Tis a good thing to read something before you comment on it usually.". -Margaret Thatcher to Alastair Campbell.@campbellclaret
27
92
604
Tony Blair has won three consecutive terms since. But here's why Thatcher's is more remarkable:. Thatcher .1979 election—13,697,923 votes .1983 election—13,012,316 votes .1987 election—13,760,583 votes . Blair .1997 election—13,518,167 votes .2001 election—10,724,953 votes .2005.
#OnThisDay in 1987, Margaret Thatcher became the first British Prime Minister in 160 years to win three consecutive terms of office. "We have a great deal of work to do, so no one must slack. You can have a marvellous party tonight. but on Monday we've got a big job to do."
29
118
577
When I'm out of politics I'm going to run a business. It will be called 'Rent-A-Spine'.
10
141
594
To be soft on crime is to betray the law-abiding citizen. And to make excuses for the criminal is to offer incentives to dishonesty and violence. Crime flourishes in a culture of excuses. We Conservatives know, even if many sociologists don't, that crime is not a sickness to be
12
150
559
The rule of law must prevail over the rule of the mob.
17
161
534
The trouble with Labour is that they're just not at home with freedom. Socialists don't like ordinary people choosing, for they might not choose socialism. That's why Labour wants the state to take more and more of the decisions. “But that's all changed”, we're told. If you
Watch LIVE: Keir Starmer’s speech on fixing the foundations of our country.
24
215
568
*Interviewer attempts to interrupt Mrs. Thatcher*. "Please let me give the good news because you're always willing to give the bad and you don't chase the good."
26
114
526
Americans and Europeans alike sometimes forget how unique is the United States of America. No other nation has been built upon an idea—the idea of liberty. No other nation has so successfully combined people of different races and nations within a single culture. Whether in
14
160
526
Socialists don't like people to do things for themselves. Socialists like to get people dependent on the state. You will never build a great society that way.
7
156
527
A man's right to work as he will, to spend what he earns, to own property, to have the State as servant and not as master—these are the British inheritance.
8
229
478
Put your savings in your socks and they'd nationalise socks.
15
134
489
If everyone can't have it, no one should have it—that is the communist argument.
7
122
511
There are basically two ways of running any country or political system: . One is socialist communism—all power to the state. The state does the planning and the people have to conform to the plan. The people are the pawns of the state. They have no human rights other than those
14
176
505
What good is the "peace" of Nazism or Communism?. I went down to the Falkland Islands so that they may have peace with liberty, not peace at any price.
9
147
507
Margaret Thatcher talking to a young Justin Trudeau in June 1980 🇨🇦🇬🇧
22
77
504
If you take strong action and it is very different action from what your country has known before. you can only be confident that your action is right if it is founded on strong principles. Mine was founded on the belief that governments are there to serve the liberties of the
11
135
511
You all know full well that if you produce too much of something, its value will fall. That's elementary. Money is just the same. If you print too much of it, its value will fall . It isn't a newfangled theory. It is as essential as the law of gravity.
6
167
489
Yes, we were isolated in the European Community when we tried to get a fair deal for Britain for the budget, and we stayed isolated until we succeeded and got the fair deal which eluded the Labour Government. Yes, we were isolated when we tried to reform the common agricultural
11
115
497
"Lady Thatcher, how would you describe your leadership style?". "Clear. Decisive. Purposeful.". "Aggressive? Confrontational?". "I think where there are times you are defending freedom you have to confront those who are diminishing freedom."
11
134
491
One way to destroy capitalism, said Lenin, was to devalue its currency. Another way is to debase its language. Socialists say “equality.” What they mean is “levelling down”. Socialists say “publicly owned”. What they mean is “state controlled”. Socialists say “government aid”.
9
160
478
"I do like arguing, absolutely flatly contrary to the image. We argue things out and that is the way we come to a conclusion.". "But in the end they should agree with you?". "In the end, we come to the right conclusion."😂
4
78
460
Britain isn't just another country. We've never been just another country. It was Britain who stood when everyone else surrendered.
14
96
468
I cannot forget the Berlin Wall: a grim monument to a cruel and desolate creed—concrete evidence that the Communists know that when people are free to choose, they choose to be free.
9
126
456
Governments do not create the wealth. They consume it. It is the people who create the wealth and they need the incentive of tax cuts to do it.
6
132
450
When principles have to be defended, when good has to be upheld, when evil has to be overcome, then Britain will take up arms.
10
85
446
If politicians or bureaucrats are given power that is unaccountable and unrestrained, they will, in the long run, be as corrupt as they can get away with. That's the best possible argument for limited government—and a pretty good one too against a centralised European superstate.
14
158
458
Hope is such a precious commodity in the world today, but some are tempted to buy it at too high a price. We shall have to resist the muddled arguments of those who have been induced to believe that Russia's intentions are benign and that ours are suspect, or who would have us
18
81
437
Socialists say “equality.” What they mean is “levelling down”. Socialists say “publicly owned”. What they mean is “state controlled”. Socialists say “government aid”. What they mean is “taxpayers' aid”. Socialists say “social justice”. What they mean is “selective justice”.
10
169
436
Democracy is about more than the rule of the majority . It is a recognition and acceptance that everyone has a basic right to freedom and justice; a right which is God-given and not state-given; a right so fundamental that no mere government is entitled to take it away.
9
106
454
Nowadays socialism is often dressed up as environmentalism, feminism, or international concern for human rights. All sound good in the abstract. But scratch the surface and you'll likely discover anti-capitalism, patronising quotas, and intrusions upon the sovereignty of nations.
6
157
420
We're marvellous in Britain. We've saved the world.
21
84
431
We're marvellous in Britain. We've saved the world.
17
100
410
Believe you me, from some of the diktats that have come from the [European] Commission, they are really thirsty for power. They like it. They're non-elected. They can come and make decisions by a simple majority. But this is not for a proud nation. There's nothing old-fashioned
43
146
418
January 10 is known as Margaret Thatcher Day in the Falkland Islands. Situated beside the 1982 Memorial in Stanley is a bronze bust of the Iron Lady with her words:. “They are few in number, but they have the right to live in peace, to choose their own way of life and to
9
82
417
"Someone once asked me have I had my face lifted. I said it hadn't dropped yet.". —Margaret Thatcher, Behind the Scenes Pre-Interview Footage for ITN (1984)
77
59
404
"She never stopped. The working day began at 6am with Farming Today and rarely ended until the last red box was completed at 2am or 3am. Weekends were, in her view, an annoying intrusion to the routine, a problem solved by turning Chequers into a second office. Ceaseless
16
89
414
The character of the British people is unique. It is that which has shaped our institutions. It is that which has made them so valuable. It is that which makes us stand up for liberty more fiercely than any other country in Europe. And we must never submit that character to any
23
109
403
I am just old enough to remember Nazism, and I remember it especially because my father was a rotarian. All of a sudden in 1938, we had a request from someone in Austria who wrote to my father and said, "The Nazis have entered Austria and those of us who happen to be Jewish are
11
144
391
I would have loved to have held Hong Kong island for Britain. It would've been an extra reassurance because people could see then that there would be a comparison between the way we did things and the way mainland China did things. Look at the map. We had no option. There's no
Today marks the 26th anniversary of a very sad day: when the United Kingdom gave away British Hong Kong to China. The return of Hong Kong to China has allowed Beijing to crack down on HK’s freedoms whilst violating its own "one country, two systems” policy.
22
83
386