Margaret Thatcher: A Controversial Figure

Submitted by Erik on Wed 17/04/13

With ex-Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher's funeral having taken place this morning, student writer Erik gives his view on her life and death and the way he has seen the British respond to her.

"I can not omit a few lines about the Iron Lady...

The death of Margaret Thatcher has brought out so many different reactions.

Sitting on the tube in the morning, her face was looking at me from the front page of the newspapers. Even the fans of One Direction on Twitter were asking whether she was a friend of the band members after seeing their condolence. At least the young have taken notice.

Many people on both sides of the political spectrum consider her the greatest Prime Minister since Winston Churchill. He was also both loved and loathed. But while Churchill was switching between parties according to his political tastes, Thatcher introduced politics of different taste to one party.

No politician can appeal to all- that is one of the truths of the occupation. During Thatcher's time in office, Britain won the Falkland Islands, but wasted lives in the conflict in Northern Ireland. She supported individualism and enabled people to buy their own houses; but on the other hand, they were cut short of milk. She helped to end the communist era, but critics suggest that the foundations for the crisis were laid down at the same time.

Well, definitely the world has lost one of the greatest figures of the 20th century, although she is living on thanks to the controversial reforms and through Meyl Streep in the autobiographical movie.

RIP."

Erik Redli is a university graduate from Slovakia who is currently living in London. Read more posts form his blog here.