And what is her legacy after thirty years ago when on May 4th 1979 Iron Lady assumed the office. See few comments.

Questions:

1. How difficult was for Margaret Thatcher to convince Conservative Party she is the real leader? Was the fact she is a woman the real obstacle for her?

2. Was the end of her political career the real end of one era or her legacy is still very visible also today?

George Jones, Emeritus Professor of Government, The London School of Economics and Political Science

1 .She stood against Heath in the leadership election for the Conservative party in 1975, and won, defeating the former prime minister and it was easy when she won the first general election of 1979, and acquired the power of being Prime Minister.Being a woman was an asset to her because of its novelty and because the Conservatives had shown themselves more modern than the other parties in having a woman leader. Her rivals in the Conservative party, typical English gentlemen, also found it difficult to oppose a woman, especially one with determined views.

2. Her legacy lives on. She pioneered two revolutions in British policy: privatisation and markets in both economic life and public services to promote efficiency and consumer choice; and centralisation of power in the prime minister and central government away from democratically-elected local government. Both these policies were carried on by Major and Blair, who have been called Thatcher's children. The question the UK faces today is whether Brown will continue in the Thatcher tradition.

Peter Snowdon, Researcher, The Politics Show at BBC News, Co-Author (with Anthony Sheldon) of the book The Conservative Party: An Illustrated History

1. She had quite a struggle convincing the party that she should become leader. Edward Heath, her predecessor, was skeptical about her chances and could not believe that she would challenge him for the leadership in 1975. There were male colleagues in the party who thought she would be unsuitable, but ultimately her forceful personality and determination won the day. I think she used her feminity as a useful political weapon on occasions.

2. Her style of government came to an end in 1990 as John Major, her successor, was much more consensual. Tony Blair emulated some aspects of her leadership - relying on close advisers, centralizing power to Number 10 Downing Street rather than making full use of the Cabinet and strong media performances. Her political legacy very much lives on. Her government reshaped the economic life of the country and changed the terms of political debate, so much so that a left of centre party had to drastically change itself to win another general election - hence New Labour. She profoundly changed the complexion of the Conservative Party.

Steven Fielding, Professor of Political History, School of Politics and IR, University of Nottingham

1. Thatcher was elected leader of the Conservative party almost by accident when the more obvious contenders to take on Edward Heath in 1975 did not do so, out of loyalty to him. So there were many in her own party who always had profound doubts about having her as their leader even after she won them power in 1979. She certainly found it very hard becoming an MP in the 1950s as most Conservative members had very traditional views which meant they believed women should stay at home! It was really only after the 1982 Falklands war that she won her party’s grudging support – although as soon as things went wrong in the late 1980s they ditched her soon enough! However there still remain a small band of followers who think she saved Britain from ruin.

2. Thatcher claims that her greatest achievement was in forcing the Labour party to abandon its support for state intervention of the economy – and some do think that without her there would have been no New Labour, no Tony Blair. It is certainly true that by the end of the 1980s Britain’s two main parties converged on free market policies. Her electoral success forced Labour to change its policies to those that seemed to be more popular. Now very few politicians in Britain support a strong state in the economy. However while the economy expanded in the 1980s society became much more unequal and that was the breeding ground for poverty and crime in the inner cities. This is something that the New Labour government has done little about – because they have been afraid of raising income taxes, which were massively cut under Thatcher. A more unequal society then is perhaps her most obvious legacy.

Martin Farr, Lecturer in Contemporary British History, School of Historical Studies, University of Newcastle

1. The defining feature of Margaret Thatcher's life and career was good fortune. This is not to suggest that she lacked ability or merit, but that circumstances always transpired to allow her maximum advantage (the circumstances of her fall were due to her, rather than any externalities). The political breakthrough was in 1951 and her marriage to a wealthy businessman, which allowed her the freedom and security to pursue a political career in the first place. She became leader of the party in 1975 partly because no one thought she could win, and her supporters very successfully misled the electors. I think she found being female an advantage, whether through exploiting the natural predilections of an overwhelmingly male community, or through being so clearly distinctive and recognisable.

2. Both. Her style of leadership was no longer suitable, but she changed the landscape of British politics, and subsequent governments have retained the essence of her reforms: the liberalising of the British economy.

Nicholas Randall, Lecturer in British Politics, School of Geography, Politics and Sociology University of Newcastle

1. Being a woman was an obstacle for Margaret Thatcher. The Conservative Party had never had a woman leader prior to her election as party leader in 1975 and had very few female MPs and even fewer in the highest echelons of the party. However, she succeeded by downplaying her feminity. Her strident and determined leadership led many to regard her "as the only man in the Cabinet" i.e. she adopted a very forthright approach when many of her male colleagues advocated compromise.

2. Much of her legacy is visible today. Her programme of privatisation transformed the structure of the British economy. Her government’s economic policies have been largely adopted by her successors, albeit with some modifications. Equally, the more negative impacts endure. Britain became a much more unequal society and many areas of the UK are still struggling to deal with the consequences of deindustrialization which occurred during her premiership.