Margaret Thatcher

At-a-Glance

Served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990, becoming the longest-serving British prime minister of the 20th century and the first woman to hold the office.
Led the Conservative Party from 1975 to 1990, securing landslide general election victories in 1983 and 1987.
Implemented economic policies known as Thatcherism, focusing on privatisation of state-owned companies and deregulation of UK financial markets (Big Bang).
Oversaw victory in the 1982 Falklands War.
Studied chemistry at Somerville College, Oxford, and worked as a research chemist before becoming a barrister.

Biography

Margaret Hilda Thatcher (née Roberts) was a British stateswoman who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990 and Leader of the Conservative Party from 1975 to 1990. She was the longest-serving British prime minister of the 20th century and the first woman to hold the office. A Soviet journalist famously dubbed her the "Iron Lady" due to her uncompromising politics and leadership style.