In recent days, the sparks of passionate debate instantly re-ignited by the death of Margaret Thatcher have brought its own reminder of a divided Britain. The state and political eulogies, set against the extensive ‘death celebrations’, place Britain’s first woman prime minister firmly in two camps: Political Marmite and Political Dynamite.
Around the world the coverage is less inflamed. Margaret Thatcher is hailed as a pioneer for women and politics, but she was also a break-through figure in terms of modern political communications. Together with her advisors Tim Bell and Bernard Ingham, Maggie Thatcher became a political PR explorer presenting a carefully honed image and carefully woven – some might say spun – campaigns and broadcasts. She used political rhetoric to reshape attitudes. She used PR stunts to win elections, helped hugely by a right wing dominated UK press. She conveyed in simple images and idiom what she believed and she was not afraid to meet her combatants head on.
So, was Thatcher an ‘Iron Lady’ who rescued the UK and modernised its economy, or an elitist who repressed the working classes and crippled British industry? The debate will rage on throughout history and there can be no conclusive answer. What is clear is that twenty years after Margaret Thatcher ceased to be prime minister her most famous phrases are still remembered, repeated and utilised by her own generation and those that follow: If you want something said, ask a man. If you want something done, ask a woman.
The Guardian described the 87-year-old as “the most dominant British prime minister since Winston Churchill in 1940”. With the upcoming County Council elections taking place across the UK on Thursday 2 May 2013, perhaps the real question is who’s next? But candidates should remember one vital lesson about Maggie’s success. Love her or loathe her, the public absolutely knew what they were voting for – or against!
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