Margaret Thatcher

Margaret Thatcher (1925-2013) served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990. As the leader of the Conservative Party, she became the first woman to hold the office. Thatcher implemented a series of economic policies known as "Thatcherism," which emphasized deregulation, privatization of state-owned companies, and reducing the power and influence of trade unions. Key accomplishments include the Falklands War victory in 1982, which bolstered national pride, and the introduction of the Right to Buy scheme, allowing council house tenants to purchase their homes. Her tenure also saw significant tax reforms and the curtailment of inflation. Thatcher's tenure ended in 1990 after a leadership challenge within her party.