Former British prime ministers on both sides of the political divide paid tribute to Margaret Thatcher’s grit and determination following her death on Monday.
John Major, Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, Britain’s remaining living former premiers, said their predecessor was a “towering” leader of rock-solid conviction.
Meanwhile former political opponents, whom Thatcher spent her 1979-1990 premiership bashing, also paid tribute.
And the Falkland Islands, liberated by a British task force sent by Thatcher following the 1982 Argentine invasion, said they would always be grateful for her determined stance.
Major, who took over as prime minister following Thatcher’s resignation in 1990, was backed by her for the Conservative Party leadership but struggled to get over her off-the-cuff comment that she would be a good “backseat driver” during his premiership.
“In government, the UK was turned around under — and in large measure because of — her leadership,” Major said.
“Her reforms of the economy, trades union law, and her recovery of the Falkland Islands elevated her above normal politics, and may not have been achieved under any other leader.”
Labour premier Tony Blair, who defeated Major at the 1997 general election, said he had often called on Thatcher’s support and experience while in office, despite the political divide.
“Margaret Thatcher was a towering political figure,” he said.
“Her global impact was vast.”
He added: “Even if you disagreed with her as I did on certain issues and occasionally strongly, you could not disrespect her character or her contribution to Britain’s national life.”
Gordon Brown, Labour prime minister from 2007 to 2010, welcomed her back to Downing Street during his term in office, hailing her as a “conviction politician”, which upset grass-roots Labour supporters at the time.
“Even those who disagreed with her never doubted the strength of her convictions and her unwavering belief in Britain’s destiny in the world,” he said.
Many in Britain consider Thatcher’s decision to send a military task force to liberate the Falkland Islands following the 1982 Argentine invasion as her finest hour.
“She will be forever remembered in the islands for her decisiveness in sending a task force to liberate our home following the Argentine invasion in 1982,” said Mike Summers, on behalf of the islands’ legislative assembly.
“Her friendship and support will be sorely missed, and we will always be thankful for all that she did for us.”
Thatcher spent much of the 1980s battling Labour leader Neil Kinnock in often heated twice-weekly exchanges in parliament. She led the Conservatives to a third straight general election win over Kinnock’s Labour in 1987.
“I recognise and admire the great distinction of Baroness Thatcher as the first woman to become leader of a major UK political party and prime minister,” Kinnock said.
Gerry Adams, the president of Sinn Fein — the political wing of the Irish Republican Army which tried to assassinate Thatcher in a deadly 1984 bomb attack — said her Irish policy “failed miserably”.
“Margaret Thatcher will be especially remembered for her shameful role during the epic (Irish republican) hunger strikes of 1980 and 81,” he said.
“Her espousal of old draconian militaristic policies prolonged the war and caused great suffering.”
Former British PMs hail Thatcher
