1979 : MARGARET THATCHER SWORN IN:
Margaret Thatcher, leader of the Conservative Party, is sworn in as
Britain's first female prime minister. The Oxford-educated chemist and
lawyer was sworn in the day after the Conservatives won a 44-seat
majority in general parliamentary elections.
Margaret Hilda Roberts was born in Grantham, England, in 1925. She was
the first woman president of the Oxford University Conservative
Association and in 1950 ran for Parliament in Dartford. She was
defeated but garnered an impressive number of votes in the generally
liberal district. In 1959, after marrying businessman Denis Thatcher
and giving birth to twins, she was elected to Parliament as a
Conservative for Finchley, a north London district. During the 1960s,
she rose rapidly in the ranks of the Conservative Party and in 1967
joined the shadow cabinet sitting in opposition to Harold Wilson's
ruling Labour cabinet. With the victory of the Conservative Party
under Edward Health in 1970, Thatcher became secretary of state for
education and science.
In 1974, the Labour Party returned to power, and Thatcher served as
joint shadow chancellor before replacing Edward Health as the leader
of the Conservative Party in February 1975. She was the first woman to
head the Conservatives. Under her leadership, the Conservative Party
shifted further right in its politics, calling for privatization of
national industries and utilities and promising a resolute defense of
Britain's interests abroad. She also sharply criticized Prime Minister
James Callaghan's ineffectual handling of the chaotic labor strikes of
1978 and 1979.
In March 1979, Callaghan was defeated by a vote of no confidence, and
on May 3 a general election gave Thatcher's Conservatives a majority
in Parliament. Sworn in the next day, Prime Minister Thatcher
immediately set about dismantling socialism in Britain. She privatized
numerous industries, cutback government expenditures, and gradually
reduced the rights of trade unions. In 1983, despite the worst
unemployment figures for half a decade, Thatcher was reelected to a
second term, thanks largely to the decisive British victory in the
1982 Falklands War with Argentina.
In other foreign affairs, the "Iron Lady" presided over the orderly
establishment of an independent Zimbabwe (formerly Rhodesia) in 1980
and took a hard stance against Irish separatists in Northern Ireland.
In October 1984, an Irish Republican Army (IRA) bomb exploded at the
Conservative Party conference in Brighton. The prime minister narrowly
escaped harm.
In 1987, an upswing in the economy led to her election to a third
term, but Thatcher soon alienated some members of her own party
because of her poll-tax policies and opposition to further British
integration into the European Community. In November 1990, she failed
to received a majority in the Conservative Party's annual vote for
selection of a leader. She withdrew her nomination, and John Major,
the chancellor of the Exchequer since 1989, was chosen as Conservative
leader. On November 28, Thatcher resigned as prime minister and was
succeeded by Major. Thatcher's three consecutive terms in office
marked the longest continuous tenure of a British prime minister since
1827. In 1992, she was made a baroness and took a seat in the House of
Lords.
In later years, Thatcher has worked as a consultant, served as the
chancellor of the College of William and Mary and written her memoirs,
as well as other books on politics. She continues to work with the
Thatcher Foundation, which she created to foster the ideals of
democracy, free trade and cooperation among nations.
history.com/tdih.do
1886 : The Haymarket Square Riot
history.com/tdih.do?action=tdihArticleCategory&id=4972
1970 : Natl. Guard kills four at Kent State
history.com/tdih.do?action=tdihArticleCategory&id=4973
########################################
Britain's first female prime minister. The Oxford-educated chemist and
lawyer was sworn in the day after the Conservatives won a 44-seat
majority in general parliamentary elections.
Margaret Hilda Roberts was born in Grantham, England, in 1925. She was
the first woman president of the Oxford University Conservative
Association and in 1950 ran for Parliament in Dartford. She was
defeated but garnered an impressive number of votes in the generally
liberal district. In 1959, after marrying businessman Denis Thatcher
and giving birth to twins, she was elected to Parliament as a
Conservative for Finchley, a north London district. During the 1960s,
she rose rapidly in the ranks of the Conservative Party and in 1967
joined the shadow cabinet sitting in opposition to Harold Wilson's
ruling Labour cabinet. With the victory of the Conservative Party
under Edward Health in 1970, Thatcher became secretary of state for
education and science.
In 1974, the Labour Party returned to power, and Thatcher served as
joint shadow chancellor before replacing Edward Health as the leader
of the Conservative Party in February 1975. She was the first woman to
head the Conservatives. Under her leadership, the Conservative Party
shifted further right in its politics, calling for privatization of
national industries and utilities and promising a resolute defense of
Britain's interests abroad. She also sharply criticized Prime Minister
James Callaghan's ineffectual handling of the chaotic labor strikes of
1978 and 1979.
In March 1979, Callaghan was defeated by a vote of no confidence, and
on May 3 a general election gave Thatcher's Conservatives a majority
in Parliament. Sworn in the next day, Prime Minister Thatcher
immediately set about dismantling socialism in Britain. She privatized
numerous industries, cutback government expenditures, and gradually
reduced the rights of trade unions. In 1983, despite the worst
unemployment figures for half a decade, Thatcher was reelected to a
second term, thanks largely to the decisive British victory in the
1982 Falklands War with Argentina.
In other foreign affairs, the "Iron Lady" presided over the orderly
establishment of an independent Zimbabwe (formerly Rhodesia) in 1980
and took a hard stance against Irish separatists in Northern Ireland.
In October 1984, an Irish Republican Army (IRA) bomb exploded at the
Conservative Party conference in Brighton. The prime minister narrowly
escaped harm.
In 1987, an upswing in the economy led to her election to a third
term, but Thatcher soon alienated some members of her own party
because of her poll-tax policies and opposition to further British
integration into the European Community. In November 1990, she failed
to received a majority in the Conservative Party's annual vote for
selection of a leader. She withdrew her nomination, and John Major,
the chancellor of the Exchequer since 1989, was chosen as Conservative
leader. On November 28, Thatcher resigned as prime minister and was
succeeded by Major. Thatcher's three consecutive terms in office
marked the longest continuous tenure of a British prime minister since
1827. In 1992, she was made a baroness and took a seat in the House of
Lords.
In later years, Thatcher has worked as a consultant, served as the
chancellor of the College of William and Mary and written her memoirs,
as well as other books on politics. She continues to work with the
Thatcher Foundation, which she created to foster the ideals of
democracy, free trade and cooperation among nations.
history.com/tdih.do
1886 : The Haymarket Square Riot
history.com/tdih.do?action=tdihArticleCategory&id=4972
1970 : Natl. Guard kills four at Kent State
history.com/tdih.do?action=tdihArticleCategory&id=4973
########################################
No comments:
Post a Comment