Dear Mrs Thatcher...

It’s not like me to be a political commentator really. I like to focus on much lighter,more simple subjects like children’s television, Christmas and snow. But on the passing of such an iconic figure in British and political history, I thought I’d have my ‘two-penneth’ - as my Uncle Bill would have said - about Margaret Thatcher.

I genuinely don’t have a political persuasion. I’ve always taken my right to vote, as I wouldn’t like to think of Emily Pankhurst and all her ankle-flashing pals tying themselves to railings for nothing. But I will vote on the policies and ideals of a party, and the character of their leader (bad news for Mr Milliband.)

I’m more than happy to tell you, I’ve voted three times (yes, I’m that young) and twice opted for the Red lot, most recently turning to the Blue persuasion. Living in a mining town, I whole heartedly now expect to find a load of eggs thrown at my door and a bag of coal left under my Nordman Spruce this Christmas. 

Despite austere times, I pretty much stand by my decision for the minute, as for me and my family, I can’t complain. I’m however rather fickle and could easily be swayed down the red or even yellow brick road by a cut in Corporation Tax or an end to Stamp Duty and a huge cash injection to the NHS – providing said manifesto was delivered by someone with slightly more gumption than a cabbage.

So when I heard the news of Margaret Thatcher’s death, I wasn’t in the celebratory Prescott-Scargill camp, and I wasn’t on the ‘she was a wonderful woman’ bandwagon either. I was simply sad. 

I wasn’t necessarily sad for the fact that she had died. Of course it is a sad occasion when anyone dies, but when you reach the age of 87, you have lived a long life, achieved a great deal, and when you move on to wherever you believe you’re going, your life should be celebrated.

I was sad for her family. Even before I saw the news on her death, I had already seen horrendous and disrespectful comments from, to be honest, people I thought better of. 

I understand that as a Prime Minister she polarised opinion. But she wasn’t a murderer, she didn’t abuse children, she never stole or attacked anyone, she wasn’t a terrorist or a dictator. Whatever her professional and political choices, views, decisions or actions, she was a mother. She was a grandmother, a sister, someone’s wife, a friend and a respected colleague to many. In essence, she was loved in life, and her memory and those who remember her, deserve respect and to be given time to grieve.

She will be remembered by many for shutting down the mines, for the Falklands War, as the ‘Iron Lady’ who set up the Community Charge (poll tax), and the one who narrowly escaped assassination at the hands of the IRA.

I’m not old enough to understand the intricacies of what happened during Thatcher’s Government, but I do know that she was the longest serving Prime Minister in the 20th Century – so someone liked her, because plenty of people kept voting for her.

I also know that she was a woman in a man’s world. She was a strong character, equaled the intellect and political standing of each man around her, and still managed to be the wife, mother and grandmother that her family will remember. 

I was speaking to a woman just last week who I’m writing a story on, and during our chat she mentioned how inspired she was by Margaret Thatcher. 

She works in the automotive industry, and started her career working as a mechanic for a race team. She has spent 16 years working in a man’s world – which I think it is safe to say, the automotive industry is – and told me very honestly that “it’s been bloody hard work at times”. 

She has had many situations where just her presence in a workshop has been questioned. She was even once offered a job as a secretary during an interview for a senior mechanic’s role – just because she was the only woman there.

Many people would have given up and taken that secretary’s job. But she told me that during the most difficult of situations, when sexual harassment was ‘par for the course’ and her opinion was often ignored by her colleagues, she would think of women like Thatcher - “if she could do it. I can.”

Anyone that knows me well, will know I’m the last person to champion feminism, or any bra-burning, Germaine Greer activity of any kind. But I have to say I agree with this statement wholeheartedly, and will do my best to instill that attitude in my daughter – as soon as we’ve got over the learning to eat without throwing it across the room bit!

I don’t regard anyone I work with as men and women – well I do obviously in the sense that some have boobs and some don’t – but I’ll respect anyone’s opinion, whether they be man, woman, dog or Forest fan. 

I think there’s still the attitude in management that if a woman is tough, hard-working, effective and focused, that she’s a bit of a bitch, or has no time for her family. When your equivalent man would undoubtedly be a hard-ass, business tycoon, with that ‘no messing’ sort of attitude that everyone respects. 

For me personally, Thatcher’s legacy will be the example she set for strong women, and if we look around us today, in the past 20 years we have seen more and more women standing out in business and politics. Of course they will have to ignore the ‘bitch’ comments for now, but let’s hope in time this perception will change.

Mrs T. She will be remembered, in whatever way. We all have the right to love her, hate her, or be indifferent. I think she’d be pleased to know she was the talking point in every workplace, pub and on every sofa across the country for one final time – whatever you were saying about her. 

I just hope that when her family remember her tomorrow, that the country will allow them that privilege.

See you Mags, give Denis our best.