by Reta Robinson
Why we should care This Iron Lady of British politics was the first and only female prime minister of the land of tea and scones. As PM from 1979 – 1990, she lobbied for environmental issues, allied herself with the US in the cold war, and survived an IRA bombing in Brighton because she waited her turn for the loo. Talk of her tenure still incites controversy today. Her achievements put our Kim Campbell to shame.


For her biopic we’d cast a more serious Susan Sarandon

Two traits we admire Ruthlessness – She earned the nickname “Thatcher, Thatcher, Milk Snatcher” after she recalled the free milk programme in elementary schools. Pluckiness – She had the balls to preside over the old boys’ club of British politics and earned her other nickname, “Attila the Hen”.

What high school textbooks didn’t say Before she devoted her life to politics, she studied chemistry at Oxford, specializing in crystallography (which just sounds cool), and later worked for a company attempting to come up with new ways of keeping ice cream cold.

Style best described as Powersuit business chic with a twist of WASP. Never go anywhere without your brooch pinned to your lapel, a necklace and earrings (preferably pearls) and your hair perfectly coiffed.

How she’s celebrated She was made a life peer and sits in the House of Lords as Baroness Thatcher. She also earned the exclusive Order of the Garter, the UK’s highest order of chivalry.