Margaret Thatcher: Most Powerful Words by UK's 'Iron Lady'

Asianet News English

Watch the unforgettable moments when Margaret Thatcher, dubbed UK's Iron Lady, shaped history with her powerful words. From defying political foes to leading Britain through turbulent times, her speeches defined her legacy and changed the course of a nation forever.

Transcript

00:00Meet Margaret Thatcher, the Iron Lady who wielded power with her strong will and tough attitude.

00:11As the United Kingdom's first female Prime Minister, she was a powerful leader who never backed down.

00:18A fierce opponent of socialism and government control of the economy,

00:23Thatcher stood for free markets and individual responsibility.

00:28Here are her most iconic speeches, moments when her words showed the heart of her leadership and the challenges she faced.

00:43It is 1980 at the Conservative Party conference.

00:46The economy is struggling and even some in her own party want her to back off her tough policies.

00:53But Margaret Thatcher stands on stage and replies to everyone in no uncertain terms.

01:00A phrase that became her battle cry, showing that she would stay firm no matter the criticism or pressure.

01:08For that favourite media catchphrase, the U-turn, I have only one thing to say.

01:15You turn if you want to.

01:17The ladies not for turning.

01:20Fast forward to 1990.

01:29Thatcher in UK Parliament heatedly rejected a European Union vision that would centralise more power in Brussels.

01:36When the European Commission President outlines plans for a stronger European Parliament and a united federal structure,

01:43she responds sharply with three emphatic no's.

01:47It's her way of pushing back firmly against losing British control to Europe.

01:53Yes, the Commission does want to increase its powers.

01:57Yes, it is a non-elected body and I do not want the Commission to increase its powers against its powers.

02:02So, of course, we are differing.

02:04Of course, the Chairman or the President of the Commission, Mr. Delors, said at press conference the other day

02:10that he wanted the European Parliament to be the democratic body of the community.

02:15He wanted the Commission to be the executive and he wanted the Council of Ministers to be the Senate.

02:20No, no, no.

02:30In a defining moment of a Premiership, Margaret Thatcher delivered many studying declarations

02:36following the United Kingdom's victory in the 1982 Falklands War.

02:41This statement came as Britain celebrated retaking the Falkland Islands from Argentine forces,

02:47symbolising a resurgence of national pride and military resolve.

02:52The victory bolstered her reputation as the Iron Lady.

02:56One's learned throughout this whole Falklands campaign that things tend to take longer than you expect.

03:04The joy set that news and congratulate our forces and the Marine.

03:09It was because the Argentines refused to withdraw from the Falkland Islands.

03:13That didn't surprise me.

03:15I somehow never thought a dictatorship.

03:23Margaret Thatcher's famously dubbed The Mummy Returns speech was delivered

03:28during a Conservative Party rally in Plymouth.

03:31The speech got its nickname because her arrival coincided with the release of the film

03:36The Mummy Returns, which the local cinema advertised on a billboard.

03:40Thatcher playfully referenced this in her remarks.

03:44And it turns out that you were expecting me after all, for the billboards read, The Mummy Returns.

03:54Shortly after winning her first general election and becoming Prime Minister on 4th of May 1979, she arrived at 10 Downing Street.

04:09She was paraphrasing the prayer of Saint Francis in this statement, expressing her commitment to healing divisions,

04:16promoting truth and inspiring confidence during a difficult period for the United Kingdom.

04:22Where there is discord, may we bring harmony.

04:26Where there is error, may we bring truth.

04:29Where there is doubt, may we bring faith.

04:32And where there is despair, may we bring hope.

04:35Despite initially promising to fight on, Thatcher, on 22 November 1990, ultimately decided to resign as party leader and Prime Minister.

04:50In her resignation speech, she defended her economic policies and argued against reducing the rich income at the expense of the poor.

04:59Mr. Speaker, all levels of income are better off than they were in 1979.

05:06But what the Honourable Member is saying is that he would rather the poor were poorer, provided the rich were less rich.

05:16That way you will never create the wealth for better social services as we have.

05:22And what a policy.

05:23Yes, he would rather have the poor poorer, provided the rich were less rich.

05:29That is the liberal policy.

05:31Yes, it came out.

05:32He didn't intend it to, but he did.

05:34I think I must have hit the right nail on the head when I pointed out that the logic of those policies are they'd rather have the poor poorer.

05:42Once they start to talk about the gap, they'd rather the gap was that.

05:49Down here.

05:50That.

05:52Not that.

05:55But that.

05:56So long as the gap is smaller, so long as the gap is smaller, they'd rather have the poor poorer.

06:07You do not create wealth and opportunity that way.

06:11You do not create a poverty-owning democracy that way.

06:15Ladies and gentlemen, we're leaving Downing Street for the last time after 11 and a half wonderful years.

06:26In Yeo'S dank and wine.

06:27We've been playing in genome.

06:28To be open in one field there.

06:31We've seen more than 100 people here in Europe.

06:32You've been making lives every year.

06:36It's been our long time then.

06:38We have been able to be peaceful this past year.

06:41We've been happy.

06:42You've lived in space every year.

06:43You hope to be together in a fusion every year.

06:46You've been grateful.

06:48You've been in space every year, you've been on a pedestal after time for whatever time.

06:51You haven't ever built perhaps a fight to be our goals.

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