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Margaret Thatcher was a research chemist before becoming a barrister was elected Member of Parliament for Finchley in 1959. She was appointed Secretary of State for Education and Science by Edward Heath in 1970. She defeated Heath in the Conservative Party leadership election in 1975. She became Prime Minister after winning the 1979 general election.
By total accident.
The Tory leader Edward Heath was refusing to step down, although everyone wanted him to.
Most of the front-runners thought it would be disloyal to stand against him, so the party had to organise a first ballot, where a single less-known candidate (stalking-horse) would concentrate the anti-Heath vote, just to get him out. Then in the second ballot, the real contenders would stand.
The choice of stalking-horse was Margaret Thatcher, as someone of cabinet rank, but supposedly with no hope of actually getting elected, being a woman.
To the amazement of her campaign team, the backbenchers reported that they thought she might make quite a good party leader in her own right. And in the second ballot, she duly won.
At the next General Election, she had no difficulty beating the mediocre Jim Callahan, leader of a much-discredited Labour Party. And so she became the first woman Prime Minister, to the fury of Labour, who had assumed that this honour would fall to them.
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Who was second Prime Minister after Margaret Thatcher?
George Timotheou
When did Margaret Thatcher rule Britain?
Margaret Thatcher never ruled Britain. She was the prime minister, which is the head of government, not the head of state. The Queen is the head of state in Britain, and was so throughout Margaret Thatcher's time as prime minister. That was from the 4th of May 1979 until the 28th of November 1990.
Was Margaret thatcher the only women prime minister of England?
Yes, she was the First AND Only female Prime Minister.
Where did Margaret Thatcher go to?
The Kesteven and Grantham Girls School (KGGS).
What are names of british prime minister Margaret thatcher's twins?
carol and mark
What country was Margaret Thatcher Prime Minister for?
Margaret Thatcher was prime minister of England. (Great Britain, UK )
Who was a British prime minister with last name Thatcher?
Margaret Thatcher was the Prime Minister of Great Britain.
Who was Prime Minister before John Major?
Margaret Thatcher. She was the first female prime minister in Britain.
Who was the Argentinian leader in the Falklands war?
President Ronald Reagan
How many women prime minister did Britain have?
There has been one female prime minister - Margaret Thatcher.
Who was the first female british prime minister golda meier Margaret thatcher?
Margaret Thatcher.
Is Margaret Thatcher still the Prime Minister?
No. Margaret Thatcher left office in November of 1990.
Who was the last prime Minister not to have wife?
Apart from Margaret Thatcher, Ted Heath.
Which British prime minister was called the Iron Lady?
It was a nickname given to her by a Soviet journalist, and it was because of her tough style as a politician.
Who was the first woman to become prime minister in the U.K?
Margaret Hilda Thatcher was the UK's first woman Prime Minister from 1979 to 1990
Where did Margaret Thatcher become prime minister of the United Kingdom?
In the House of Commons, in Westminster in London.
When did Margaret Thatcher stop being prime minister?
Margaret Thatcher stood down as leader of the Conservative party and Prime minister on the 28th of November 1990.
