The former leader, a divisive figure in British politics who served three terms in power, has been paid tribute to today.
“It was right that Parliament was recalled to mark our respects.” said prime minister David Cameron in the opening speech, saying that Thatcher “defined and overcame the challenges of the age.”
“Let this be her epitaph, that she made this country great again.”
Former Liberal Democrat leader Paddy Ashdown said “She was frightened of nothing. She could see the risks but ignored them if she thought she was right.”
Paying respectful tribute, Labour party leader Ed Miliband said “At each stage of her life, she broke the mould.”
However, he did offer some criticism, saying “But it would be dishonest and not in keeping with the principles that Margaret Thatcher stood for, even on this day, not to be open with this House about the strong opinions and the deep divisions there were, and are, over what she did.”
“In mining areas, like the one I represent, communities felt angry and abandoned. Gay and lesbian people felt stigmatised by measures like section 28, which today’s Conservative party has rightly repudiated.
“She made the wrong judgment about Nelson Mandela and about sanctions in South Africa.”
There were calls for Labour MP David Winnick to ‘sit down’ from when he said that Thatcherite policies were “highly damaging” and that they caused “huge pain and suffering among ordinary people.”
Amidst the compliments and cherished memories put forward by many MPs, Labour’s Glenda Jackson opened her speech with a tough and aggressive rant, saying “When I made my maiden speech a little over two decades ago, Margaret Thatcher had been elevated to the other place but Thatcherism was still wreaking, as it had wreaked for the previous decade, the most heinous, social, economic and spiritual damage upon this country, upon my constituency and my constituents.”
The session continues on BBC Parliament live from the House of Commons.
