Maggie Thatcher: 30 Years On

From the Guardian:

Margaret Thatcher is preparing to mark the 30th anniversary of her ascent to power as Britain's first woman Prime Minister.

For 11 years the grocer's daughter from Grantham held sway in Downing Street in one of the most turbulent eras in recent political history.

It was a period that was marked by momentous events at home and abroad - from the invasion of the Falklands to the fall of the Berlin Wall.

In that time she reshaped the political landscape of Britain in her own image, while dividing opinion like no other premier before her.

To her supporters she was the woman who restored the country to greatness, while her critics said that she sowed conflict, exacting a devastating price in human terms for her reforms.

Her own downfall was equally dramatic - ousted in a Tory Party palace coup.

She left behind her a legacy that continues to permeate British politics to this day.

Also from the Guardian, Andrew Anthony's article "The Iron Lady still casts a long shadow"