Get off the bandwagon.

Upon hearing of the death of Margaret Thatcher on Monday, I vowed I wouldn't be one to jump on the bandwagon, nor would I even dignify some of the twitter rants I witnessed with a response, but quite honestly, such a stage of controversy is simply a writer's paradise. 

I am not a politician nor was I alive during the years of Margaret Thatcher, but I am human, and I was both touched by the death of an iconic British figure, and disgusted by the lack of respect shown. 

There have been street parties celebrating her death. 

There have been nasty internet rants by mere children just jumping on the bandwagon. 

Many MPs have kicked out against the ceremonial funeral planned for her.

Judy Garland's Ding Dong the Witch is dead is at number two in the UK singles charts. 

 

I'm sorry, but could the British public be any more childish? 

Margaret Thatcher was elected as Prime Minister in 1979, and remained in office until resigning in 1990. She was the first and only female Prime Minister to this day. 

Her periods of leadership saw extreme hardship in Britain including high unemployment, two recessions and poverty. It was going to be a tough job for any leader, let alone the first female leader; she had a lot to prove. She vowed to put in place various economical, industrial and social changes which came to be known as Thatcherism.
 

Her policies were incredibly controversial, most notably the closing of the mines in the 1980s. Thatcher took the decision to close 150 coal mines across the North of England with the belief that their profit was falling. This resulted in a drastic increase in unemployment and miners claim 'she did more damage than Hitler'. However controversial this move was, she only did what any government would have done. Considering you can't even change a light bulb in the work place without a formal safety evaluation today, it was only matter of time. 

Her time in office also saw her make possibly the most difficult decision of any leader: to go to war. To have the lives of thousands riding on your decision, to have the safety of your nation threatened, it is truly an impossible decision but Margaret Thatcher decided to enter into the Falklands War. If Thatcher hadn't gone to war, it would have been wrong. She went to war and it was still wrong. However, I challenge anyone who can justify the Iraq war over the Falklands. It was a gamble that paid off, but the odds of winning were significantly higher than the current situation. 

Things were destined to get worse before they got better and this is undeniably what happened but the current government are fighting a similar recession and yet for me, I see no sign of anything getting better. 

Margaret Thatcher did not open up the gates for immigration which has now resulted in overpopulation. 

Margaret Thatcher did not use public money to bail out failing, corrupt banks.

Margaret Thatcher, unlike the majority of politicians today, did not take advantage of MP expenses. 

In fact, whilst David Cameron spent £64,000 on a Notting Hill style make-over for number 10, Margaret Thatcher spent a mere £1,840 (just over what the Cameron's spent on their Fancy Nancy sofa). Most of this came out of her own pocket I hasten to add. She brought her own crockery, returned bed linen she didn't need and claimed her and her husband Denis only needed the one bedroom. The Cameron's on the other hand have nothing but designer labels including, the extension of a second kitchen, Jamie Oliver saucepans and a £130 toaster ... because Samantha Cameron looks like the cooking type doesn't she ... and that's not to mention the lavish banquets of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown during their time at Chequers I'm sure. 

Of course inflation has affected these extreme prices, but it's interesting to note the different of lifestyles of two Prime Ministers, both faced with a country in recession. It's a sure certain fact that she wouldn't be hitting our front pages daily, with scandal after scandal involving MP expenses. 

Despite this, I don't see anywhere near the same amount of hatred directed towards the buffoons who are currently running our country into the ground. 

It used to disappoint me that children no longer aspired to be Prime Minister, but I'm really not surprised. It is an awful job that I wouldn't wish upon anyone. Margaret Thatcher, was given a country that was already in bits. She made the best of a bad situation and it is a well known fact it is impossible to please everyone. 

If you are under the age of thirty-four and criticising Margaret Thatcher, take a step back and ask yourself why you had an entire day free to partake in a celebratory street party ... After a while you may realise it is because you are unemployed and living off the generous welfare benefits that Margaret Thatcher helped to set up. 

If you were part of the Thatcher generation and criticising Margaret Thatcher, I ask you why she was re-elected three times, serving this country for eleven years and whether you could have done any better? 

I do not deny that mistakes were made and I do not agree with all of her policies, but Margaret Thatcher deserves some respect. She was not simply a hard-headed leader but a Mother and a Grandmother and that in itself demands some compassion if not for her, for her family. 

She will be remembered by many as the first and only female Prime Minister but she was so much more than just a revolutionary woman.

She stood her ground in a man's world. She is widely known as 'The Iron Lady', but as politicians have pointed out, 'Lady of Steel' would be more appropriate as iron crumbles; there was no chance of this for her. She survived on around four hours sleep most nights for eleven years. She elbowed, kicked and fought her way to the top. From humble beginnings, she stayed true to her roots. She has become a legend in her own right, and today's MPs should take a leaf out of her book. Her strength, her determination and her sheer hard graft is inspirational and it is a loss to Great Britain whatever your political stance. 

Senseless, ignorant, narrow-minded critics need to crawl back into their holes. What can possibly be achieved from attacking the deceased?

Rest In Peace Margaret Thatcher, a true lady, a true Brit.