Thatcher 100 - why Margaret Thatcher is still shaping politics a century on from her birth
Oct 17, 2025•18 min
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Episode description
The UK's first female prime minister undoubtedly transformed the country as she achieved electoral success her Conservative successors could only dream of.
Evidence of her enduring influence is the fact that it's not just Tories who claim a debt to her but also opposing politicians, with Rachel Reeves recently branding herself the "iron chancellor".
She was also a very divisive figure, with lasting anger over her handling of the miners' strike and the controversial poll tax.
So, what is Baroness Thatcher's legacy to both her party and the country? What would she have made of Brexit and the rise of Reform UK? Will she still be talked about in another 100 years?
Niall Paterson is joined by Sky's chief political correspondent Jon Craig.
Producers: Tom Gillespie and Soila Apparicio
Editor: Wendy Parker
Evidence of her enduring influence is the fact that it's not just Tories who claim a debt to her but also opposing politicians, with Rachel Reeves recently branding herself the "iron chancellor".
She was also a very divisive figure, with lasting anger over her handling of the miners' strike and the controversial poll tax.
So, what is Baroness Thatcher's legacy to both her party and the country? What would she have made of Brexit and the rise of Reform UK? Will she still be talked about in another 100 years?
Niall Paterson is joined by Sky's chief political correspondent Jon Craig.
Producers: Tom Gillespie and Soila Apparicio
Editor: Wendy Parker
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