Quotessence
Home / Authors / Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher

Margaret Thatcher Quotes

Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

Filter quotes by topic

AllIron LadyIfsPeopleGovernmentMenBelieveCountryStatesEuropeThinkingWorldBritainWayWantShouldWarPoliticalPoliticsConservativeKnows

Famous Margaret Thatcher Quotes

“(I)t is highly questionable whether when 'Europe speaks with one voice', as we are so often told it is doing, anyone is really listening. Europe's reputation as a serious player in international affairs is unenviable. It is a feeble giant who desperate attempts to be taken seriously are largely risible. It has a weak currency and a sluggish inflexible economy, still much reliant on hidden protectionism. It has a shrinking, ageing, population and, with the exception of Britain, rather unimpressive armed forces and, not excepting Britain, muddled diplomacy.”

StillsSpeakForceVoiceEconomyTakenPlayerSeriousListeningEuropeWeakAffairInternationalPopulationReputationGiantsDesperateBritainExceptionCurrencyDiplomacyAgeingArmed ForcesShrinkingQuestionableSluggishProtectionismInternational Affairs
Author:Margaret Thatcher
Create image

“Every Conservative desires peace. The threat to peace comes from Communism which has powerful forces ready to attack anywhere. Communism waits for weakness, it leaves strength alone. Britain must therefore be strong, strong in her arms, strong in her faith, strong in her own way of life.”

WayDesireStrongForceWaitingPowerfulReadyArmsWeaknessThreatConservativeCommunismBritain
Book:As I said to Denis--: the Margaret Thatcher book of quotations
Create image

“I pay tribute to John Major's achievement in persuading the other 11 Community Heads of Government that they could move ahead to a Social Chapter but not within the treaty and without Britain's participation. It sets a vital precedent. For an enlarged Community can only function if we build in flexibility of that kind... John Major deserves high praise for ensuring at Maastricht that we would not have either a Single Currency or the absurd provisions of the Social Chapter forced upon us: our industry, workforce, and national prosperity will benefit as a result.”

IfsKindGovernmentMovingSocialCommunityResultsPayIndustryAchievementBenefitsMajorsDeserveFunctionPraiseProsperityAbsurdBritainChaptersCurrencyParticipationFlexibilityProvisionTributeTreatiesPrecedentWorkforceMoving AheadPersuading
Author:Margaret Thatcher
Create image

“It had the effect of cementing the Anglo-American alliance. What's the good of having bases if when you want to use them you're not allowed to by the home country. It made America realise that Britain was her real and true friend, when they were hard up against it and wanted something, and that no one else in Europe was. They're a weak lot, some of them in Europe you know. Weak. Feeble.”

IfsKnowsWantMadeRealCountryHardUseHomeWantedAmericaEffectsEuropeWeakBasesBritainRealisingTrue FriendAlliancesHome Country
Author:Margaret Thatcher
Create image

“No theory of government was ever given a fairer test or a more prolonged experiment in a democratic country than democratic socialism received in Britain. Yet it was a miserable failure in every respect... To cure the British disease with socialism was like trying to cure leukemia with leeches.”

TryingCountryGovernmentGivenTheoryDiseaseTestsDemocraticBritishExperimentsSocialismCuresMiserableBritainDemocratic SocialismLeechesLeukemiaDemocratic Country
Author:Margaret Thatcher
Create image

“The spirit of the South Atlantic was the spirit of Britain at her best. It has been said that we surprised the world, that British patriotism was rediscovered in those spring days. It was never really lost. But it would be no bad thing if the feeling that swept the country then were to continue to inspire us. For if there was any doubt about the determination of the British people it was removed by the men and women who, a few months ago, brought a renewed sense of pride and self-respect to our country.”

PeopleIfsMenWorldHas BeensSaidSelfCountryFeelingsWould BeSpiritLostDoubtInspireHe ManPrideMonthsSpringMen And WomenDeterminationSouthBritishOur CountryBritainSelf RespectBad ThingsSpring Day
Book:As I said to Denis--: the Margaret Thatcher book of quotations
Create image

“My first guiding principle is this: willing and active co-operation between independent sovereign states. Europe will be stronger precisely because it has France as France, Spain as Spain, Britain as Britain, each with its own customs, traditions and identity. It would be folly to try to fit them into some sort of identikit European personality.”

TryingFirstsStatesWould BePrinciplesIdentityWillingPersonalityFitEuropeTraditionStrongerIndependentActiveFranceOperationsFollyBritainCustomsSovereignSpainGuiding Principles
Book:CPC [publications].
Create image

“While the Soviet Union has imposed its rule on its neighbours and drawn an iron curtain between east and west, we in Great Britain have given freedom and independence to more than forty-eight countries whose populations now number more than a thousand million - a quarter of the world's total.”

WorldCountryGivenNumbersMillionsThousandIndependenceUnionsWestPopulationEightEastBritainFortyIronQuartersSovietSoviet UnionCurtainsNeighbourGreat BritainEast And WestIron CurtainForty Eight
Author:Margaret Thatcher
Create image

“It has been suggested by some people in this country that I and my government will be a "soft touch" in the [European] Community. In case such a rumour may have reached your ears, Mr Chancellor... it is only fair that I should advise you frankly to dismiss it (as my own colleagues did, long ago). We shall judge what British interests are and we shall be resolute in defending them.”

PeopleMayLongHas BeensCountryGovernmentInterestCommunityCasesJudgingEuropeFairsEarsBritishBritainLong AgoColleaguesAdviseResoluteRumours
Author:Margaret Thatcher
Create image

“I believe we should continue to have a partnership of national states each retaining the right to protect its vital interests, but developing more effectively than at present the habit of working together.”

ShouldBelieveStatesTogetherI BelieveInterestHabitProtectEuropeDevelopingBritainWorking TogetherPartnershipRetaining
Book:As I said to Denis--: the Margaret Thatcher book of quotations
Create image

“We weren't getting a fair deal on the budget and I wasn't going to have it. There's a great strand of equity and fairness in the British people - this is our characteristic. There's not a strand of equity and fairness in Europe - they're out to get as much as they can. That's one of those enormous differences. So I tackled it on that basis.”

PeopleDifferencesDealsEuropeFairsBasesBritishEnormousBudgetsCharacteristicsBritainFairnessEquityStrands
Author:Margaret Thatcher
Create image

“Yes, the Commission wants to increase its powers, Yes, it is a non-elected body and I do not want the Commission to increase its powers at the expense of the House, so of course we differ. The President of the Commission, Mr Delors, said at a press conference the other day that he wanted the European Parliament to be the democratic body of the Community. He wanted the Commission to be the Executive and he wanted the Council of Ministers to be the Senate. No! No! No!”

WantSaidBodyWantedCoursesHousePresidentCommunityEuropeIncreasePressesDemocraticMinistersBritainExecutivesExpensesSenateParliamentConferencesCouncilPress Conferences
Book:As I said to Denis--: the Margaret Thatcher book of quotations
Create image

“I must be absolutely clear about this. Britain cannot accept the present situation on the Budget. It is demonstrably unjust. It is politically indefensible: I cannot play Sister Bountiful to the Community while my own electorate are being asked to forego improvements in the fields of health, education, welfare and the rest.”

PlayCommunityMy OwnSituationAcceptingClearFieldsEuropeImprovementBudgetsWelfareBritainUnjustElectoratePresent SituationHealth Education
Author:Margaret Thatcher
Create image

“I think our support for the EEC has been very half-hearted. You really cannot join any group of nations and spend all your time criticising it. The EEC is free Europe getting together. Had we had some vision like that after the first world war , we might never had the second ... my son does not have to go and fight as his father had to fight. Surely that is the most valuable thing of all, the reason for keeping Europe together.”

ThinkingWorldFirstsDoeHas BeensWarReasonMightTogetherFightingFatherNationsHalfVisionSupportGroupsSonEuropeValuableWar Of The WorldsBritainMy SonCriticizeHeartedFirst World WarValuable ThingsHalf Hearted
Author:Margaret Thatcher
Create image

“Any attempts by any government to change Community legislation to its own wishes are doomed to failure following the extension of policy areas now subject to majority voting... In our opinion, this must have serious implications for the traditional view of Parliament as a legislative body sovereignty.”

BodyGovernmentWishCommunityViewsOpinionSubjectsPolicySeriousEuropeAreasMajorityFollowingTraditionalBritainVotingDoomedLegislationExtensionsSovereigntyParliamentImplications
Author:Margaret Thatcher
Create image