Margaret Thatcher Quotes

262 Sourced Quotes

Defeat – I do not recognise the meaning of the word!

Margaret Thatcher
I came to office with one deliberate intent: to change Britain from a dependent to a self-reliant society – from a give-it-to-me, to a do-it-yourself nation. A get-up-and-go, instead of a sit-back-and-wait-for-it Britain.

Margaret Thatcher
One of the things being in politics has taught me is that men are not a reasoned or reasonable sex.

Margaret Thatcher
For my part, I favour an approach to statecraft that embraces principles, as long as it is not stifled by them; and I prefer such principles to be accompanied by steel along with good intentions.

Margaret Thatcher
You know, if you just set out to be liked, you would be prepared to compromise on anything, wouldn't you, at any time? And you would achieve nothing!

Margaret Thatcher
For every idealistic peacemaker willing to renounce his self-defence in favour of a weapons-free world, there is at least one warmaker anxious to exploit the other's good intentions.

Margaret Thatcher
You don't tell deliberate lies, but sometimes you have to be evasive.

Margaret Thatcher
I exercise my right as a free citizen to spend my own money in my own way, so that I can go on the day, the time, to the doctor I choose and get out fast.

Margaret Thatcher
Our judgement is that the presence of the Royal Marines garrison is sufficient deterrent against any possible aggression.

Margaret Thatcher
It has been suggested by some people in this country that I and my Government will be a 'soft touch' in the Community. In case such a rumour may have reached your ears, Mr Chancellor, it is only fair to advise you frankly to dismiss it, as my colleagues did long ago! I intend to be very discriminating in judging what are British interests and I shall be resolute in defending them.

Margaret Thatcher
I couldn't live without work. That's what makes me so sympathetic towards those people who are unemployed. I don't know how they live without working.

Margaret Thatcher
We now know that bin Laden's terrorists had been planning their outrages for years. The propagation of their mad, bad ideology – decency forbids calling it a religion – had been taking place before our eyes. We were just too blind to see it. In short, the world had never ceased to be dangerous. But the West had ceased to be vigilant. Surely that is the most important lesson of this tragedy, and we must learn it if our civilisation is to survive.

Margaret Thatcher
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.

Margaret Thatcher
Forget that I'm a woman. Forget the accusations that I am a Right Winger demanding privilege - I had precious little privilege in my early years.

Margaret Thatcher
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.

Margaret Thatcher
We had to fight the enemy without in the Falklands. We always have to be aware of the enemy within, which is more difficult to fight and more dangerous to liberty.

Margaret Thatcher
This business of the working class is on its way out I think. After all, aren't I working class? I work jolly hard, I can tell you.

Margaret Thatcher
If your only opportunity is to be equal then it is not opportunity.

Margaret Thatcher
Of her predecessor, Edward Heath:
I'll always be fond of dear Ted, but there's no sympathy in politics.

Margaret Thatcher
It took us a long time to get rid of the effects of the French Revolution 200 years ago. We don't want another one.

Margaret Thatcher
People think that at the top there isn't much room. They tend to think of it as an Everest. My message is that there is tons of room at the top.

Margaret Thatcher
I am in politics because of the conflict between good and evil, and I believe that in the end good will triumph.

Margaret Thatcher
Victorian values … those were the values when our country became great, not only internationally but at home.

Margaret Thatcher
Socialist governments traditionally do make a financial mess. They always run out of other people's money. It's quite a characteristic of them.

Margaret Thatcher
Let us never forget this fundamental truth: the State has no source of money other than money which people earn themselves. If the State wishes to spend more it can do so only by borrowing your savings or by taxing you more. It is no good thinking that someone else will pay – that 'someone else' is you. There is no such thing as public money; there is only taxpayers' money.

Margaret Thatcher