Margaret Thatcher airbrushed from Harriet Harman's history of women in politics

The Daily Telegraph UK ^ | 15 Sep 2009 | Andrew Pierce

[SmokingJoe]

The paper, Women in Power: Milestones, listed 28 of the most significant events between 1907 and 2008 involving women on the political stage.

The milestones included the election of the first female Head of Government – Sirimavo Bandaranaike, the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka in 1960 and Britain's first woman councillor Reina Emily Lawrence in 1907.

The document, produced by the Equality Office which is run by Miss Harman, the deputy leader of the Labour Party, highlights the role of Nancy Astor who was the first woman to take her seat in parliament in 1919, the election of Dianne Abbott the first black woman MP in 1987, and victory in 1999 of Neena Gill the UK’s first Asian female MEP.

But there is no mention of Lady Thatcher becoming the first female leader of a British political party when she replaced Edward Heath in 1975, or the fact that she was the longest serving prime minister in the 20th century, and won three general election victories.

The only reference to her is: “1979: UK’s first woman Prime Minister.” But her name is pointedly omitted. By contrast Shreela Flather is mentioned twice as the first Asian woman councillor and first Asian woman peer. Britain’s first black woman mayor Lydia Simmons is also given a name check.

[SmokingJoe]

The mind just boggles. The bizarro world of George Orwell is very much alive and kicking in the country that gave us George Orwell.
And here I was thinking our loony left were bad.
Harriet Harman makes even Nancy Pelosi look like a moderate.

[Dallas59]

Lol....amazing.

[BlueStateBlues]

Mrs. Thatcher was one of two most significant women in the 20th century, in politics or anywhere else. Golda Meir ranks, imho, as the other.

[Talisker]

Harriet Harman makes even Nancy Pelosi look like a moderate.

She's Hillary's designated Brit counterpart.

[dynachrome]

Here ya go!

[WakeUpAndVote]

[jimfree]

And Harriet Harmon would wonder why we might choose the word “bimbo” to describe her like.

[muir_redwoods]

I read the names of the women (all wonderful people I’m sure) who were mentioned by name and I am left to consider, there is Maggie and then a bunch of nobodies.

[Gay State Conservative]

Mrs. Thatcher was one of two most significant women in the 20th century, in politics or anywhere else.

Mrs. Thatcher was one of the most significant *people* of the 20th century.

[dfwgator]

[Fred Hayek]

Thatcher was part of the earthly triumvirate that brought down the Evil Empire, the others being Ronald Wilson Reagan and JP2. Reason I say earthly is that there was some Divine Intervention involved as well.

We can all use some Divine Intervention at this time, so you all know what to do!

[scoobysnak71]

Maggie’s hot. I’d hit it!

[Sudetenland]

Liberals are just like dogs.

Did you ever notice that when a dog feels intimidated by something or someone, they will not look at it. They will pointedly hold their heads pointed in a different direction, where they can just look at the threat from the corner of their eye, then continually glance over at the threat...with their eyes only. They will never look directly at it.

Liberals are just the same...they figure if they just ignore the inconvenient truth, it will simply go away. Thatcher - Conservative => Inconvenient for liberals => Ignore her maybe her existence will go away.

[GeronL]

Wow. Now thats some strong bias.

[SmokingJoe]

“Mrs. Thatcher was one of two most significant women in the 20th century, in politics or anywhere else. Golda Meir ranks, imho, as the other”

I'd add Indira Ghandi to that list, but yeah.
The point is, Thatcher is by far the greatest female politician in British history, not just the 20th century. No one even comes close. To leave her name out of a list of women in politics for the past 100 years is just unconscionable. I mean..Harriet Harman included the name of a 2-bit black female politician like Dianne Abbott (the first black woman MP), who has managed to do next to nothing while in parliament, then she leaves out Lady Thatcher name? Unbelievable!

[RichInOC]

Just curious...who’s the first female Labour Prime Minister?

[GeronL]

lol

[pray4liberty]

To Harriet “1979: UK’s first woman Prime Minister" is of no account? What's Miss Harriet ever done in her life to compare with Maggie's accomplishments?

Hey boys and girls...can you spell j.e.a.l.o.u.s?

[SmokingJoe]

Not been born yet I would presume.
It's kinda like in this country. We are going to have the first female President in this country, from the Republican Party ( Sarah Palin), even while the Democrats, who make all the noise about “women's rights” continue to hammer and destroy their female presidential candidates like they did to Hilary.

[Fred Hayek]

Lady Thatcher is of the same stature as Sir Winston Churchill. And maybe more.