Margaret Thatcher

In the light of the announcement of Margaret Thatcher's death yesterday morning, national politicians, who have been supporting local election campaigns, have suspended campaigning and headed back to Westminster for a special session of Parliament tomorrow.

Local candidates have decided to carry on however, believing that the Lady herself would not have wanted us to stop our efforts, but rather would have encouraged us to carry on the struggle!  We will, of course, not be campaigning on the day of the funeral, next Wednesday.

The following tribute has been posted on the Suffolk County Council Conservative Group Website:

Yesterday the nation was told of the death of Baroness Margaret Thatcher at the age of 87.  

She was the first female UK party leader and first female Prime Minister (1979 to 1990). On becoming Prime Minister, she inherited a country which was considered the "sick man of Europe", with out-dated, loss-making industries, undemocratic trade union power, a failing economy and a general sense of decline.  In a few short years she transformed our country's outlook, and, having won three successive general elections, left the country as a strong, self-confident country with a competitive economy, respected across the world.

She also believed passionately in freedom and democracy, not only at home, where she liberated the British economy and set free the entrepreneurial spirit of the British people, but also abroad, where she ordered the liberation of the Falkland Islands, and stood shoulder to shoulder with Ronald Reagan, helping achieve the end of the Cold War and winning the battle against communism.  

She was a great leader and enthusiastic supporter of enterprise.  She underlined and emphasised true Conservative principles, and has been called rightly by the Prime Minister, David Cameron, a "great Briton".

As a mark of respect, and in line with Downing Street, Parliament and other councils across the country, the flag at Suffolk County Council's headquarters, Endeavour House, is being flown at half mast.