On October 13, 2025, the City of London’s historic Guildhall shimmered with lights and anticipation as politicians, celebrities, and party faithful gathered to mark what would have been Margaret Thatcher’s 100th birthday. The lavish black-tie dinner, attended by 500 guests, was just one of many events across the United Kingdom and beyond celebrating the life, leadership, and legacy of the Iron Lady—a figure whose impact on British politics remains fiercely debated and deeply felt even a century after her birth above a corner shop in Grantham, Lincolnshire.
The centenary commemoration wasn’t limited to the capital’s grandeur. In Grantham, Thatcher’s birthplace, locals participated in walking tours, postcard exhibitions, and library displays, while former ministers shared personal anecdotes. Across the continent, Sir Mark and Carol Thatcher unveiled a striking iron statue in Budapest, honoring her role in fighting communism and contributing to the end of the Cold War. Later in October, Thatcher’s final portrait and other personal belongings were scheduled for auction in London, drawing further attention to her enduring legacy.
Yet the heart of the celebrations beat most strongly at the Guildhall, a venue where Thatcher herself had delivered some of her most memorable speeches, including her famously defiant cricketing metaphor just days before her resignation in 1990. As reported by Sky News, the guest list read like a who’s who of British society: national treasure Joan Collins, cricket legend Ian Botham, Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes, and bestselling author Jeffrey Archer mingled with veteran Tory grandees such as Michael Howard, Norman Lamont, and Kenneth Baker. The principal speaker, Sir Mark Thatcher, addressed the public for the first time about his mother’s life, leadership, and legacy—a poignant moment for those who remember her transformative years in power.
Thatcher’s record is, by any measure, formidable. She led the Conservative Party to three general election victories, survived the 1984 Brighton bombing, triumphed in the 1982 Falklands War, and broke the back of militant trade unionism during the 1984-85 miners’ strike. Her government privatized dozens of major national industries, fundamentally reshaping the British economy and society. As she wrote in her autobiography, The Downing Street Years, “I had grown up in a household that was neither poor nor rich. We had to economise each day in order to enjoy the occasional luxury. My father’s background as a grocer is sometimes cited as the basis for my economic philosophy. So it was—and is.”
At this year’s Conservative Party conference in Manchester, the spirit of Thatcher loomed large. Life-size cardboard cut-outs, biographies, gift mugs, and tea towels with her image and famous quotes adorned the venue. Kemi Badenoch, the current Conservative leader, paid glowing tributes to Thatcher in her opening speech. Channeling her predecessor, Badenoch declared, “As one of my great predecessors, Margaret Thatcher, put it: ‘The facts of life are Conservative.’” She later added, “In the 1980s, Margaret Thatcher broke the cycle of high inflation, low growth and trade union strife, giving Britain back her national pride and economic strength.”
Badenoch drew explicit parallels between her own leadership challenges and those Thatcher faced in the 1970s. In an interview, she remarked, “Pretty much everything that I’m experiencing now, she did. She was written off.” The comparison resonated with many in the party, especially as a recent Sky News/YouGov poll suggested that half of Tory members were skeptical about Badenoch’s leadership ahead of the next election. The sense of déjà vu was palpable, with party veterans recalling how Thatcher, too, had been underestimated and patronized—only to lead her party to a historic victory in 1979.
But the conference was not only about nostalgia. According to Roar News, Associate Editor Rayhan Hussain described Badenoch’s speech as a genuine reset for the Conservative Party. “The tone was disciplined, the offer concrete, and the delivery the strongest of her leadership thus far,” Hussain wrote, noting the many standing ovations and the clear articulation of a program rooted in conservative principles: a smaller state, sound money, secure borders, and a preference for ownership over dependency.
Badenoch’s policy announcements were bold. She pledged to abolish Stamp Duty on primary residences—a move she called “an un-Conservative tax” that “inhibits mobility, punishes aspiration, and clobbers those looking to downsize in retirement as much as it does for first-time buyers.” She introduced the Golden Economic Rule, a fiscal framework where half of every pound saved would go to reducing the deficit and the other half to growth-enhancing tax cuts, underpinned by £47 billion in identified savings. Other pledges included reversing Labour’s VAT increase on private schools, scrapping the Family Farms Tax, and eliminating the Jobs Tax (Labour’s employers’ National Insurance hike). Young people were offered a £5,000 National Insurance rebate towards their first home, and small businesses were promised an end to business rates for shops and pubs—potentially freeing 250,000 SMEs from a tax that stifles local enterprise.
On immigration, Badenoch tasked Lord Wolfson KC with reviewing the impact of ECHR membership on Britain’s asylum policy, with Wolfson arguing that leaving the Convention and repealing the Human Rights Act were necessary to restore democratic control. The speech was widely seen as Badenoch’s strongest moment as leader, with Hussain comparing it to the best of the Cameron-era conference addresses and suggesting it marked the start of a journey to rebuild trust with the British people.
Not all praise came from traditional allies. Michael Heseltine, once Thatcher’s cabinet rival and challenger, lauded her role in creating the European Single Market at a European Movement fringe meeting. “It was a privilege beyond measure to serve in the Conservative government that was elected in 1979 and led our country for 18 continuous years,” Heseltine said, adding that Thatcher’s government was “much more practical than doctrinal.” His comments highlighted the complexity of Thatcher’s legacy—a blend of market-driven reforms and pragmatic interventions.
As the centenary celebrations unfolded, reminders of Thatcher’s personal and political journey were everywhere. Stories circulated about her sense of humor—such as her famous “dead parrot” joke at a party conference, delivered with aplomb despite not understanding the Monty Python reference. Former political secretary John Whittingdale (now Sir John) recalled late nights spent revising conference speeches, a testament to her legendary work ethic.
Yet, as Bob Blackman MP reminded attendees, the challenges facing today’s Conservatives are formidable. Unlike the 1970s, when Thatcher faced skepticism from within and outside her party, Badenoch and her team must contend with threats from new political forces, like Nigel Farage’s Reform movement, as well as persistent public disillusionment with politicians in general.
The centenary of Margaret Thatcher’s birth became more than a retrospective; it was a moment for reflection, renewal, and, for many Conservatives, rededication to the principles that once transformed British life. Whether the party can recapture that spirit—and translate it into electoral success—remains to be seen. But as the Guildhall’s lights faded and the celebrations drew to a close, the Iron Lady’s legacy, for friend and foe alike, was impossible to ignore.
