Great Britain’s governing Conservative Party is not having the best year. Several weeks ago, voters, tired of the continued stalling on Brexit, threw their support behind unapologetically pro-Brexit or anti-EU parties.
Theresa May has borne the brunt of the zeal, but the issue tarnished her standing before the most current of events. In December 2018, the May government was found in contempt, the first time that had happened in the nation’s history. She managed to survive a no-confidence vote later in the month. May also attempted to strike deals on Brexit and subsequently had four defeats handed to her between January and March.
It led to the announcement of her resignation on May 24.
It was a whole different story in June 1987 when Margaret Thatcher won her third term, the first such three-peat since Robert Jenkinson, 2nd Earl of Liverpool, won for the third time in 1820.
By that time, Thatcher had already cemented for herself a near-timeless legacy. During her time in office, inflation, unemployment, crime, and taxes all decreased. Her successes stand out more knowing she had to do it while navigating the issues with Northern Ireland, the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, and the Falklands War. She even survived an assassination attempt.
Effective leadership comes in a variety of flavors, and it requires a special person to tackle the nature of a fickle electorate. Thatcher proved adept at the task. May, not so much.
