The world is still buzzing 24 hours on from the demise of the most significant woman of the 20th century. History will mark her first and foremost for what was perhaps her greatest achievement: becoming the first female prime minister in Britain.
I don't like prime ministers very much. They're only there, as Alistair Campbell has pointed out recently, to look good on television. Hence you know never to believe a single word they say- ever, because it's all been so carefully manicured in advance by people like, well, Alistair himself in his day. However, of all the prime ministers I have not liked over the course of my life (and remember, my vintage takes me right back to a post-war Winston Churchill), the Iron Lady stands out above all others as the figure I most revile. There were so many things unforgivable things I couldn't begin to list them, yet there was a sort of grudging respect too, for her passion and determination.
One of my strongest memories of her was in November 1990, in the moments after she had sat down in the House of Commons, having delivered her resignation speech. The SNP leader Alex Salmond was given the floor:
"I know we have had many profound differences over the years, but I will say this of the honourable lady: you always knew you were dealing with a genuine heavyweight, unlike the lightweights in her cabinet who plotted her downfall."
Coming from a man of Salmond's perspective, to me those words were breathtakingly impressive. She was indeed a class act all the way; just the wrong way.
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