UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Katie Lam, Tory assistant whip, urges the Tory party to stop focusing on Margaret Thatcher, stating that her ideas are outdated and no longer relevant in 2025.
A senior Conservative official has called on the party to move past its “obsession” with Margaret Thatcher.
What did Katie Lam say about Margaret Thatcher’s legacy?
Speaking at the Margaret Thatcher Conference, Katie Lam, MP for Weald of Kent, recognized the ex-prime minister’s accurate diagnosis of challenges during her tenure but stated that Thatcherism no longer holds relevance in today’s political landscape.
During her address at the Margaret Thatcher Conference, she said,
“I think Margaret Thatcher correctly diagnosed several things about the world, about human nature, about this country, and those facts remain true.”
Ms Lam stated,
“A lot of her basic insights to do with the market, to do with how people make choices, to do with how people run their households were all right.”
She added,
“So there’s no need to throw them away. I don’t think, though, that it helps or serves the Conservative Party in 2025 to be obsessed with Thatcher and Thatcherism.”
Ms Lam told the conference in central London on Monday,
“Margaret Thatcher went out before I was born, so thinking too much about events and the way that the world was decades ago, well, half a century ago when she came to the leadership of the Conservative Party, so I’m not sure necessarily that that helps or serves us now.”
What did Kemi Badenoch say about Thatcher’s handling of mining communities?
Kemi Badenoch, Conservative leader, recently admitted that Margaret Thatcher failed to adequately support mining communities after their pit industries closed. She suggested the need for clearer plans to regenerate areas after the decline of the industrial sector.
During a private September meeting, she acknowledged that while there are things to learn from Margaret Thatcher, some errors from her tenure should not be repeated.
Ms Badenoch stated,
“And one of them, I think, was around what happened with communities where the industry was closed. You think about mining. I think having a very clear plan for how to regenerate communities when there is going to be a loss of a particular industry that many people rely on.”
How are the Conservatives rebuilding after their historic election loss?
After their historic defeat in the general election, where Keir Starmer secured a landslide victory, leaving the Tories with just 121 seats.
The party is facing growing support for Reform UK, an emerging party on the Right.
Kemi Badenoch will reveal on Tuesday how new Conservative policies will be outlined, ahead of the Tory leader’s speech.
Keir Starmer’s views about Margaret Thatcher’s
Labour leader, in his December 2023 piece for The Telegraph, highlighted Thatcher’s role in effecting “meaningful change” in Britain, praising her achievements during his time in opposition.
He commended the ex-prime minister for “releasing Britain’s natural entrepreneurial energy” while also warning that the public was once more frustrated with politicians “preaching” at them.
After receiving criticism, Keir Starmer was forced to clarify his earlier comments. He stated that his praise for Thatcher’s “driving sense of purpose” did not mean he agreed with her policies.