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BBC History Channel

Thatcher: A Very British Revolution

Documentaries

Factual: History

Factual: Politics

The irresistible rise and dramatic downfall of Margaret Thatcher.

The irresistible rise and dramatic downfall of Margaret Thatcher. Her inner circle reveal how a political outsider won power and dominated British life through a turbulent decade.

Series 1

BBC Four

BBC Two England

England

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Until 03/01/2009 BBC Two Wales (analogue) was known simply as BBC Two Wales. BBC Two Wales (digital) was BBC 2W. From 03/01/2009 BBC Two Wales schedules on both analogue and digital became identical

BBC Two Wales

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BBC Two Northern Ireland

Simulcast of BBC Two Northern Ireland in high definition

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Steve Condie

James House

Thatcher: A Very British Revolution: Series 1: Making Margaret

Making Margaret

BBC Two - Thatcher: A Very British Revolution, Series 1, Making Margaret

Tracing Mrs Thatcher’s startling rise to power and her Iron Lady image in the 1970s.

Margaret Thatcher's inner circle reveals how she managed to overcome her outsider status to become a prominent political figure in Britain.

In the first episode of this series charting the irresistible rise and dramatic downfall of Margaret Thatcher, her inner circle reveals how Margaret Thatcher manages to overcome her outsider status to become a prominent political figure in Britain. After a controversial policy has the press label her the 'Milk-snatcher' her political future is in jeopardy but she survives when prime minister Edward Heath decides not to sack her.

Dismayed by his stewardship of the country in the early 1970s Mrs Thatcher challenges Heath for leadership of the Conservatives. As a woman from a modest social background she appears unlike any of her colleagues but with the help of canny political operators she achieves the apparently impossible and defeats Heath and the party elite who backed him.

Those closest to her at the time describe how as new leader of the Conservatives she begins to support controversial policies that will shake-up the economic and political settlement that has prevailed in Britain since the second world war. She promotes free market ideas, transforming the economy and reducing trade union power.

She also adopts a new political persona taking on the mantle of the 'Iron Lady' given to her by the Soviet press and seeks help from advisors who change her image and her voice as she seeks the support of the British electorate.

As the 1979 election approaches Margaret Thatcher embarks on an energetic campaign to unseat Labour and usher in a new era that will  bring turbulent change and division and be dominated by the force of her personality and ideas.


Thatcher: A Very British Revolution: Series 1

BBC Two

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The irresistible rise and dramatic downfall of Margaret Thatcher. 

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Thatcher: A Very British Revolution

Series 1

Making Margaret

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