Margaret Thatcher: Her Real Legacy
Thousands of Britons attended the funeral of former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher today. The ceremonial funeral was attended by dignitaries from 170 countries, including 11 serving prime ministers and 17 serving foreign ministers. The gathering of 2,300 mourners was led by Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh. It was the first time the Queen has attended the funeral of one of her prime ministers since Sir Winston Churchill died in 1965.
The bishop of London delivered an address at Lady Thatcher’s funeral, and actively avoided the political controversy surrounding the nation’s first female prime minister, who was a staunch conservative.
In his address at St. Paul’s Cathedral, Bishop Richard Chartres called Thatcher a “symbolic figure—even an ism.”
But what is Margaret Thatcher’s most powerful, lasting legacy—the one thing she will be remembered for most?
At a meeting in 1995 with former French President Francois Mitterrand, former U.S. President George H.W. Bush and former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev, Lady Thatcher underlined one of her most adamant policy beliefs—opposition to German reunification and European integration.
“To unify Germany would make her the dominant nation in the European community. They are powerful, and they are efficient,” she warned.
“Mitterrand and I know. We have sat there at the table [with Germany] very often indeed. Germany will use her power. She will use the fact that she is the largest contributor to Europe to say, ‘Look, I put more money in than anyone else, and I must have my way on things which I want.’”
Thatcher continued. “Some people say you have to anchor Germany to Europe to stop these features from coming out again. Well, you have not anchored Germany to Europe, but Europe to a newly dominant Germany. That is why I call it a German Europe.”
Lady Thatcher’s words were prophetic!
Almost two decades later, as Britain buries one of its best prime ministers, Europe is experiencing exactly what she warned against. Germany is dominating the Continent—economically, financially and politically.
The “Iron Lady” was right.
But now she is gone. And with her has died the final example of real, courageous British political leadership.
Sadly, the Bible says that the quality of British leadership will decay further, until the return of Jesus Christ. Read our book The United States and Britain in Prophecy for an astounding exposé of the true history of Britain and the future of greatness that yet awaits its peoples.
