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The woman behind an internet campaign to organise street parties to “celebrate” the death of Baroness Thatcher has been identified as a Romany Blythe, a 45-year-old community drama teacher from south London.

From the moment I first worked for Margaret Thatcher, almost exactly half a century ago, it was obvious that she was different from any politician I had met. She was strikingly pretty for one thing, more like a milkmaid than an Iron Lady. And she sounded cross, as if she was not being told the whole story. At first I thought this was because her voice was a semitone higher than it later became. In my patronising way – I was all of 25 – I thought she might be a bit nervous because this was her first front-bench post...

Ex-Prime Minister Baroness Thatcher diesBreaking news Former Prime Minister Baroness Thatcher has died at 87 following a stroke, her spokesman has said. Lord Bell said: "It is with great sadness that Mark and Carol Thatcher announced that their mother Baroness Thatcher died peacefully following a stroke this morning." Baroness Thatcher was Conservative prime minister from 1979 to 1990. She was the first woman to hold the post. Her family is expected to make a further statement later.

The Queen will lead the celebration of the oldest and highest order of British chivalry founded more than 650 years ago. The Knights of the Order of the Garter, created by Edward III in 1348, will gather in their ceremonial feathered hats and robes at Windsor Castle next month for the annual procession to St George’s Chapel. But there will be one conspicuous absentee from the line-up of 26 knights, who include Prince Philip, Prince William, the Duke of Westminster, former Prime Minister Sir John Major and Lord Sainsbury, president of the supermarket chain. Baroness Thatcher, who was elevated to...

Margaret Thatcher in St. Peter's Square May 27. (Reuters/Alessia Pierdomenico) Margaret Thatcher met Pope Benedict XVI at the end of his weekly general audience today. The 83-year-old former British prime minister, who led the country from 1979 to 1990, had earlier in the day laid flowers at the tomb of John Paul II. An Anglican, it was Baroness Thatcher’s second visit to the Vatican in less than two years, leading some to speculate whether she is thinking of joining the Church. During her previous trip, she also visited John Paul II’s tomb to pay her respects. According to those who...

LATEST: Fomer PM Baroness Thatcher taken to hospital for precautionary tests. More soon_

Yesterday the President participated in 9/11 ceromonies in New York including attending a memorial service. Today he attended a ceremony at the Fort Pitt Firehouse on the lower east side of Manhattan afterwhich he travelled to Shanksville, Pennsylvania to lay a wreath at the Flight 93 crash site. He and the First Lady then went to the Pentagon to lay another wreath at the crash site there as in Shanksville the President and first lady met with families of those who lost their lives after the wreath laying ceremony. Yesterday the Vice President appeared on the Meet the Press. Today...

ONE OF the dominant voices of the 20th Century has been silenced: Baroness Thatcher has decided to follow doctors’ advice and will never make a speech in public again. The surprise announcement yesterday marks the effective retirement from public life of the 76-year-old former Prime Minister, who has suffered a series of slight strokes and whose failing health has been a source of deep concern to family and friends. Lady Thatcher suffered her latest stroke shortly before she was due to deliver a speech to the Alzheimer’s Research Trust on Tuesday night. She was left with temporary co-ordination problems...