The Iron Lady

It was with great interest that I went to see the movie 'The Iron Lady' this weekend. Love her or loathe her, Margaret Thatcher was undoubtedly a strong and decisive leader and I wondered how Hollywood had chosen to present such an iconic British personality.

Having run the gauntlet of a Westminster selection and election myself not so long ago, I was rather hoping to see how she fared in her early years, but there was little detail. For those who are unaware, the Maidstone Conservative Association considered Mrs Thatcher as a candidate in 1958.

From an extract of the Maidstone President's Report on Candidates that year she was seen to be 'pleasant, to the point, and with a tendency to be right of centre'. An understatement perhaps. It would seem, however, that the selectors were concerned about how she would manage her family as well as the role of an MP. It was thumbs down and off she went to Finchley - the rest is history. Thankfully for me, fifty years later, the Maidstone & the Weald selectors of 2008 had a broader vision of working mums.

I digress.

There were several commentators who complained about this movie being lightweight, poor on political content and untoward in its portrayal of a once powerful figure as frail and diminutive. They have missed the point.

It was a study of the relationship between the extraordinary Margaret and her beloved husband Dennis. Tender, sensitive and moving, it underlined the importance and value of a lifelong partnership, particularly in sustaining those few people who have lonely and difficult decisions to take, on behalf of the many.

And it respectfully portrayed the condition of dementia as a common reality, something that affects 750,000 people from every walk of life in this country, former prime ministers not excepted. (For local help contact Alzheimer's Society Kent and Medway, Tel: 01622 747181, Email: maidstone@alzheimers.org.uk)

I confess to using Simon's hanky more than once. But chief hanky supplier is part of a good husband's role. I'll bet Dennis always had a clean one at the ready in his pocket.

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