The ghost of Margaret Thatcher in British politics
Liz Truss is the head of the UK government for more than a month. We could write a lot about the third woman in this position. For example, about her illegitimate election (Truss did not get a mandate from the public, but only from the members of the Conservative Party), about worrying instability of her opinions, or the questionable level of competence required for the position of the prime minister. However, the parallels between the new British Prime Minister and Margaret Thatcher deserve the same amount of attention. Looking at how Truss is impersonating Thatcher, it’s obvious that the spirit of the first British prime minister stalks English politics.
More than just a visual appearance
Similarities between Truss and Thatcher were evident in the choice of clothing and overall self-presentation. And it’s not a minor thing! In politics, the choice of clothing or accessories has an important signaling function. It tells a lot about the wearer´s personality and indicates political attitudes, especially if the clothes are inspired by political icons.
In relation to Truss and Thatcher, the similarities in dressing were evident in early February 2022, just before the Russian invasion of Ukraine, when Truss visited Moscow as Foreign Secretary. It’s no coincidence that Truss chose a similar winter outfit — a fur coat and winter hat — to that worn by Thatcher during her visit to Moscow in 1987.
However, it was only during the campaign for the Conservative Party (again, Truss doesn’t have a mandate from the public) that the visual similarity between the politicians became fully apparent. The anxious choice of the same outfits as the first British prime minister, or the attempt to imitate her photos, became so intense that even a casual observer could feel a second-hand embarrassment.
However, the superficial, visual similarities are also joined by ideological ones in the form of tax reductions, privatizations and other measures. A certain diversion is the worrying statements about renewable energy sources. And by the way, Thatcher’s economic neoliberalism is an inappropriate and even irresponsible solution at the time of the energy crisis.
Why is that so?
British female politicians are at a significant disadvantage compared to their male counterparts. While male politicians have a choice of several predecessors whose style they can copy, refer to, and be inspired by, female politicians seem to be tied to Thatcher’s legacy.
Has anyone compared Truss’s opponent, Rishi Sunak, to ex-PM Cameron? Did anyone see Winston Churchill in Boris Johnson? Was Jeremy Corbyn considered as Tony Blair’s successor? The media´s and society´s approach to female politicians and their automatic comparison to Thatcher is unfair. However, looking at Truss’s conscious actions to visually and ideologically copy Thatcher, this comparison is partially deserved.
However, it should be noted that Truss is not the only British politician who has been and is being compared to Iron Lady. Similar comparisons, both deserved and unfair, have been attributed to Theresa May. And although we don’t know who will be the fourth female British Prime Minister, we can be sure that she too will be compared to Margaret Thatcher.
What are the consequences?
Trying to resemble your political idol is understandable. In addition to the signaling function for voters, such embodiment can be empowering and encouraging for the candidate herself. Especially if the role model is one of the most important political figures of the twentieth century.
But conscious as well as attributed similarities to Thatcher have an adverse effect on all future generations of British female politicians. Public and media expectations and the political safe bet of being compared to Thatcher can force a candidate to suppress her own personal as well as political identity.
And if such actions are replicated across politicians, authentic political leaders such as Thatcher will be absent. -, and in their place only derivatives of Thatcherism will remain.
