MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Finally, Margaret Thatcher’s statue on a 10ft plinth, to be erected in Grantham

Grantham agreed to the statue on one condition: that the controversial 10.5-foot monument stands atop an equally tall granite plinth to help evade vandalism

After being rejected in London over concerns about “potential vandalism and civil disorder,” a statue of the late British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher has finally found a home in the town of her birth.

The town of Grantham, in central England, agreed to house the statue with one important condition: that the controversial 10.5-foot monument stands atop an equally tall granite plinth to help evade politically motivated vandals.

 

Grantham's local council announced the bronze of the town's “most famous daughter” will be placed on a “suitably high plinth.” By the time it is erected, the entire structure will be more than 20 feet tall.

Britain's first female Prime Minister, dubbed the “Iron Lady” in the 1970s, remains a deeply polarizing figure in Britain, arousing both admiration and animosity. She is credited with championing “popular capitalism” in Britain and helping the country, which was in decline, punch above its weight in international affairs.

During her time as prime minister from 1979 to 1990, she emphasized the rights of the individual versus those of the state, and the UK fought a short war with Argentina over the Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic.

But her efforts to reform Britain's economy saw her reduce many government subsidies to businesses, a move that led to a sharp rise in unemployment. By 1986, unemployment had reached 3 million.

Some blame Thatcher for wrecking British manufacturing. They say it was under her policies that chronic under-spending on Britain's public services created problems that are still apparent today.

“Whatever your views, the statue will undoubtedly attract more visitors to the town, which can only be good news for Grantham's local economy, bringing benefits and opportunities for residents and local businesses,” Councilor Matthew Lee, leader of South Kesteven District Council, said in a press release.

The statue's journey to the town has been a long one. It was initially meant to stand in a square opposite Parliament in London, alongside a statue of wartime Prime Minister Winston Churchill, but the plan was scrapped last year by Westminster Council due to the risk of “potential vandalism and civil disorder”.

The statue, designed by sculptor Douglas Jennings, depicts Thatcher in robes, with her hands folded before her. The £300,000 ($390,000) project will be paid for by donations raised by a British historical charity.