In the United Kingdom's recent history, two parties have been prominent in politics: The Conservatist and the Labour. Both of these parties have yielded strong leaders who would become the Prime Minister. For the Conservative party, Margaret Thatcher was their champion. As for the Labour party, Tony Blair took the reins. During their careers as Prime Ministers, they have accomplished many goals that have earned both of them the right to be called a revolutionary.
Margaret Thatcher was the first female Prime Minister in the UK's history. She changed many of the government's policies upon entering office. Thatcher privatized many businesses, lowered taxes, and lowered social spending. She also introduced Britain into more international affairs, while remaining sovereign from the rest of Europe. Her leadership led to a renewed support for a free market economy. However, she became widely unpopular toward the end of her third term as Prime Minister for showing great favoritism toward the upper class.
On the other hand, Tony Blair has become more popular with the middle and lower classes with his policies toward the United Kingdom. Surprisingly enough, most of his policies are along the same lines as Thatcher's. He has continued many of the same programs, and has pledged not to nationalize any businesses. At most, it seems as if Blair has only improved on Thatcher's, and her successor, John Major's plans. Blair has privatized more businesses, and has continued a similar welfare state policy. .
Even Blair's (arguably) greatest achievement thus far, the New Deal, is along the ideals of Margaret Thatcher. Seventy-five percent of the unemployed population found and held jobs for at least three months, and the income of the lower two-fifths of the population increased by eight percent. Of course, Blair did spend a little more than Thatcher on public services, which created far greater tax revenue than the government had anticipated.
