Halfway through her first term as Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher was not enjoying much popularity or polling success. 

Just 2 years in from her comfortable 1979 General Election win, inflation peaked at 18%, there was still an ongoing energy crisis and the UK economy was teetering –  Does that sound familiar?

In April 1982, Argentina decided to invade the Falkland Islands, war was not officially declared, but Margaret Thatcher instinctively knew she had to respond in order to restore some pride and hope back into a demoralised British population.

At this point, let me just clarify the situation prevailing at that time.

    1.Rising inflation

    2.Energy crisis 

    3.Invasion of British soil

    4.Low public moral

When Prime Minister Liz Truss enters Downing Street on 6th September, her top 4 priorities, for this mid term Conservative government, will be identical to those faced by Margaret Thatcher, 40 years ago in 1982. A truly mind-boggling facsimile of events, compounded further by the fact it is shared by 2 female Prime Ministers!

The event that lead to Margaret Thatcher’s resounding election victory of 1983 (a stonking majority of 144 seats) was the 10 week Falkland Islands campaign. Mrs Thatcher was taking an enormous risk, sending thousands of military personnel and assets 8,000 miles to the south Atlantic ocean, in often antiquated ships and aircraft. There was anticipation of huge loss of life on our side. 

This was not an easy decision for the first female leader of the Conservative Party, let alone the first female Prime minister of the UK, in fact, she was also the first female head of government in Europe. 

Ultimately, our armed and special forces prevailed, losses were lower than expected and the Falkland’s Task Force returned home with pride and in celebration. 

Suddenly the whole country was uplifted and national pride was restored. 

More good fortune was to come. Inflation was falling and the energy crisis was dissipating. 12 months later Margaret chose to go to the country and at that point, she cemented her place as one of the UKs greatest Prime ministers.

Liz Truss will not have to face such a difficult task as Margaret Thatcher did, but she can mirror the victories. 

Inflation will naturally come down as the UK ramps up our own energy production in the latter part of 2022, resulting in more affordable fuel for the transportation of goods and of course home energy bills. 

The cost of living crisis will dissappear as quickly as it came. The economic outlook for 2023 will improve, not just in the UK, but around the world. 

Prime minister Truss will have enough capacity to turn her attention to another invasion of British soil – the channel trafficking invasion – There will be no need for her to agonise over loss of life, nor will she need admirals, commander-in-chiefs, group captains or generals to pore over plans. A few tweeks to existing laws and suspension of our membership of the ECHR and possibly, temporary withdrawal from the international convention on human rights, will give her all the weapons she’ll require to turn the dinghies around in the channel and send them back to France. 

Unlike Margaret Thatcher, Liz Truss will not have to sit alone in the small hours, writing personal letters to the bereaved families of our fallen heroes of the Falkland’s campaign. If she is savvy, she will instruct her ministers and legal advisors to summon the political will to force the civil servants in various Whitehall departments to ‘get the invasion stopped!`

In the first quarter of 2023, assuming the channel invasion is halted, Liz Truss can then claim her victories, to a much relieved British public, and call an early General election whilst enjoying substantial popularity in the polls.

If you are a nervous Tory voter, all I can say is… “Just Rejoice At That News!”