Margaret Thatcher Oxford Honorary Degree
She maintained a particularly close friendship with our former principal daphne park.
Margaret thatcher oxford honorary degree. Oxford university infamously refused her an honorary degree in 1985 in an academic led protest against the governments cuts in. She is one of oxfords most illustrious alumnae with a worldwide reputation. Thatcher enjoyed a good relationship with her former college according to dr alice prochaska somervilles principal who said in her tribute to the alumna.
However margaret thatcher became the first oxford educated prime minister not to be given an honorary degree and that was in protest at her higher education cuts despite the fact she achieved a. These included a peerage membership of the order of the garter and the order of merit along with numerous other british and foreign honours. But baroness thatcher was snubbed by her old university when it declined to award her an honorary degree during her.
Margaret thatcher s ability to withstand the brickbats and insults thrown at her was extraordinary but even her stoicism faltered when she was refused an honorary degree by oxford university her. Since her graduation in 1947 somerville continued to enjoy a warm relationship with baroness. A downing street spokesman said last night the prime minister thought it was very gracious of oxford university when the hebdomadal council proposed that she should be accorded an honorary degree.
It will hold a memorial event for lady thatcher in a few months. She also became president of the oxford university conservative association. Margaret thatcher received numerous honours in recognition of her career in politics.
Baroness thatcher has been made an honorary fellow by somerville college which she attended as an undergraduate but the university has until now stopped short of extending the official recognition afforded by an honorary degree.