On Michael Heseltine, from The Downing Street Years, Mrs Thatcher’s autobiography: “His own overwhelming belief in himself is sufficient.”

On making John Major Chancellor, from The Downing Street Years: “I told him we all have to accept second best sometimes; this applied as much to me as it did to him.”

Before she became Prime Minister: “It will be years, and not in my time, before a woman will lead the party or become Prime Minister.”

“We should back the workers, not the shirkers.”

“If you want something said, ask a man. If you want something done, ask a woman.”

“There is no such thing as society.”

On Tony Blair MP: “I’m worried about that young man, he’s getting awfully bossy.”

On Labour’s pension policy in 1983: “If you put your money in a sock, they’d probably nationalise socks.”

“They have the usual socialist disease, they have run out of other people’s money to spend.”

Opposing Jacques Delors’ proposals in 1990: “No. No. No.”

To the Conservative conference in 1981: “You turn if you want to, the lady’s not for turning.”

Announcing her intentions to enter the second round of the contest for leadership of the party in 1990: “I fight on, I fight to win.”

“My job is to stop Britain going red.”

“Communism never sleeps, never changes its objectives; nor must we.”

To US President Ronald Reagan on the Falklands crisis, 1982: “I’m not handing over, I’m not handing over the islands now.”

“I am not a consensus politician – I’m a conviction politician.”

“Consensus? Consensus is the negation of leadership.”

“People think that at the top there isn’t much room. They tend to think of it as an Everest. My message is that there is tons of room at the top.”

“You may have to fight a battle more than once in order to win it.”

“One only gets to the top rung of a ladder by steadily climbing up one step at a time.”

“It may be the cock that crows, but it’s the hen that lays the egg.”

“When hecklers stand up, I get a mental jump for joy. It gives me something to get my teeth into – and the audiences love it.”

“Thinking realistically never got anyone anywhere. Be true to your heart and aim for your dreams.”

“Pennies do not fall from heaven. They must be earned down here on earth.”