Editing Denis Thatcher (section)

== Public life and perceptions ==
[[File:Denis Thatcher Nancy Reagan 1988.jpg|thumb|Thatcher and US first lady [[Nancy Reagan]] at Downing Street in 1988]]

Thatcher refused press interviews and made only brief speeches. When he did speak to the press, he called his wife "The Boss". Margaret Thatcher often acknowledged her husband's support. In her autobiography, she wrote: "I could never have been Prime Minister for more than 11 years without Denis by my side." Thatcher saw his role as helping her survive the stress of the job, which he urged her to resign on the tenth anniversary of her becoming prime minister in 1989,{{citation needed|date=November 2017}} sensing that otherwise she would be forced out.

In an interview with ''[[The Times]]'' in October 1970, Thatcher said: "I don't pretend that I'm anything but an honest-to-God right-winger{{sndash}}those are my views and I don't care who knows 'em."<ref>{{cite interview |newspaper=The Times |title=[Denis Thatcher] |interviewer=Kirsten Cubitt |page=7 |date=5 October 1970}}</ref> His public image was shaped by the satirical "[[Dear Bill]]" columns appearing since 1979 in ''[[Private Eye]]'', which portrayed him as a "[[Gin|juniper]]-sozzled, rightwing, golf-obsessed halfwit", and Thatcher found it useful to play along with this image to avoid allegations of unduly influencing his wife in political matters.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Pilkington|first1=Edward|title=Dear Bill: gin-soaked halfwit was all a ruse|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/1996/feb/26/past.fromthearchive|access-date=13 July 2016|newspaper=The Guardian|date=26 February 1996}}</ref>

Given his professional background, Thatcher served as an advisor on financial matters, warning Margaret about the poor condition of [[British Leyland]] after reviewing its books. He often insisted that she avoid overwork, to little avail, sometimes pleading, "Bed, woman!"<ref name="runciman20130606">{{cite news | url=http://www.lrb.co.uk/v35/n11/david-runciman/rat-a-tat-a-tat-a-tat-a-tat | title=Rat-a-tat-a-tat-a-tat-a-tat | journal=[[London Review of Books]] | date=6 June 2013 | access-date=11 June 2013 | last=Runciman |first=David |author-link=David Runciman}}</ref> They otherwise usually kept their careers separate; an exception was when Thatcher accompanied his wife on a 1967 visit to the United States sponsored by the [[International Visitor Leadership Program]].{{sfn|Scott-Smith|2003}}

Thatcher was consistent in his strong opposition to the [[Capital punishment in the United Kingdom|death penalty]], calling it "absolutely awful" and "barbaric". He said that he was against it because of innocent people being wrongly hanged and because juries could also be afraid to convict for fear of making a mistake.{{Citation needed|date=April 2021}} Like his wife, Thatcher was consistently [[anti-socialist]]. He told his daughter in 1995 that he would have banned trade unions altogether in Britain.{{Citation needed|date=April 2021}} He had low regard for the [[BBC]], thinking it was biased against his wife and her government, as well as unpatriotic. In his most famous outburst about the corporation, he claimed his wife had been "stitched up by bloody BBC [[wikt:poof|poofs]] and [[Trotskyism|Trots]]" when [[Diana Gould–Margaret Thatcher exchange|she was questioned by a member of the public]] about [[Sinking of the ARA General Belgrano|the sinking]] of the {{ship|ARA|General Belgrano}} on ''[[Nationwide (TV programme)|Nationwide]]'' in 1983.<ref>{{cite news | url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/1518975.stm | title= TV's top 10 tantrums | work=BBC News | date=31 August 2001 |access-date=26 July 2009 }}</ref>

Thatcher was reported by New Zealand (NZ) broadcaster and former diplomat [[Chris Laidlaw]]—at the time NZ High Commissioner to Zimbabwe—as leaning towards him during a [[Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting]], asking "So, what do you think the [[Fuzzy-Wuzzy|fuzzy wuzzies]] are up to?"<ref>{{cite interview |url=http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/sunday/audio/2551960/tim-bale-thatcher-s-life-and-legacy.asx |last=Bale |first=Tim |subject-link=Tim Bale |title=Thatcher's Life and Legacy |date=14 April 2013 |interviewer=[[RNZ National]] |access-date=16 April 2013}}</ref>

In December 1990, following the resignation of his wife as prime minister, it was announced that Thatcher would be created a [[baronet]], (the first and only baronetcy created since 1964).<ref>{{London Gazette|nolink=y|issue=52360|page=19066|date=11 December 1990}}</ref> The award was gazetted in February 1991, giving his title as [[Thatcher baronets|Sir Denis Thatcher, 1st Baronet]], of [[Scotney]] in the [[County of Kent]].<ref>{{London Gazette|nolink=y|issue=52443|page=1993|date=7 February 1991}}</ref> Thus, his wife was entitled to style herself ''Lady Thatcher'' while retaining her seat in the [[House of Commons of the United Kingdom|House of Commons]]; however, she made it known that she preferred to remain addressed as "Mrs Thatcher",<ref>{{cite news |last=Tuohy |first=William |author-link=William Tuohy |title=It's Now 'Lady Thatcher,' but She'll Stick With 'Mrs.' |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-12-08-mn-5367-story.html |access-date=5 March 2017 |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |location=London |date=8 December 1990}}</ref> and would not use the style. She was created a [[life peer]]ess as Baroness Thatcher (Lady Thatcher in her own right) shortly after she retired from the Commons in [[1992 United Kingdom general election|1992]].

In July 1991, Thatcher was created a [[Commander of the Order of St John]]; his wife was also made a Dame of the order.<ref>{{London Gazette|nolink=y|issue=52590|page=10029|date=1 July 1991}}</ref>