Strokes silence Lady Thatcher

The voice that inspired the Tory Party and enraged the Left is silent. Baroness Thatcher, after a series of strokes, has been told by her doctors that she must never deliver a public speech again.

They have warned her that further attacks "can neither be predicted nor prevented".

A statement from Lady Thatcher's office this afternoon said that the former Prime Minister, 76, had suffered "a number of small strokes".

She is resting at her home in Belgravia with her 86-yearold husband, Sir Denis, at her side.

Doctors have told her "to cut back her programme at once and in particular to avoid the undue strains that public speaking places on her".

Lady Thatcher had decided, the statement went on, "with great regret" to abide by this advice and to cancel all her speaking engagements.

The decision removes from the scene a dominant political figure who - up to this week - had retained the power to shake her party. The Tories were thrown into turmoil on Monday when Lady Thatcher called for Britain to head towards a complete withdrawal from the European Union.

The following day she cancelled a speaking engagement on doctors' orders, after falling ill that morning.

Until then, Lady Thatcher had been as busy as ever. She had three lecture tours booked in the United States this year as well as a string of speaking engagements and more ceremonial appearances back home.

Recently, for example, she represented the Queen at a memorial service for the former Lord Chancellor, Lord Hailsham. Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith was quick to voice sympathy. He said: "I am saddened by the news that Lady Thatcher is unwell and I fully understand the reasons why she has been advised to withdraw from her public engagements.

"On behalf of the whole party I wish her and Sir Denis the very best and our thoughts and wishes for a speedy recovery."

Her twins, Carol and Mark, 48, are abroad. Her office said they had been told the news but a spokesman was unable to say whether they were returning home.

Those close to Lady Thatcher said that she had suffered no paralysis or impairment as a result of the strokes. One said the move to cancel her speaking engagements was "totally precautionary". Nonetheless, the medical warnings make clear there is a risk of further problems.

Lady Thatcher has in the past drawn a lavish income as one of the most sought-after speakers on the public stage, earning an estimated £1.5 million in a year. She won the adoration of her party conference memorial service for the former Lord Chancellor, Lord Hailsham. Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith was quick to voice sympathy. He said: "I am saddened by the news that Lady Thatcher is unwell and I fully understand the reasons why she has been advised to withdraw from her public engagements.

"On behalf of the whole party I wish her and Sir Denis the very best and our thoughts and wishes for a speedy recovery."

Her twins, Carol and Mark, 48, are abroad. Her office said they had been told the news but a spokesman was unable to say whether they were returning home.

Those close to Lady Thatcher said that she had suffered no paralysis or impairment as a result of the strokes. One said the move to cancel her speaking engagements was "totally precautionary". Nonetheless, the medical warnings make clear there is a risk of further problems.

Lady Thatcher has in the past drawn a lavish income as one of the most sought-after speakers on the public stage, earning an estimated £1.5 million in a year. She won the adoration of her party conference

with memorable phrases such as "The lady's not for turning." Late last year Lady Thatcher suffered a minor stroke in Madeira where she and Sir Denis were celebrating their golden wedding anniversary.

She appeared to have made a speedy recovery and plunged back into the fray. Within days of returning from Madeira she was back in the House of Lords.

She was also busily engaged in promoting her new book Statecraft, as well as being involved in the Queen's Golden Jubilee celebrations. A spokesman at her office this afternoon agreed that today's developments meant there would be no more public speeches "ever" from Lady Thatcher.

As the condolences flooded in, however, it was already clear that there would be a measure of private relief in some Conservative quarters.

Some senior shadow ministers were already voicing concern that the headlines Lady Thatcher made this week represented a voice from the past which muddied the picture of a new style party, less hung-up over Europe, which Mr Duncan Smith is trying to create. In March 1994, Lady Thatcher momentarily collapsed while making a speech in Chile, but swiftly regained her composure.

In August, 1986, she underwent an operation for a condition which was clawing the little finger of her right hand towards the palm.

Unlike her predecessor at No10, James Callaghan, Lady Thatcher did not have a doctor accompanying her on her foreign trips.

Once, when she was asked why this was so, she replied: "I would have ended up looking after the doctor."

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