Britain’s Thatcher enters hospital

LONDON —  Former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher was hospitalized in stable condition in central London Friday night and was undergoing tests, officials said.

St. Thomas’ Hospital said the former leader, 82, was expected to stay overnight.

“We can confirm that Baroness Thatcher has been admitted to St. Thomas’ Hospital and is expected to remain in hospital overnight for observation,” the hospital said in a statement. “Her condition is stable and she is speaking to the medical staff who are caring for her.”

Thatcher, Britain’s first female prime minister, has appeared at private functions frequently in recent years but makes few public statements.

When she was honored last month with a statue at the headquarters of her Conservative Party, she told members that the party was most successful when it “held firm to its beliefs.”

“Today, as we face the challenges of the future, let us remain steadfast and sure. Let us set a clear course for our country,” she said.

Thatcher, who was nicknamed the “Iron Lady,” was prime minister from May 1979 until her resignation in November 1990.

She dominated British politics in the 1980s and was a firm supporter of President Reagan, her ideological colleague. She was also a divisive figure and left her party a bickering shambles when she stepped down.

Thatcher cut back her workload in March 2002 after doctors said she had suffered a series of strokes. She was given a clean bill of health by doctors in December 2005 after she spent a night in the hospital.