英国新女首相或面临撒切尔式挑战

AS IT IS 2016-07-14 Britain’s May Faces Same Challenges as Thatcher¹ 英国新女首相或面临撒切尔式挑战

British Prime Minister Theresa May took office Wednesday, becoming the country’s second woman leader after Margaret Thatcher.

May was formally appointed by Queen Elizabeth after a meeting at Buckingham Palace. The new prime minister succeeded David Cameron, who stepped down after Britain voted to leave the European Union.

May is already being compared to Thatcher, the iconic former leader known as the “Iron Lady.”

Leading at an important time

Thatcher, a Conservative, was Britain’s longest-serving prime minister of the 20th century, holding office from 1979 to 1990. Besides being Britain’s first female prime minister, she was also the first woman to lead a major Western democracy.

One of the main comparisons between the two women is that May, 59, will be leading Britain through a historically important time. She will be in charge of overseeing the country’s complex transition out of the EU.

Before last month’s referendum, also referred to as “Brexit,” May campaigned with Cameron for Britain to stay in the EU. Since the vote, she has pledged to help the country “forge a new role for ourselves in the world.”

Britain’s stock market and currency plunged² after the Brexit vote and economists³ have predicted more challenges ahead. This week, the EU’s economic affairs commissioner⁴ warned Britain’s economic growth could drop 2.5 percent as a result of Brexit.

Britain will also be faced with negotiating separate trade and political relationships with EU member nations. Cameron called May “a brilliant negotiator” Wednesday and urged her to maintain close ties with EU states.

Earlier this week, May said her goal would be to “negotiate the best deal for Britain in leaving the EU.” She said she would also aim to “make a success” of Brexit.

Historical parallels

It is clear that May will need to rely on her negotiating skills, as well as those of others, to lead Britain through the Brexit process. Thatcher was considered a tough negotiator from day one and she built on that reputation throughout her career.

Thatcher maintained a firm stance on separatist movements in Northern Ireland. She also used strong language when addressing the Soviet⁵ Union and its nuclear expansion during the Cold War.

Whether May will adopt this same approach to her public statements and negotiating style remains⁶ to be seen.

On her first day in office, May appointed Boris Johnson, a leading supporter of Brexit, as the new foreign secretary. She is expected to appoint a special minister to guide the Brexit process and be a chief negotiator.

Perhaps the most interesting parallels the two women share can be seen in a historical context.

May faces Brexit uncertainties⁷ and a declining economy.

Thatcher came into office at a time when Britain was going through political and economic turmoil⁸. Labor⁹ disputes throughout the 1970s led to widespread strikes and high unemployment. There was public anger over high taxes, power shortages and trash in the streets.

In 1976, economic conditions got so bad that Britain’s currency collapsed¹⁰ and nearly led the country into bankruptcy¹¹. Thatcher was elected on a platform of fighting the recession and dealing¹² strictly¹³ with labor organizations seen as causing unrest.

May will also have to deal with the global problem of terrorism, which has directly hit Britain in the past.

Thatcher faced persistent¹⁴ terror problems and was targeted herself in a bombing in 1984. Thatcher was not hurt in the attack, which was claimed by the Irish Republican Army.

Just weeks before she took office, Thatcher’s spokesman on Northern Ireland was killed in a car bombing as he drove out of a parking garage. The IRA claimed responsibility for that attack too.

Both Thatcher and May started as cabinet ministers in Conservative governments before winning as prime minister. Thatcher served as education secretary under the government of Edward Heath.

In her six years as Home Secretary, May has been in charge of the country’s immigration, citizenship¹⁵ and national security. All of those areas were big issues during the campaigns of both sides during the Brexit debate.

Words in This Story

iconic – adj. relating to a well-established and recognizable person

referendum – n. a vote of a single political question

brilliant – adj. very impressive or successful

reputation – n. the beliefs or opinions generally held about something or someone

turmoil – n. a state of confusion or disorder¹⁶

platform – n. a declaration of principles and policies by a political party or candidate

1 thatcher   

n.茅屋匠

参考例句：

• Tom Sawyer was in the skiff that bore Judge Thatcher. 汤姆 - 索亚和撒切尔法官同乘一条小艇。 来自英汉文学 - 汤姆历险
• Mrs. Thatcher was almost crazed; and Aunt Polly, also. 撒切尔夫人几乎神经失常，还有波莉姨妈也是。 来自英汉文学 - 汤姆历险

2 plunged   

v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降

参考例句：

• The train derailed and plunged into the river. 火车脱轨栽进了河里。
• She lost her balance and plunged 100 feet to her death. 她没有站稳，从100英尺的高处跌下摔死了。

3 economists   

n.经济学家，经济专家( economist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The sudden rise in share prices has confounded economists. 股价的突然上涨使经济学家大惑不解。
• Foreign bankers and economists cautiously welcomed the minister's initiative. 外国银行家和经济学家对部长的倡议反应谨慎。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 commissioner   

n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员

参考例句：

• The commissioner has issued a warrant for her arrest.专员发出了对她的逮捕令。
• He was tapped for police commissioner.他被任命为警务处长。

5 Soviet   

adj.苏联的，苏维埃的；n.苏维埃

参考例句：

• Zhukov was a marshal of the former Soviet Union.朱可夫是前苏联的一位元帅。
• Germany began to attack the Soviet Union in 1941.德国在1941年开始进攻苏联。

6 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

7 uncertainties   

无把握( uncertainty的名词复数 )； 不确定； 变化不定； 无把握、不确定的事物

参考例句：

• One of the uncertainties of military duty is that you never know when you might suddenly get posted away. 任军职不稳定的因素之一是你永远不知道什么时候会突然被派往它处。
• Uncertainties affecting peace and development are on the rise. 影响和平与发展的不确定因素在增加。 来自汉英非文学 - 十六大报告

8 turmoil   

n.骚乱，混乱，动乱

参考例句：

• His mind was in such a turmoil that he couldn't get to sleep.内心的纷扰使他无法入睡。
• The robbery put the village in a turmoil.抢劫使全村陷入混乱。

9 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

10 collapsed   

adj.倒塌的

参考例句：

• Jack collapsed in agony on the floor. 杰克十分痛苦地瘫倒在地板上。
• The roof collapsed under the weight of snow. 房顶在雪的重压下突然坍塌下来。

11 bankruptcy   

n.破产；无偿付能力

参考例句：

• You will have to pull in if you want to escape bankruptcy.如果你想避免破产，就必须节省开支。
• His firm is just on thin ice of bankruptcy.他的商号正面临破产的危险。

12 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

13 strictly   

adv.严厉地，严格地；严密地

参考例句：

• His doctor is dieting him strictly.他的医生严格规定他的饮食。
• The guests were seated strictly in order of precedence.客人严格按照地位高低就座。

14 persistent   

adj.坚持不懈的，执意的；持续的

参考例句：

• Albert had a persistent headache that lasted for three days.艾伯特连续头痛了三天。
• She felt embarrassed by his persistent attentions.他不时地向她大献殷勤，使她很难为情。

15 citizenship   

n.市民权，公民权，国民的义务(身份)

参考例句：

• He was born in Sweden,but he doesn't have Swedish citizenship.他在瑞典出生，但没有瑞典公民身分。
• Ten years later,she chose to take Australian citizenship.十年后，她选择了澳大利亚国籍。

16 disorder   

n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调

参考例句：

• When returning back,he discovered the room to be in disorder.回家后，他发现屋子里乱七八糟。
• It contained a vast number of letters in great disorder.里面七零八落地装着许多信件。