Tributes paid to Margaret Thatcher who has died, age 87

Tributes have been paid to former Prime Minister Baroness Thatcher who has died, age 87, after a stroke, it has been announced. Her spokesman Lord Bell said: "It is with great sadness that Mark and Carol Thatcher announced that their mother Baroness Thatcher died peacefully following a stroke this morning. A further statement will be made later." Leicester City Council's Conservative Councillor Ross Grant has paid tribute the former Tory leader. "She had such a big impact on the country and on me, and was fundamental in me taking up politics," he said. "She brought the country back from the brink, but she had her critics – a lot of people would talk about the awful things she did, but when they had power they didn't try to undo the things she had put in place. "In privatising industry she got people back into work, but successive governments didn't turn them back, despite saying how awful she was." Leicestershire MP Andrew Bridgen tweeted: "Very sad to learn of the death of Baroness Thatcher. Inspirational Prime Minister who did great things for this nation." Independent Leicestershire county councillor David Sprason‏@ruraloutback Tweeted: "RIP Baroness Thatcher the last true Conservative Prime Minister." Loughborough MP Nicky Morgan tweeted: "Very sad to hear about death of Baroness Thatcher. An inspiration to me as a female MP and she was hugely influential on British politics." Leicester MP Jon Ashworth tweeted: "Condolences to the family of Margaret Thatcher. She was an extraordinary woman who had a massive impact." Former England and Leicester City striker Gary Lineker‏@GaryLineker said: "Very few divide opinion like Baroness Thatcher. Loved and loathed in equal measure, but remembered by all." Baroness Thatcher was Conservative prime minister from 1979 to 1990. She was the longest-serving Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of the 20th century, and the only woman ever to have held the post. She was known as the Iron Lady - a title bestowed upon her by her enemies in Moscow. • RELATED CONTENT BREAKING: Former Prime Minister Baroness Thatcher dies Margaret Thatcher: a profile of the lady who wasn't for turning Top 10 Margaret Thatcher quotesMargaret Thatcher dies: Tributes to the Iron Lady In Pictures: Margaret Thatcher in Leicestershire

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Baroness Thatcher was a divisive figure throughout her time as Prime Minister which is reflected in the reaction on Twitter following the announcement. And Lord Sugar tweeted: "Margaret Thatcher died today. A great lady she changed the face of British politics, created opportunity for anyone to succeed in the UK. RIP."BBC Business editor Robert Peston said: "For my generation, hard to imagine a world without Margaret Thatcher. We still define ourselves by whether we were for or against her." TV celebrity Stephen Fry @stephenfry said: "Was in the air when the news came in about Margaret Thatcher. Such a force in Britain through my university days through to my 30s."David Cameron expressed his thoughts on Twitter:

"It was with great sadness that l learned of Lady Thatcher's death. We've lost a great leader, a great Prime Minister and a great Briton"

— UK Prime Minister (@Number10gov) April 8, 2013

The Mayor London Boris Johnson tweeted:

Very sad to hear of death of Baroness Thatcher.Her memory will live long after the world has forgotten the grey suits of today's politics.

— Boris Johnson (@MayorofLondon) April 8, 2013

And One Direction star Harry Styles shared his thoughts:

RIP Baroness Thatcher .x

— Harry Styles (@Harry_Styles) April 8, 2013

Maggie Thatcher has died. Suppose history will judge her now...

— Joseph Barton (@Joey7Barton) April 8, 2013

Love her or hate her, few British Prime Ministers in history were so well known, or so admired, here in America. #Thatcher

— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) April 8, 2013

In 1981 some Tories questioned Baroness Thatcher's policies and at the 1980 Conservative Party conference, Thatcher addressed the issue directly, with a famous speech written by the playwright Ronald Millar.