6. Her Abrasive Style As Prime Minister Led To The Coining Of The Term "To Handbag"
As has already been mentioned, Thatcher's handbag was famed - and it was so iconic it even coined its own term in the Concise Oxford English Dictionary. In fact, this dictionary defines the verb "to handbag" as: "(of a woman politician), treat (a person, idea, etc.) ruthlessly or insensitively." This derives from Thatcher once saying that: "Of course, I am obstinate in defending our liberties and our law. That is why I carry a big handbag." It is believed that the term was first used in an anonymous article in The Economist in 1892 - although it has been attributed to Julian Critchley - that read: "One of her less-relevant backbenchers said of Mrs Thatcher recently that 'she can't look at a British institution without hitting it with her handbag'. Treasury figures published last week show how good she has proved at handbagging the Civil Service."