Helena Horton

Aspiring Journalist- writes for York Vision, The F Word, The Yorker, Huffington Post and The Independent.

We are being bullied out of politics. No one can handle that burden, that perfect trope, that men do not have to embody at all. Men can be total shits in politics and people see them as strong, they can be sexual abusers and no one bats an eyelid.

Amelia Charman

I'm a writer and I live in Brighton

As long as we live in a world where 9/ 10 rapes go unreported, we will need platforms that allow discussion and we need to keep on giving a fuck because that's what equality really means, caring and looking out for each other, not fighting against each other and giving up in the face of adversity, because the battle isn't won , not quite yet.

Simon Blake

Chief Executive for Brook, the UK's largest young people's sexual health charity

Section 28 was homophobic, evil, pernicious and unworkable poor legislation - it was unworkable because it never applied to schools who were and continue to be responsible for sex education. But it had an enormous impact nonetheless. And those who introduced, supported and tried to uphold it should be ashamed.

Jeff Leach

Actor and comedian

Has the great British public contracted political fever or did the passing of Her Magg-esty simply give us another excuse to party like it's 1990?

Carla Buzasi

Carla Buzasi is editor-in-chief of The Huffington Post UK

I've nothing against Winston Churchill popping up on our money - it's not actually the first time, having previously appeared on 1965 five-shilling pieces. Although it seems a little rude he's kicking off the only woman, the Queen not withstanding, who currently appears on any British banknote, social reformer Elizabeth Fry. Still, if the public had its way, it could be David Beckham staring back at us as we fork over our fivers, or even Robbie Williams. Those being just two of the more contemporary figures offered up by well-meaning Brits.

Jim Cowan

Strategy Consultant

Right or left, those who do not learn the lessons of history are doomed to repeat them, something politicians of all hues have been doing since she left office and, no doubt will continue to do into the future.

Daniel Wood

Blogger

I am 100 per cent convinced that Ed Miliband has courage, conviction and passion like no prime minister, since Margaret Thatcher left Downing Street. In that sense, he is her heir.

Richard Koch

Author, 'The 80/20 Principle'

So all hail to the Iron Lady, and may she rust in peace. But don't forget that she and the British people were extremely lucky. By all the laws of probability, it shouldn't have worked out like it did.

Natalie Gyte

Head of Communications at Women’s Resource Centre, the national umbrella body for women’s charities

David Cameron remarked that Thatcher had "smashed through the glass ceiling" - she did, but not for women, simply for herself. She did not open the door for other women behind her; rather, she smashed the glass and replaced it with barbed wire fencing. She reinforced a system that does not allow for female leadership unless it acquiesces to patriarchal modes.

Indra Adnan

Director of The Soft Power Network

Thatcher's funeral v Olympic Opening Ceremony - which is the real Britain?

Peter Ingram

Cultural Historian and Economist

As an occasional Huffington Post blogger with an interest in both politics and economics perhaps I could say some thoughts that reflect the passing of Baroness Margaret Thatcher.

Lorenzo Belenguer

Arts writer, visual artist, curator

This week has enjoyed an intense debate about Thatcher's legacy. As always, there were bits of truth and bits of untruth at both sides of the argument. It was very baffling to hear that we are a more individualistic society because of her. I am not sure about this.

Kieran Turner-Dave

Film aficionado and blogger

Due to the advent of home video technology coinciding with a time of mass unemployment in the UK, many independent retailers began to spring up selling videos, which at the time did not have age restrictions and were not required to be classified by the BBFC.

Mark Perryman

Co-founder of the self-styled 'sporting outfitters of intellectual distinction' aka Philosophy Football

As the Thatcher funeral hoopla fades away and the focus shifts to the likely rout of the Con-Dems in the 2 May local elections the political landscape outside the Westminster bubble in the next few months is likely to be further shaped by the deepening impact of the cuts.

Sam Larcombe

Sam was runner up in HJI-Reed Youth Unemployment essay prize, his interests include unemployment, welfare and education

What if the opportunities afforded to a young Margaret Roberts had been different? What would happen to a Margaret Roberts born in 2013? Maybe a woman of Margaret Thatcher's mind would overcome these modern difficulties, but maybe she would not. The ladder of social mobility has been kicked away and how much potential, how many modern Margarets will we waste as a result?

Robert DG Smith

Comment Editor of Impact Magazine

Whereas radicalism once polarised society between left and right, perhaps it is now apathy which polarises a society from its political class.