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Margaret Thatcher pictured in 2010 Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire/Press Association Images

Former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher undergoes bladder surgery

The 87-year-old former leader has suffered a number of health problems in recent years.

THE FORMER BRITISH Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher has undergone surgery to remove a growth from her bladder and is now recovering in hospital.

A spokeswoman for the former Conservative Party leader said that she was doing “absolutely fine” following the operation which came after she was admitted to hospital on Thursday.

Thatcher, 87, has suffered from poor health in recent years including a series of minor strokes in 2002 which led to medical advice that she no longer make public speeches.

She is also believed to be suffering from dementia with her daughter Carol once revealing that the former premier had to be repeatedly reminded that her husband Denis had died in 2003.

Thatcher, nicknamed the Iron Lady, was Prime Minister between 1979 and 1990 making her the longest continuous occupant of 10 Downing Street in the last century.

She is expected to remain in hospital overnight with BBC News quoting a number of her friends as saying they expect her to remain in hospital for the next number of days.

- with reporting from AFP

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105 Comments
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    Mute Daisy Chainsaw
    Favourite Daisy Chainsaw
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    Jan 26th 2013, 2:40 PM

    Fiona Doyle is a hero. To go through the abuse she suffered and to come out a strong woman is enough, but then to have the courage to see the court case through and to go public when justice let her down shows true bravery. I’m so glad that most of Ireland has moved on from squinting windows and pointing fingers. Women like Ms Doyle going public doesn’t make her a topic of gossip, but a beacon for others who suffer abuse.

    I wish her and her family every good fortune for the rest of their lives. Lord knows they deserve it after last week.

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    Mute Boy Russell
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    Jan 26th 2013, 2:43 PM

    Remarkable! Resilient! Courageous!

    246
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    Mute Michele Kealy
    Favourite Michele Kealy
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    Jan 26th 2013, 2:48 PM

    Shocked and annoyed to think its taking 20 years for this lady to get justice !! …shame on our system …and SHAME ON HER MOTHER for not protecting her young daughter

    348
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    Mute siobeli
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    Jan 26th 2013, 5:38 PM

    How a woman could defend her husband, after he admitted it and disown her own child. She is not a mother and is more guilty than her husband

    167
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    Mute Gary Maxwell
    Favourite Gary Maxwell
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    Jan 26th 2013, 2:26 PM

    Poor woman!! Justice system in this country is a shambles!

    274
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    Mute Slap'stick Ireland
    Favourite Slap'stick Ireland
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    Jan 26th 2013, 2:36 PM

    Its like a clunked-out motor, recklessly driven by the Eu. Now you know why it’s “a shambles”.

    17
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    Mute Michael Burke
    Favourite Michael Burke
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    Jan 26th 2013, 3:08 PM

    Beautiful woman, inside and out. Hopefully now she can properly move on with her life and have many happy years with her immediate family.

    161
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    Mute Dr.fury
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    Jan 26th 2013, 2:56 PM

    Heroic,a role model that is all

    120
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    Mute Lorraine Keane
    Favourite Lorraine Keane
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    Jan 26th 2013, 3:29 PM

    Thought she gave a very truthful and honest interview that really moved me. Unbelievable bravery shown by this woman. Wishing her all the happiness in the world for the future

    116
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    Mute Roselyn Fahey
    Favourite Roselyn Fahey
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    Jan 26th 2013, 3:42 PM

    I was at the protest today so many ppl suffering in silence for too long! Hopefully Fionas story and bravery will give some people courage and hope in their lives! It shouldn’t hurt to be a child! The justice system needs a good shaking when it comes to sentencing paedophiles!

    100
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    Mute Gary Maxwell
    Favourite Gary Maxwell
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    Jan 26th 2013, 3:49 PM

    They should all be subjected to getting their balls chopped off and S*c*u*m tattooed on their foreheads!!

    87
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    Mute Dave Bowery
    Favourite Dave Bowery
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    Jan 26th 2013, 3:25 PM

    God bless her, a very beautiful woman, she has been through so much in her life, hopefully she can move on and enjoy the rest of her life

    94
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    Mute Stephen murphy
    Favourite Stephen murphy
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    Jan 26th 2013, 3:21 PM

    Judges out of touch, all political appointees! Paul Carney, was a PD member. Nice one If you can get it?

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    Mute Colleen Prestage
    Favourite Colleen Prestage
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    Jan 26th 2013, 7:29 PM

    You are incredible, brave woman and an inspiration to many Fiona Doyle. Even though I still feel the sentence is far too lenient, I am relieved that at least Patrick O’ Brien is behind bars. As a Mother, as a daughter and especially as a woman I thank you for pursuing this, under such difficult circumstances and bringing light onto this dark subject. Looking at your children and they way they have rallied around you and supported you, I hope it’s fair to say that in spite of your childhood, you have managed to break the cycle. And, that’s not easy. I was in Bray this afternoon, pounding the pavement, for you and for so many others. Ireland really needs to change how it handles cases like this. In spite of Judge Carneys U-turn, I still think the judicial system let you down. Just a few weeks ago we held the Children’s Referendum with Ireland claiming how important the welfare of it’s children is – now Ireland needs to step up and hand out harsher punishment to paedophile’s and rapists. The Garlic Man was sentenced to 6 years – need I say more!

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    Mute Tiernan Dolan
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    Jan 26th 2013, 3:28 PM

    An other incredible story from Bray; an other incredible woman.

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    Mute Roselyn Fahey
    Favourite Roselyn Fahey
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    Jan 26th 2013, 9:27 PM

    20 dislikes on a comment to clamp down on sentencing for paedophiles!!!!!!! The protection of children should come first!

    34
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    Mute Maria
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    Jan 27th 2013, 10:54 AM

    I liked your comment, but I think the reason for the red thumbs is because people don’t believe in barbaric solutions.

    2
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    Mute Roselyn Fahey
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    Jan 27th 2013, 11:12 AM

    There was absolutely nothing barbaric about the comment?! All that was stated was that the justice system need to clamp down, as in give harsher sentences to ppl who commit such hideous crimes on children!

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    Mute Irish Red
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    Jan 26th 2013, 11:27 PM

    Amazing woman.

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    Mute FlopFlipU
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    Jan 27th 2013, 12:05 PM

    Glad to see that the people supported and demanded justice for a badly treated lady ‘ kind of hard to have faith in the judge
    Good luck to her in her future

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    Mute George Brown
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    Jan 27th 2013, 4:31 AM

    Is there any article or news footage that states the abuse this poor woman went through?

    1
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