Britain's first woman prime minister Margaret Thatcher is dead.
The former premier died this morning following a stroke at the age of 87.
Baroness Thatcher will be remembered for taking British troops to the Falklands.
She was also one of the most contentious prime ministers in British history.
She led the country through a two year miner's strike and an intense period of industrial strife.
In 1990 she was ousted from office by her own party after a third election victory.
In recent years she had become increasingly frail.
Baroness Thatcher was admitted to hospital shortly before Christmas where she underwent an operation to remove a growth from her bladder.
She returned home in the new year.
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."
She will be given a ceremonial funeral with military honours, which is similar to a state funeral such as those given to Princess Diana or the Queen Mother, but she will not be lying in state in accordance with her wishes. The funeral will take place at St Paul's Cathedral in London. There will then be a private cremation. Details of the funeral will be released in the coming days.
The Prime Minister, David Cameron, said: "It was with great sadness that I learned of Lady Thatcher's death. We've lost a great leader, a great Prime Minister and a great Briton."
A statement from Buckingham Palace said: "The Queen was sad to hear the news of the death of Baroness Thatcher. Her Majesty will be sending a private message of sympathy to the family."
Paul James, leader of Gloucester City Council, led the county's tributes.
He said: "She had a profound and lasting impact on us all. Whether you liked her or not she was certainly a towering figure of 20th century politics."
Tewkesbury MP Laurence Robertson said that Margaret Thatcher was one of this country's greatest-ever Prime Ministers and her passing was a very sad event for this country and for her family and many friends.
He said: "Margaret was my political hero. I had the great honour of meeting her on many occasions, including in 10 Downing Street on a number of occasions. I joined the Conservative Party in 1981 because of her and the first time I stood for Parliament, in 1987, was under her leadership. I wasn't elected until 1997, so I'm only sorry that I never had the chance to serve under her in the House of Commons.
"Margaret was an extraordinary politician, completely different from any other I've ever met. Her political intellect, insight and courage were outstanding. She was also a good, decent, caring individual who wanted to do her best for her country.
"When Margaret became Prime Minister in 1979, this country was struggling badly. We were being dominated by the trades unions, our economy was wrecked, industry was a mess and we had lost our place in the world. Margaret Thatcher changed all that. She put this country right, allowing many people to buy their own homes, to buy shares in the companies they worked for and generally enabling people to achieve their dreams.
"Most of all, she changed attitudes. Under her leadership, people were proud to be British again and a can-do attitude emerged in this country. She made the UK great again.
"On the world stage, working with Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev, she helped bring about an end to the Cold War, which brought freedom to millions of people in Eastern Europe. This is a sad day for them as well.
"Those of us who met Margaret, or lived through her times, will never forget her. She inspired millions, me included, and I will always be grateful to her for that. She was a brilliant Prime Minister and a wonderful person."
