In April 1982, Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher faced an early exit from 10 Downing Street.
The Iron Lady’s domestic policies were even being criticised by her cabinet and the country was fed up with spending cuts.
The rest, of course, is history. The Argentinians invaded the Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic and she sent 38 warships, 77 auxiliary vessels and 11,000 soldiers, sailors and marines to reclaim the territory.
There were 74 days of fighting before the Argentine surrender on June 14, 1982. The conflict claimed the lives of 255 British troops, three islanders and 649 Argentine military personnel - and restored Mrs Thatcher’s standing as a leader to be reckoned with. She won a landslide in 1983’s General Election.
On the 42nd anniversary of that famous victory, it is only fitting that the country remembers all those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
Hertford and Stortford Conservative candidate Julie Marson is right to say on social media: “Forty-two years ago today. We honour our veterans who fought for freedom and sovereignty in the Falkland Islands.”
She could also be forgiven for hoping that invoking that defiant spirit might enhance her own lacklustre General Election campaign.
According to the latest UK Polling Report, the Hertford and Stortford result on July 4 is “too close to call”.
Its default model puts Marson on 35.38% of the vote with Labour’s Josh Dean snapping at her heels with 33.4%. The Lib Dem’s Helen Campbell is predicted to take third place with 12.37% of the vote, just ahead of Reform UK’s John Burmicz on 11.6%. Green Party candidate Nick Cox is tipped to take 7.25% leaving less than 1% for the others - Alliance for Democracy and Freedom’s Jane Fowler and Barry Hensall, of the Heritage Party.
Across the border in North West Essex - what was the Saffron Walden constituency - the same UK Polling default model predicts Conservative Kemi Badenoch, Secretary of State for Business and Trade, will hold the seat with 41.35% ahead of Labour’s Issy Waite on 23.08%. The Lib Dem’s Smita Rajesh is tipped to be third with 16.85% ahead of Reform UK’s Grant StClair-Armstrong on 11.42% and 7.3% for the Green Party’s Edward Gildea and few votes to share between Independents Erik Bonino, Andrew Green and Niko Omilana.
The data has prompted calls on social media for Lib Dem supporters to vote tactically for Labour amid lurid claims that “Rupert Murdoch wants Kemi Badenoch to lead the next far right version of the Tories in opposition”.