The other day, my son mentioned he was studying the Thatcher Government as part of his A-levels. 'You mean for your politics course?' I asked. 'No,' he replied. 'For history.'

The Thatcher years began three decades ago, so it is perhaps unsurprising they should be seen as historical events. Yet such is their long shadow that hardly a week goes by without some mention of their legacy in public service reform, public spending or economic renewal, and their implication for the current government.