SOUTHEND’S former MP Sir Teddy Taylor fondly remembered the kindness of Margaret Thatcher and how she sent him into “destroy” the Scottish National Party - which he did at the cost of his Glasgow seat.

Mrs Thatcher, who died yesterday, left a lasting impression on Sir Teddy, who had a close working relationship with her and the pair remained friends after he stood down as MP.

Known as the Iron Lady for her uncompromising leadership style Sir Teddy who served Rochford and Southend East, from 1980 until 2005, instead remembers Mrs Thatcher for her tender approach.

Sir Teddy, who was MP for Glasgow Cathcart from 1964 until May 1979 when he lost his seat, said: “I will never forget her kindness. When I lost my seat she called me up to say how sorry she was, she couldn’t have been nicer.

“In politics an awful lot of people don’t remember things or people but she did and she invited me to family and state occasions even after I stood down. She did everything she could to keep in touch.”

Mrs Thatcher chose Sir Teddy as her shadow Secretary of State for Scotland and he was in office from December 1976 until May 1979 when he wasn’t re-elected to his Glasgow seat.

He lost out when there was a swing to Labour. Had he won he would have made it as a minister.

He said: “We agreed on most things, but I remember many discussions about my shadow cabinet post. She told me the only thing I needed to do was to destroy the SNP (Scottish National Party) who had 12 seats. I told her I can do that, but you’ll lose me. I was a pessimist.

“People who voted SNP then went towards Labour. I went out in the election but we wiped out the SNP and they only had one MP left.”

However his loss in Scotland was Southend’s gain as he moved south and was elected here holding his seat until 2005.

As Prime Minister Mrs Thatcher visited Southend in 1987 giving a huge boost to the town according to Sir Teddy, now 75.

He added: “We had a fantastic reception and dinner for her at the Cliffs. We sold out of tickets in a couple of days. It couldn’t have been better or a nicer event and was a real boost to Southend. She gave a terrific speech and was just wonderful.”

Mrs Thatcher is remembered by many of her era for her action and decisiveness over the Falklands, council housing and her effect on the mining industry.

Sir Teddy said: “She was good at facing up to national problems. Britain was spending too much money and she sorted that out. With the Falklands she made a decision when everyone else would’ve run away from it.

“She had immense ability and sincerity. She faced up to things in the way a politican should. Nowadays its not possible to do that as power has transferred to Europe.

“Politics was going down before her and Britain was going down the plughole. She brought standards of politics much higher and put Britain right back up there financially with jobs and faced up to the trade unions.

“Council housing was a miserable place to live but her policy of selling houses half price to sitting tenants was terrific. It was a breakout from renting to ownership for many people and a great thing for a lot of people. It broke the great divide between the classes in Britain.

“She didn’t just blame problems on the other parties, she took control of them with them.

“She was terrific. I’ll miss her very much indeed. She was a great friend.”