Margaret Thatcher's father was a grocer who was also heavily involved in local politics. He was a powerful influence on her and later became the Mayor of Grantham. Although passionately interested in politics, she didn't believe that she could afford to become a Member of Parliament. She studied Chemistry at Oxford University and took part in student debates. She then worked as a research chemist and studied law. In 1951 she married Dennis Thatcher, three years later she gave birth to twins. She continued to study for her law exams and remained involved in party politics. In 1958 she became Member of Parliament for Finchley in London. She served in several ministries for the next ten years and in 1970 became the only woman in the Cabinet with responsibility for Education and Science. Shortly after this she was asked if she thought a woman Prime Minister was a possibility:

"I think it depends on who the person is. I don't think that there will be a woman Prime Minister in my lifetime and I don't think it depends on so much whether it's a man prime minister or a woman prime minister as to whether that person is the right person for the job at that time."