Sunday Express (8.19.00)

MAGGIE THE WORLD SHAKER

BY SUZANNA CHAMBERS

Sunday Express

FORMER Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher has been named as the most influential woman alive by Sunday Express readers.

She reached the top spot in our 100 Women Who Shook the World survey.

We asked readers to select their leading ladies from 100 suggestions and almost 40 per cent of you said the Iron Lady had been the most influential.

Punk original Siouxsie Sioux, who launched her rock band The Banshees in 1976, came a surprising second with 11 per cent of the votes. Siouxsie became the punk scene's most dominant female star and is said to have inspired grunge goddess Courtney Love.

Both Lady Thatcher, 75, and Siouxsie, 43, took on the world more than 20 years ago, so it's not surprising that they've struck a chord with many of our readers who would then have been at an impressionable age. Third was the Rev Lucy Winkett with seven per cent. The 32-year-old divided the Church of England when she was appointed the first woman priest of St Paul's Cathedral in 1997.

The fourth most influential woman amongst our readers is Cherie Booth, leading barrister, wife of Prime Minister Tony Blair and mother to four, most recently at the age of 45. Joint fifth were nursery nurse Lisa Potts, 24, heroine of a machete attack at a kindergarten, and novelist and poet Alice Walker, 56, author of The Color Purple,with three per cent.

Congratulations to our winner, Belinda Airley of Manchester. She wins a case of Moet and Chandon champagne. Six runners up win a bottle each. They are Miss Tooth of London, Veronica Hind of Brighton, Joan Stylie of Northwood, Mr Cann-Evans of Newcastle upon Tyne, Mrs Haige of Hope Valley and Julia Menall of Bolton.

Contributed by Jerry Burch.