Mark Fox: The Bishop of London did Mrs T proud. The nation owes him a debt of gratitude.

Mark Fox is a political commentator and former Parliamentary candidate.

After all the debate, hype and controversy it has fallen to the Bishop of London to pull together the life of Mrs T and to bring out the human being that has been obscured by the –ism, the mythmakers and the critics.

In a magnificent sermon at St Paul’s Cathedral, Richard Chartres pulled off the almost impossible task of successfully summing her life up, reminding us of her humanity and explaining to us the fundamental importance of her Christian faith. He did so without quibbling about or endorsing any of her politics, but paid tribute to the courage and conviction she demonstrated throughout her public life.

Central to that human being was Christian faith. These days it is not fashionable or comfortable to talk about personal faith in the public square. The Bishop reminded us that Mrs T did not shy away from doing so. He drew out her qualities of personal kindness and thoughtfulness.

Mark Fox: Yes, we must move on from Margaret Thatcher. But here's why she deserves the funeral she's getting.

Mark Fox is a political commentator and former Parliamentary candidate.

Tomorrow, Mrs T goes to her rest. Those that chose to will mark the occasion with respect. The state will provide as much formality as any commoner could wish for. The Bishop of London has the unenviable task of bringing focus and unity to a unique occasion in his sermon.

There have been many good words and happy memories shared over the last few days - and a few silly and unpleasant ones. Some have been trying to defeat her in a way they never managed to at three successive general elections. Others have romanticised and mythologised. In the end, the sweep of history will bring perspective, documents will be published, and the truth will emerge. I am sure Charles Moore’s biography will bring much needed information and perspective.

It will also be interesting to see whether some of those who claim such close acquaintanceship today did, in reality, play such a big part in the story of this remarkable leader and human being. And it is as a human being, not as a myth or a legend, that Mrs T deserves to be remembered. She had her strengths and weaknesses, peculiarities and foibles. She had many successes and she had failures. All these deserve to be remembered, appreciated, and valued as part of a full life well lived, of which being a wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and daughter were also a part.

I was nine in 1979 when Mrs T won that first general election. I remember fwell being read bedtime stories by candlelight because of the power cuts, the rubbish on our streets at home, the sheer grinding drabness of the time, and the fact that Ted Heath’s and Jim Callaghan’s Governments had been humiliatingly ejected from office because they were unable to impose their will on the political landscape around them.

We knew things were not working. It made an indelible impression on me. My father took my sister and me up to Downing Street where we walked along (it was still possible to walk up and down Downing Street like any other street in the country at that time), and stood to look at the front door. The street was not busy that day, and as we stood looking at the door a great black Rover swept up and out stepped the Prime Minister. She saw us, smiled, and waved. And I have never forgotten it.

When in later times I had opportunities to talk to her it was always remarkable. We knew then, as some have forgotten now, that this was no triumphal progress over the next eleven years but a hard-fought battle for the future of Britain. That period was clearly a turning point in the history of post-War Britain. For me, the greatest moment was the Falklands. Like Winston Churchill, and unlike Anthony Eden or Tony Blair, Mrs T was an involuntary war leader. A piece of British territory was invaded and our leader was called upon to respond. She did. For me that is why she deserves the ceremonial funeral. Her domestic political achievements were considerable. Her impact on the world stage impressive. Both can be argued about. But when it came to a critical moment when as Prime Minister it fell to her sole responsibility to make the decision and give the order to the Armed Forces to recover a piece of British territory she did not flinch.

What happened then and subsequently will be fought over, argued about, and hopefully lessons of policy and style will be learnt. Tomorrow we should cherish the memory of a remarkable human being, let her go in peace, and then look forward.

Mark Fox: You can't understand Thatcher without understanding her Christian faith

Mark Fox is a political commentator and former Parliamentary candidate.

In all the comment, tributes and criticism that has poured forth since the announcement of Margaret Thatcher’s death on Monday surprisingly little has touched on her personal Christian faith.  In the two excellent speeches by David Cameron and Ed Milliband in Parliament it was not mentioned at all. In the extensive TV and radio coverage, and all the newspaper comment, barely a word about her faith – her upbringing as a Methodist and her adult commitment to Anglicanism.

Yet her Anglicanism and earlier Methodist upbringing was an essential part of her formation as a person and as a politician. Hers was not a showy, worn-on-the-sleeve sort of faith, that we became wearily used to in some of those that succeeded her as Prime Minister but a steady, discreet, deeply felt and regularly practised commitment. She was a faithful member of the worshipping community at the Chapel of the Royal Hospital, Chelsea - where her ashes will lie.

In a remarkable 1978 interview with the Catholic Herald a year before winning the 1979 General Election she told the Editor, Richard Dowden, that she and her sister, Muriel "had a strict religious upbringing. Sundays meant going to church three times and not being allowed to go to the cinema or play games. They were taught what was right and what was wrong, that cleanliness was next to godliness and the importance of discipline and duty".

Mark Fox: Who is going to give us the leadership we deserve?

Mark Fox is a political commentator and former Parliamentary candiate

For some time now, it has been apparent Britain is going through a profound crisis of confidence in its institutions, its leaders, and in its place in the world. There doesn’t seem to be anyone around in public life at the moment who has the vision or wisdom to offer us a way through, or is there ...?

In recent times, there has been a growing sense that the country is adrift. That Britain, a once strong and confident nation is losing its way, its people increasing bewildered and disaffected by the political and social leadership on offer. That corruption, lack of integrity and general shiftiness is the hallmark of those who occupy leadership positions in any area of business or public life. The Queen alone seems to float above her people, immune from the growing sense of disillusionment. But how has this come about and why does no-one seem to have any idea on how to rebuild the nation and its morale?

The lack of political understanding of modern Britain and its challenges is particularly odd since our leaders fanatically consult focus groups and commission polls in the same way as their predecessors peered into crystal balls or gazed at tea leaves, with apparently the same effect on their understanding of what is going on.

Mark Fox: A coherent and compelling analysis of what caused the crash

Mark Fox reviews the new book by Tory MPs Matthew Hancock and Nadhim Zahawi, Masters of Nothing: How The Crash Will Happen Again Unless We Understand Human Nature.

Much of the attention on this book has been focused on one of its authors' connection to the current Chancellor of the Exchequer, and what the book has to say about the role of women in business. This is a shame, because this is a well-written and important book. Important because of its analysis and conclusions, not because one of the authors once worked for George Osborne.

Matthew Hancock and Nadhim Zahawi have come together to produce a coherent and compelling analysis of what caused the financial crash, and they come to some robust conclusions about what should be done to try and prevent another disaster. Hancock and Zahawi are two of the most interesting from their intake of MPs.

Zahawi is that rare thing in modern politics – a successful entrepreneur and businessman. He co-founded YouGov and built it up into one of the most successful and high-profile UK businesses of recent times. He is also extremely genial, which makes it easy to get along with him – a surprisingly rare feature of modern politicians. Any Minister who wants to know how to encourage entrepreneurship in the UK would do well to have a chat with Zahawi.

Mark Fox: Chuck it, Baldry - stop knocking Rowan Williams

In the current edition of the Church Times, Tony Baldry takes the Archbishop of Canterbury to task for his recent observations on government policy, made when he was guest editing the New Statesman.

Baldry expresses dislike for the way the criticisms were made, comparing the Archbishop to a heckler in Parliament Square, charges him with not understanding the problems the government faces and says Ministers "simply feel monumentally misunderstood by the Archbishop". He continues with the suggestion that he hopes Church of England bishops will take the opportunity of the summer recess to meet with their MPs and better acquaint themselves with government policy - surely MPs and bishops already make it a point to meet to discuss their respective "patches" He finishes with a none-too-subtle flourish about why the Church will need the support of Government MPs when it comes to the issues of House of Lords reform and the passing of the legislation for women bishops.