Geri Halliwell says she was 'weak under fire' for deleting Thatcher tweet

Brett T. | 7:34 PM on April 13, 2013

Spice Girl Geri Halliwell found herself between a rock and hard place Monday after the death of Margaret Thatcher. Her tweet praising Thatcher as the “first lady of girl power” made her the target of hundreds of offensive and angry tweets from anti-Thatcher ghouls. Halliwell deleted the tweet and apologized, further offending fans who saw her bowing under pressure as demonstrating anything but “girl power.”

Halliwell took the latter criticism to heart and wrote about her decision in a blog post on her website. “What I hated the most was that I took a tweet down. I had wavered and was full of self-doubt,” she writes, before concluding:

I realise that I do admire a woman, whether she is right or wrong, regardless of her opinions. She had the courage to stand by her convictions. Not like me. I look at my behavior, which exposed how weak I was under fire, not like Margaret Thatcher. Rest in peace.

Halliwell’s do-over won raves from followers, including Times of London political columnist Daniel Finklestein.

@GeriHalliwell I am hugely admiring of your recent blog post. Has great clarity and personal courage…..I agree with your conclusion but…

— Daniel Finkelstein (@Dannythefink) April 11, 2013

@GeriHalliwell it is frank consideration of weakness which was impressive. We all show it but lack your courage to admit it.

— Daniel Finkelstein (@Dannythefink) April 11, 2013

@GeriHalliwell You shouldn't be so hard on yourself, I understood where you were coming from and why you took it down. Love you Geri xx

— Rawnie (@rawnievalita) April 11, 2013