Margaret Thatcher has been taken to hospital

Lady Thatcher taken ill

Lady Thatcher taken ill

By Peter Wozniak

Margaret Thatcher was admitted to hospital last night for “routine tests” as a result of a condition which kept her from Downing Street on her birthday party.

It is understood the former prime minister is suffering from an infection from which she has not yet recovered since becoming ill last week.

Speaking to journalists outside the hospital in West London, her son Mark Thatcher played down concerns about his mother’s wellbeing.

“She’s been recovering quite well but the doctors wanted to bring her to hospital just for some tests, routine tests for the next couple of days. If they go according to plan she’ll be home shortly,” he said.

When asked about her appearance in herself, he added she looked “absolutely excellent” and “surprisingly good”.

“She looks well,” Mr Thatcher said.

“She’s in very good spirits. It’s entirely precautionary at this stage.”

After she was initially taken ill, she insisted the planned birthday party for her at Downing Street go ahead without her.

A Downing Street spokesman said that David Cameron wished her “a speedy recovery”.