Well versed in Thatcherisms, Haley targets the presidency

NIKKI HALEY has paid tribute to Margaret Thatcher by using one of the late prime minister’s favourite poems to set out her campaign for the US presidency.

The one-time US ambassador to the United Nations and former governor of South Carolina is set to announce her candidacy for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination on Feb 15.

She has long been inspired by Lady Thatcher and chose the poem No Enemies by Charles Mackay to be read in full in the video. Britain’s first female prime minister was known to keep a copy of the poem on her desk.

The poem also featured in The Crown, when the then Mrs Thatcher, played by Gillian Anderson, recites the poem to the Queen, played by Olivia Colman.

Mackay was a Scottish poet and newspaper journalist who died in 1889. His poem begins: “You have no enemies, you say? Alas! my friend, the boast is poor.” It concludes that if you have no enemies “You’ve been a coward in the fight.”

The poem is intended to show how Ms Haley has fought for her political beliefs and will continue to do so. Its first lines are narrated over images of a cornfield in Iowa and a town in New Hampshire. The two states will be the first to vote in the 2024 Republican nomination process. As the poem continues images of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping appear on the screen. The Statue of Liberty and Mount Rushmore also feature in the video.

What follows are some of Ms Haley’s most memorable comments from her time in office. She is shown telling how America is “the greatest force for good in human history, and we should never be ashamed to say that”.

In another clip she says: “For those who don’t have our back, we’re taking names,” and explains that she wears heels, not as a fashion statement, but “because if I see something wrong, we’re going to kick ’em every time”.

Ms Haley’s video ended by showing the date Feb 15.

Last week, she wrote on social media that “my family and I have a big announcement to share with you” on that date. She added: “And yes, it’s definitely going to be a Great Day in South Carolina.”

When she enters the race Ms Haley, 51, will become the chief early rival to Donald Trump, the only candidate to have declared so far. Analysts have suggested that her announcement could trigger other candidates to also declare.

Potentially, that includes Mike Pence, the former vice-president, and Ron Desantis, the governor of Florida.