Thatcher's visit to No10 was brazen, says Sir Malcolm Rifkind

The comments by Sir Malcolm Rifkind, who served as Scottish Secretary in the 1980s, will fuel speculation that the visit was intended to rile David Cameron - and it succeeded.

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So far, the Tory leader has remained silent on Lady Thatcher's decision to pose with Gordon Brown outside No. 10 last week.

But there have been a number of attacks on her from within the party - apparently with his blessing.

Conservative frontbencher Rob Wilson described Lady Thatcher as a "frail" old woman who had allowed herself to be exploited by Mr Brown.

And Sir Malcolm wrote in yesterday's Observer: "Why did she agree to go last week, of all weeks, when there was talk of an election in the air?

"My former boss has been described by one of my colleagues as 'frail and lonely' and therefore susceptible to Brown's Machiavellian schemes.

"Well, maybe she is. But she also still has her political marbles and enjoys using them."

Sir Malcolm also likened Lady Thatcher to Lady Hester Random, the character played by Maggie Smith in the film Tea With Mussolini.

Lady Hester cannot stop reminding the ladies she meets for afternoon tea every day that she is the widow of the British ambassador to Italy.

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Amid a rising tide of fascism in 1930s Italy, she also has her photograph taken with the country's dictator Benito Mussolini.

Sir Malcolm wrote: "Only Maggie Smith's portrayal of the British Ambassador's widow in Tea With Mussolini was as brazen as Maggie Thatcher's acceptance of tea with Gordon."

Lady Thatcher has also accepted the Prime Minister's offer to have a portrait of her painted, which will go on permanent display in No. 10.

Her meeting with the Prime Minister - and the decision to make it public - is all the more extraordinary as she has not talked formally with Mr Cameron since he became party leader.

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However, they have had a number of awkward encounters at parties and political events.

Insiders said the Tory leader had not once asked for a meeting with his predecessor but had "added insult to injury" by suggesting she should take the initiative and ask him.

Yet Sir Malcolm suggested Mr Cameron was right to make a break with Lady Thatcher's premiership if he wanted to win the next election.

He added: "Cameron has no regrets about the Thatcher period. Like all Conservatives, he is proud of Margaret Thatcher's achievements and admires her record. But he, like Brown, is in the business of winning the next General Election."