Margaret Thatcher: The Authorized Biography, Volume 2

by Charles Moore

  * Years later, her time with the Scots Guards stuck in her mind: ‘One or two of the very ordinary guys I went round to said “Keep on against Europe, Maggie, we don’t want to fight for them, we fight for Britain” ’ (Thatcher Memoirs Materials, CAC: THCR 4/3).

  † This was one of many unpublished background interviews conducted by David Butler and Denis Kavanagh for their series of British general election studies.

  ‡ Norman Tebbit (1931–), educated Edmonton County Grammar School; Conservative MP for Epping, 1970–74; for Chingford, February 1974–92; Minister of State, Department of Industry, 1981; Secretary of State for Employment, 1981–3; for Trade and Industry, 1983–5; Chairman, Conservative Party, 1985–7; created Lord Tebbit, 1992.

  * Peter Tatchell (1952–), educated Mount Waverley High School, Melbourne and Polytechnic of North London; activist/organizer on gay rights and environmental issues; Labour candidate in Bermondsey by-election, 1983; resigned Labour Party, 2000; Independent Green candidate for Greater London Assembly, 2000; joined Green Party, 2004.

  † Simon Hughes (1951–), educated Llandaff Cathedral School, Cardiff, Christ College, Brecon, Selwyn College, Cambridge and College of Europe, Bruges; MP for Southwark and Bermondsey, February 1983–97 (Liberal, 1983–8; Liberal Democrat, 1988–97); Liberal Democrat MP for North Southwark and Bermondsey, 1997–2010; for Bermondsey and Old Southwark, 2010–15; shadow to Attorney-General, 2005–7; to Leader of House of Commons, 2007–9; Deputy Leader, Liberal Democrats, 2010–13; Minister of State at the Ministry of Justice, 2013–15.

  * Another factor which accelerated the decision was the need for a by-election in Cardiff North West, following the death of the Conservative MP Michael Roberts in February. Mrs Thatcher saw the merit in calling a general election early enough to make the Cardiff North West contest unnecessary: ‘The last thing you want is a by-election just before the Election,’ she later recalled (Thatcher Memoirs Materials, CAC: THCR 4/3.)

  † Bernard Ingham (1932–), educated Hebden Bridge Grammar School; reporter, Yorkshire Post, 1952–61; Guardian, 1961–5; director of information for Department of Employment, 1973; Energy, 1973–7; chief press secretary to the Prime Minister, 1979–90; knighted, 1990.

  * Michael Spicer (1943–), educated Wellington College and Emmanuel College, Cambridge; Conservative MP for South Worcestershire, February 1974–97; for West Worcestershire, 1997–2010; Parliamentary Under-Secretary, 1984–7, and Minister for Aviation, 1985–7, Department of Transport; Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department of Energy, 1987–90; Minister of State, Department of the Environment, 1990; chairman, 1922 Committee, 2001–10; knighted, 1996; created Lord Spicer, 2010.

  † Michael Jopling (1930–), educated Cheltenham College and King’s College, Newcastle-upon-Tyne; Conservative MP for Westmorland, 1964–83; for Westmorland and Lonsdale, 1983–97; Parliamentary Secretary to HM Treasury, and Chief Whip, 1979–83; Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, 1983–7; created Lord Jopling, 1997.

  ‡ Ian Gow (1937–90), educated Winchester; Conservative MP for Eastbourne, 1974–90; PPS to the Prime Minister, 1979–83; Minister for Housing and Construction, 1983–5; Minister of State, Treasury, 1985; resigned from the government over the completion of the Anglo-Irish Agreement; murdered by the Provisional IRA, who exploded a bomb under his car at his home in Sussex, July 1990.

  * In her Perth speech Mrs Thatcher said that the election provided a ‘chance to banish from our land the dark divisive clouds of Marxist socialism’ (Speech to the Scottish Conservative Party conference, 13 May 1983 (http://www.margaretthatcher.org/document/105314)). The comments were picked up by Christopher Monckton in the Policy Unit, who was concerned about the tone of the speech and urged Mrs Thatcher not to ‘stoop to personal abuse’ of her opponents. She underlined this comment with her squiggly line and added, ‘Where was the personal abuse in that speech? Please give me one example.’ (Thatcher’s annotations on Monckton to Gow, 16 May 1983, THCR 2/7/3/36 (http://www.margaretthatcher.org/document/131412).)

  * Gerald (Bernard) Kaufman (1930–), educated Leeds Grammar School and the Queen’s College, Oxford; Labour MP for Manchester, Ardwick, 1970–83; for Manchester, Gorton, 1983–; Minister of State, Department of Industry, 1975–9; Shadow Environment Secretary, 1980–83; Shadow Home Secretary, 1983–7; Shadow Foreign Secretary, 1987–92; knighted, 2004.

  * Much as she loved attacking Labour, Mrs Thatcher drew the line at anything personal against Michael Foot. A proposed advertisement by Saatchi and Saatchi showed a picture of the sixty-nine-year-old Foot, with his familiar walking stick, over the line ‘As a pensioner, he’d be better off with the Conservatives.’ Mrs Thatcher was ‘appalled’. Tim Bell, presenting the advertisement for Saatchis, recalled that she ‘threw me out of the office’. (Tim Bell, Right or Wrong: The Memoirs of Lord Bell, Bloomsbury, 2014, p. 80.)

  † The present author.

  ‡ The most prominent ex-Chief Whip was, of course, Ted Heath, a fact which, in making this comment, Mrs Thatcher probably had in mind.

  * Stephen Sherbourne (1945–), educated Burnage Grammar School, Manchester and St Edmund Hall, Oxford; Conservative Research Department, 1970–75; head of the office of Edward Heath MP, 1975–6; special adviser to Patrick Jenkin (then Secretary of State for Industry), 1982–3; political secretary to the Prime Minister, 1983–8; chief of staff to Leader of the Opposition, 2003–5; knighted, 2006; created Baron Sherbourne of Didsbury, 2013.

  † David Butler (1924–), educated St Paul’s and New College, Oxford (MA, DPhil); Fellow of Nuffield College, Oxford, 1954–; served as personal assistant to HM Ambassador in Washington, 1955–6; author/editor of many publications, including, since 1951, the Nuffield Election Studies, a reference series for each UK election since 1945. Co-authors/editors have included Professor Richard Rose, Professor Anthony King and, since 1974, Professor Dennis Kavanagh. Knighted, 2011.

  * As in 1979, though much more readily, Mrs Thatcher refused to take part in a television debate. ‘You simply cannot make up your mind as a result of a couple of programmes between the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition.’ Equally she saw no reason to give the Alliance a platform: ‘We can’t have a debate between three, certainly. The elections are too important to be considered as a matter of entertainment, or as a matter of successive soundbites, or as a matter of who is better at repartee.’ (Thatcher Memoirs Materials, CAC: THCR 4/3.)

  * Apart from anything else, no one was killed in the recapture of South Georgia.

  † Neil Kinnock (1942–), educated Lewis School, Pengam and University College, Cardiff; Labour MP for Bedwellty, 1970–83; for Islwyn, 1983–95; chief Opposition spokesman on education, 1979–83; Leader of the Labour Party, and Leader of the Opposition, 1983–92; member, 1995–2004, and a vice-president, 1999–2004, European Commission; chairman, British Council, 2004–9; created Lord Kinnock of Bedwellty, 2005.

  ‡ It was over the Falklands, however, that Mrs Thatcher suffered one of her rare embarrassments of the campaign. In a BBC television phone-in, she was asked by Mrs Diana Gould, a member of the public, about the sinking of the Belgrano. Mrs Gould appeared to catch her out about the direction which the ship had been taking when she was torpedoed. Mrs Thatcher was flustered. (See BBC1 Nationwide, 24 May 1983 (http://www.margaretthatcher.org/document/105147).) The interview ‘really made me jolly cross …’ she later recalled; ‘they had no idea what it was like to be in charge’ (Thatcher Memoirs Materials, CAC: THCR 4/3). Even on the Belgrano, however, it was the view of her advisers that the subject was ‘a total plus’ for Mrs Thatcher with the electorate (David Butler interview with Ferdinand Mount, 1 July 1983, David Butler Archive, Nuffield College, Oxford).

  * In one discussion with officials, in which she protested that she could not go, she declared: ‘I’ll send somebody else.’ ‘Mr Pym?’ presumed an official. Mrs Thatcher looked horrified. ‘No, no, not him,’ she said. ‘I’ll send Mike [Michael Scholar, her Treasury private secretary].’ (Interview with
Sir Michael Scholar.)

  † Michael Deaver (1938–2007), educated San José State College; aide to Ronald Reagan, 1967–85 (known for arranging memorable photographic backdrops for his public appearances); founder Michael K. Deaver & Associates (lobbying firm); convicted in 1987 on three counts of perjury for lying to a House sub-committee and a federal grand jury about efforts to use the White House to support his lobbying.

  ‡ Mrs Thatcher had earlier been asked by Robert Armstrong if she intended to fly to the United States, like President Mitterrand, by Concorde. ‘No,’ she wrote, mindful of the election image, ‘– much too expensive.’ (Armstrong to Thatcher, 20 April 1983, TNA: PREM 19/1007.)

  * Pierre Trudeau (1919–2000), Prime Minister of Canada, 1968–79 and 1980–84; Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, 1968–84.

  * David Steel (1938–), educated Prince of Wales School, Nairobi, Kenya, George Watson’s College, Edinburgh and Edinburgh University; Liberal MP for Roxburgh, Selkirk and Peebles, 1965–83; for Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale, 1983–97 (Liberal, 1983–8; Liberal Democrat, 1988–97); Liberal Chief Whip, 1970–75; Leader of Liberal Party, 1976–88; co-founder Social and Liberal Democrats, 1988; knighted, 1990 (KT, 2004); created Lord Steel of Aikwood, 1997.

  * David Owen (1938–), educated Bradfield and Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge; Labour MP for Plymouth Sutton, 1966–74; for Plymouth Devonport, 1974–81; SDP MP for Plymouth Devonport, 1981–92; Foreign Secretary, 1977–9; Leader, SDP, 1983–7; created Lord Owen, 1992.

  † Even so, Mrs Thatcher was reluctant to finalize plans for her likely return to Downing Street for a second term. ‘Let’s not count chickens,’ she scribbled on a note from Bernard Ingham and Robin Butler outlining media planning for 10 June. ‘We can always make arrangements quickly.’ (Thatcher annotations on Ingham to Thatcher, 2 June 1983, CAC: THCR 5/1/1E/42.)

  * Anthony (‘Tony’) Blair (1953–), educated Durham Chorister School, Fettes College, Edinburgh and St John’s College, Oxford; Labour MP for Sedgefield, 1983–June 2007; Leader of the Opposition, 1994–7; Prime Minister, 1997–2007; Leader of the Labour Party, 1994–2007.

  † In his memoirs, Parkinson said that it was his initiative to cancel the Sunday advertisements (Cecil Parkinson, Right at the Centre, Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1992, p. 232). In any event, Tim Bell was upset. Parkinson was, in turn, concerned for Bell because he believed Bell was suffering from a drug problem: ‘On one occasion, we were at a meeting of donors in Central Office and Tim suddenly rushed from the corner into the middle of the room. He thought the walls were closing in on him’ (Interview with Lord Parkinson).

  * In her memoirs, Mrs Thatcher records this meeting with Parkinson, but notes that she learnt of the pregnancy in a letter from Sara Keays’s father, Colonel Hastings Keays, which she saw only on the day after polling day (The Downing Street Years, HarperCollins, 1993, p. 310). This cannot be the case. Parkinson, who had better reason to recall the course of events than Mrs Thatcher, insisted that he told Mrs Thatcher about the pregnancy on polling day (Interview with Lord Parkinson): if he had not done so, why would he have mentioned his affair to her at all? In his letter, Colonel Keays complained of Parkinson’s behaviour and said that the matter would very likely become public. This obviously raised the sense of political danger in Mrs Thatcher’s mind. A draft response from Mrs Thatcher suggests that it was arranged that Colonel Keays should speak ‘to the person concerned’ (that is, Parkinson), presumably to calm things down, and that she returned his letter to him (Thatcher to Colonel Hastings Keays, 12 June 1983, CAC: THCR 2/5/1 (http://www.margaretthatcher.org/document/132255)).

  * The Conservatives did not recover this seat until the general election of 2015.

  * The last time the Conservatives had increased their majority was in 1959, when Mrs Thatcher was first elected to Parliament. ‘I imagine that you must have felt much as I do after your great triumph in 1959,’ she wrote to Harold Macmillan. ‘There is so much to do.’ (Thatcher to Macmillan, 17 June 1983, CAC: THCR 2/4/1/19 (http://www.margaretthatcher.org/document/131137).)

  * John Wakeham (1932–), educated Charterhouse; Conservative MP for Maldon, February 1974–83; for Colchester South and Maldon, 1983–92; Government Chief Whip, 1983–7; Lord Privy Seal, 1987–8; Leader of the House of Commons, 1987–9; Lord President of the Council, 1988–9; Secretary of State for Energy, 1989–92; Minister responsible for co-ordinating development of presentation of government policies, 1990–92; Lord Privy Seal and Leader of the House of Lords, 1992–4; chairman, Royal Commission on Reform of House of Lords, 1999; of Press Complaints Commission, 1995–2002; created Lord Wakeham, 1992.

  * Arthur Cockfield (1916–2007), educated Dover Grammar School and LSE; Minister of State, Treasury, 1979–82; Secretary of State for Trade, 1982–3; Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, 1983–4; Vice-President, European Commission, 1985–8; knighted, 1973; created Lord Cockfield, 1978.

  † The Tebbit–Parkinson relationship went back to their days together as young Conservative activists in Hemel Hempstead in the early 1960s. As upwardly mobile, ambitious young men, they felt rivalry as well as friendship.

  * Bernard (‘Jack’) Weatherill (1920–2007), educated Malvern; tailor; Conservative MP for Croydon North East, 1964–92; Deputy Government Chief Whip, 1973–4; Deputy Opposition Chief Whip, 1974–9; Speaker of the House of Commons, 1983–92; created Lord Weatherill, 1992.

  * The hereditary honour had no practical consequences, since all Whitelaw’s children were girls and therefore could not inherit his title.

  † In the UK, unless there is a coalition government, the title of ‘Deputy Prime Minister’ is given to a Cabinet minister as recognition of seniority in the governing party. It is not unusual for the position to be vacant. There are no required official duties, and no automatic rights of succession associated with the role.

  * Norman Fowler (1938–), educated King Edward VI School, Chelmsford and Trinity Hall, Cambridge; Conservative MP for Nottingham South, 1970–74; for Sutton Coldfield, February 1974–2001; Minister of Transport, 1979–81; Secretary of State for Social Services, 1981–7; for Employment, 1987–90; Chairman, Conservative Party, 1992–4; created Lord Fowler, 2001.

  † Kenneth Clarke (1940–), educated Nottingham High School and Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge; Conservative MP for Rushcliffe, 1970–; Minister of State, Department of Health and Social Security, 1982–5; Paymaster-General and Minister for Employment, 1985–7; Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for Trade and Industry, 1987–8; Secretary of State for Health, 1988–90; for Education and Science, 1990–92; for Home Department, 1992–3; Chancellor of the Exchequer, 1993–7; Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, 2010–12; Minister of State (Minister without Portfolio), 2012–14. Holding his first government job (a junior whip) in 1972, and leaving his last in 2014, Clarke was the longest-serving elected government minister of modern times.

  ‡ John Selwyn Gummer (1939–), educated King’s School, Rochester and Selwyn College, Cambridge; Conservative MP for Lewisham West, 1970–February 1974; for Eye, Suffolk, 1979–83; for Suffolk Coastal, 1983–2010; Chairman, Conservative Party, 1983–5; Secretary of State for the Environment, 1993–7; created Lord Deben, 2010.

  § Norman Lamont (1942–), educated Loretto School and Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge; Conservative MP for Kingston-upon-Thames, 1972–97; Financial Secretary to the Treasury, 1986–9; Chief Secretary to the Treasury, 1989–90; Chancellor of the Exchequer, 1990–93; created Lord Lamont of Lerwick, 1998.

  * Alan Clark (1928–99), educated Eton and Christ Church, Oxford; Conservative MP for Plymouth, Sutton, February 1974–92; for Kensington and Chelsea, 1997–9; Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Employment, 1983–6; Minister for Trade, 1986–9; Minister of State, MOD, 1989–92. Three volumes of his diaries have been published. The first, originally called Diaries, but subsequently subtitled In Power 1983–1992, came out during his lifetime (1993); the second and third were publish
ed posthumously, subtitled Into Politics, covering the period 1972–82 (2000) and The Last Diaries, covering the period 1993–9 (2002).

  * Michael Alison (1926–2004), educated Eton and Wadham College, Oxford; Conservative MP for Barkston Ash, 1964–83; for Selby, 1983–97; Minister of State, NIO, 1979–81; Department of Employment, 1981–3; PPS to the Prime Minister, 1983–7.

  * Mary Whitehouse (1910–2001), educated Chester City Grammar School and Cheshire County Training College; freelance journalist and broadcaster; co-founder ‘Clean Up TV Campaign’, 1964; honorary general secretary, National Viewers’ and Listeners’ Association, 1965–80; president, 1980–93. Her autobiography, Quite Contrary, was published in 1993.

  † Matthew Parris (1949–), educated Waterford School, Swaziland and Clare College, Cambridge; Conservative MP for West Derbyshire, 1979–86; presenter, Weekend World, 1986–8; author, columnist for The Times, 1987–.

  * For an entertaining account of the Policy Unit in Mount’s time, see his memoir Cold Cream: My Early Life and Other Mistakes, Bloomsbury, 2008.

  † David Willetts (1956–), educated King Edward’s School, Birmingham and Christ Church, Oxford; No. 10 Policy Unit, 1984–6; director of studies, Centre for Policy Studies, 1987–92; Conservative MP for Havant, 1992–2015; parliamentary secretary, Office of Public Service, Cabinet Office, 1995–6; Paymaster-General, 1996; Shadow Secretary of State for Education and Skills, 2005–7; for Innovation, Universities and Skills, 2007–10; Minister of State for Universities and Science, 2010–14; granted a peerage in the Dissolution Honours List, 2015.