National Coal Board (NCB) 116, 442–4, 448, 454–6
National Health Service (NHS) 378–80, 402, 523, 535–6
National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) 138–9, 483, 456
miners’ strike (1984–85) 5, 439, 445, 447, 454–5
power of 441–2
Scargill as President 445, 447
NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation) 201, 327, 478, 492
Nazi Germany 27–8, 298, 314
Neave, Airey 77, 167–8, 180, 205, 230
assassination (1979) 164, 229–30
as head of office (1975–79) 164, 178
leadership contest of 1975 163, 173–4
campaign manager for MT as Leader of Opposition 4, 164, 167–9, 178–9
Northern Ireland Shadow Secretary 179, 223–4, 230
1922 Committee 143, 149, 158, 162, 223, 515, 531, 537, 630
Executive of 517, 615
Nixon, Richard M. 6, 137, 205, 427, 475, 671
Watergate scandal (1972) 240, 474, 655
no confidence debate (March 1979) 224–9
North Parade, Grantham (birthplace and early childhood home) 9, 11–15, 25
and Second World War 28–9, 461
Northern Ireland
assassination of Neave (1979) 164, 229–30
Good Friday Agreement (1998) 425
terrorism in 272, 407–15
United Ulster Unionists 224–5
Nott, (Sir) John 160, 192, 250, 314
Falklands War 324–5, 327–8, 331, 333, 344–5, 347–8, 356, 361, 367, 371, 383
nuclear and atomic weapons 383, 426, 483, 491–2
Tornado nuclear issue 432–4
Trident (C4) nuclear weapons system 297, 344, 383, 486, 491–2
Onslow, Cranley (later Baron Onslow of Woking) 180–1, 588, 633–4
opinion polls 201, 219–20, 319, 500, 602, 646
election campaign of 1979 229, 235, 244
election campaign of 1987 527–8
Falklands War (1982) 329, 384–5
following Westland crisis 518–19
Owen, David (later Baron Owen) 240, 312, 384, 516, 608
Oxford University
early unhappiness at 40–7, 52
honorary degree, refusal to grant to MT 41, 53, 658
loneliness of MT at 41, 43
social snobbery 41, 52
Somerville College 36, 38, 40–1, 44
winning place at 31, 36, 38–9
Oxford University Conservative Association (OUCA) 40, 44, 47–52
Paisley, Reverend Ian (Baron Bannside) 225, 416, 419
Palliser, Sir Michael 258–9, 283–5, 356
Parkinson, Cecil (later Baron Parkinson) 45, 259, 344, 384–6, 388, 390–1, 393, 405, 503, 530, 638, 640
Falklands War 344–5, 348, 371
relationship with Sara Keays 390–1, 405
Parliamentary Questions 100–1, 273, 325
Parsons, Sir Anthony 335, 339, 356, 405
party political broadcasts (PPBs) 147, 313, 524
in 1979 5, 216, 218, 221–2
Patten, Christopher (later Baron Patten of Barnes) 192, 196, 221, 583, 602, 657
informing MT of lack of support 637, 651
Pearson, Malcolm (later Baron Pearson of Rannoch) 675–7
Peyton, John (later Baron Peyton of Yeovil) 162, 249
and leadership contest of 1975 176–7
picketing, secondary 221, 233, 304–5, 441
poetry, love of 17–18, 20–1
Policy Unit (Prime Minister) 216, 309, 441
Port Stanley (Falkland Islands), occupation and recapture 362, 365, 367–8
Powell, Carla 476–7, 494, 647
Powell, Charles (later Baron Powell of Bayswater) 268, 424, 471, 477, 482, 504, 523, 560, 561, 615, 617, 628, 656, 689
European integration 560–1
Soviet relationship with the West 476–7, 482, 484, 486, 490
Westland crisis (1986) 510, 514–15, 517
Powell, Enoch 110, 122, 138, 160, 174, 206–7, 225, 270
European integration 556, 608
Falklands War 330–1, 345, 349, 356
relations with MT and opinions of each about the other 116–18, 204–5, 252–3, 349, 372
‘Rivers of Blood’ speech (1968) 117, 200
press 90–4
see also media, MT’s relations with
prices and incomes policies 138, 203, 233
5 per cent pay limit 219–20
Prime Minister’s Questions 4, 18, 135
performance of MT as Leader of Opposition 180–1, 185, 192
performance of MT as Prime Minister 318, 372, 472, 547–8, 609, 640, 647
Prior, James (later Baron Prior) 146, 179, 182, 249–50, 258, 301, 304–5, 307–8, 317–18, 379, 441, 506
on economy 203, 303–8, 314
Employment Bill 1980 303–4, 305–6
outflanking by MT 303–8
trade-union reform, ‘softly softly’ approach (mid-1970s) 219, 233, 303, 305, 440, 446
privatisation, MT’s policies regarding 117–18, 380–2, 403–4, 501
public expenditure, controlling/reducing 265–6, 301, 388, 402
Central Policy Review Staff paper (1982) 378–80
Public Sector Borrowing Requirement (PSBR) 309–11
Pym, Francis (later Baron Pym) 162, 172, 203, 249–50, 299, 301, 314, 334, 383, 392, 395–6
Falklands War 323, 333, 335, 338–9, 344–6, 353, 356–7, 396
rating system, MT’s policy on 144, 399, 517, 531
and Community Charge (poll tax) 154–5, 400, 537, 591, 602–4
‘rate capping’ 400
Rawlinson, Peter (later Baron Rawlinson of Ewell) 95, 116, 305
Reagan, Ronald
Radio Address to the Nation on Terrorism 473
‘special relationship’ with 299, 460–73, 486
gold seam and fault-line 460–2
personal chemistry 462–5
tensions with MT and solving of 461, 465–70
Falklands War (1982) 336, 351, 354–6, 363–4, 367, 465–6
Grenada invasion (1983) 465–8
Libya bombing (1986) 470–3
SDI (Strategic Defence Initiative) 488–93
Redmayne, Martin (Chief Whip) 89, 98, 166
Reece, (Sir) Gordon 147, 160, 196, 208, 214, 242, 385, 640
argument with MT (BBC debates, 1978) 217–18
as Director of Publicity 214
and election campaign of 1979 235–6
as ‘laughing boy’ 211, 213–14, 216, 222
Rees, Peter, (later Baron Rees) 4, 161
miners’ strike (1984–85) 443–4
Rees-Davies, William (Billy) 95, 167, 190–1
religious faith of MT 35, 43
childhood influences 15, 21–3, 691
in retirement 679–82
see also Methodism
Renton, Ronald Timothy (later Baron Renton of Mount Harry) 624, 633–4
Rentschler, James 336–7, 364
Reykjavik (Reagan–Gorbachev summit, 1986) 466, 491–3
Rhodesia 110, 219, 289–91, 298, 477
disagreements with MT and Lord Carrington on handling 271, 288
renaming as Zimbabwe (1980) 291
Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI), 1965 253, 288
Ridley, Nicholas (later Baron Ridley of Liddesdale) 95, 149, 152, 160, 447, 503, 542, 594
Falklands War 322, 323–4, 331, 341
Rifkind, (Sir) Malcolm 103, 518, 530
informing MT of lack of support 637, 651
‘Right to Buy’ policy 144, 250–1, 382
rioting (1981) 312–13, 317, 518
Roberts, Alfred 22–3, 31, 42, 104, 127, 246
appearance and character 11–12, 14–16, 20, 24, 195
as Chairman of Board of Governors of KGGS (1943–69) 36, 38
children’s upbringing 10, 17–18, 21
as community leader 23–4, 28–9, 32
Conservative be
liefs 23–4, 60
death (February 1970) 122–3
education of MT, role in 31, 33–4, 37, 42
grocery shops 9–11, 14
as inspiration for MT 11, 19–24
internationalist outlook 27–8, 32
marriage to Beatrice Stephenson (1917) 12
Methodist faith 21–4, 28, 680
relations with his daughter Muriel 68–9, 96
Roberts, Beatrice, ‘Beatie’ (née Stephenson) 12–13, 15, 21–2, 104
relations with MT 9, 12–13, 26, 104
Rome European Council meeting (October 1990) 605–6, 610
Royal Air Force (RAF) 29–31, 426
Royal Navy, and Falklands War 325, 346
Task Force 327, 331, 334, 340, 344, 348, 358, 370
Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) 427, 429, 431
Ryder, Richard (later Baron Ryder of Wensum) 182, 233, 240, 242, 261, 555, 590, 636
Saatchi and Saatchi 214, 388, 527, 537
‘Labour isn’t working’ (advertising campaign) 215–16
Sacks, Jonathan (Chief Rabbi and later Baron Sacks) 102–3
Saïd, Wafic 427–8, 437, 658
St Francis of Assisi (prayer) 244–8, 415
St Paul’s Cathedral, 1, 112, 373, 420, 690
Saudi Arabia 426–38
Denis secure back channel 429–31
export deal with King Fahd (Al Yamamah, 1985) 426–7, 430, 432–8
exports of military aircraft to, in competition with France 427–9
and Kuwait invasion (1990) 599
motivations of MT regarding 435–6
Tornado nuclear issue 432, 433–4
Scargill, Arthur 442–8, 451, 454–5, 457, 483, 524
as NUM President 445, 447
see also miners’ strike (1984–85); trade unions
Schmidt, Helmut 220, 292–4, 298
Scholar, (Sir) Michael 315, 319, 379
school milk 131–4
reputation of MT as ‘Milk Snatcher Thatcher’ 19, 130–2, 134, 153
Scotland, devolution issue 199, 203, 223
Scotney Castle, MT’s country flat in 213, 215, 220
second term in office (1983–87) 390–520
cabinet 447, 500–18
‘elective dictatorship,’ MT’s leadership style as 370, 502
foreign policy
helping to heal the rift between United States and Soviet Union 474–99
Hong Kong, future of 420–4
Saudi Arabia 426–38
‘special relationship’ with United States, strengthening 460–73
National Health Service (NHS) 402, 523
Cecil Parkinson, relationship with 390, 391
problems
early glitches 395–8
Heseltine, clashes with 505–16
severe 398–401
Speakership of House of Commons, misjudgement 391–3, 395
‘TBW (that bloody woman) factor’ 519
tensions with ministers 500–5
terrorism in Northern Ireland 407–15
Westland see Westland crisis (1986)
trade unions, policy towards 439–59
see also under Thatcher, Margaret Hilda (Baroness)
Second World War
effect on MT 29–30, 593–4
Grantham in 27–31, 296, 460–1
and male supremacy in Conservative Party 88
security matters, interest of MT in 272–5, 518
Selective Employment Tax (SET) 113–15
Seymour, Julian 657, 670–1, 685, 687, 689
Sheffield, HMS, sinking of (May 1982) 349–51, 354, 363
Shelton, (Sir) William 167, 177, 590
Shepherd, Sir Richard 518, 557, 662–3, 671–2
Sherbourne, (Sir) Stephen 53, 103, 449, 451
Sherman, (Sir) Alfred 103, 152, 183, 271
Shultz, George P. 466
Sidewinder missiles, Falklands War 339–40, 361
Single European Act (SEA) 557–60
Article 20 559
Smith, Ian 253, 288, 290
Soames, Christopher (Baron) 162, 249–50, 254, 269, 274, 314, 317
in Salisbury 290–1
as Wet 301, 317
soft-centre campaigning (1979) 233–7
Somerville College, Oxford 36, 38, 40–1, 44
South Georgia landing and recapture 325, 346–7
Soviet Union (USSR)
bridge building between Moscow and Washington 485–8
collapse of 669, 671
Glasnost (openness) policy 493, 496
Gorbachev, Chequers’ overture to (1984) 8, 480–5
views of MT on engaging with 201–3, 285, 475, 478
visits to Moscow, 120, 286, 478, 493–7
warheads 383
see also Gorbachev, Mikhail
Speakership of House of Commons, misjudgement 391–3, 395
Special Air Service (SAS) 257, 347, 408–9
Spicer, Sir Michael 86, 185, 385
Spycatcher (Wright) 273, 274–5
Steel, David (later Baron Steel of Aikwood) 201, 217, 226, 384, 472
Stephens, Caroline (later Lady Ryder of Wensum) 182–3, 218, 240, 242, 245, 261, 315, 474, 636
Stepping Stones (1977) 204, 304, 440–2
Stevas, Norman St John (later Baron St John of Fawsley) 126, 130, 132, 141, 212, 249, 301, 305, 471
and MT’s handling of cabinet 254–5
sacking of (1981) 306–7
Stewart, Donald James 226, 323–4
Stowe, (Sir) Kenneth 231–2, 248, 262, 270, 272
NHS reform 379–80
as Permanent Secretary of Northern Ireland Department 256–7, 416
Strategic Defence Initiative (SDI) 484, 486–7, 506
‘Star Wars’ technology 484, 487–9, 492, 562
US–UK tensions 488–93
succession to MT 563–4, 582–3
Suez Crisis (1956) 84, 328, 334–5
Sumner, Donald 77–8, 85
Sun 115, 131, 220, 235, 244, 247, 276, 555
Sunday Times 120, 142–3, 276–7, 492, 506
Talleyrand, Charles Maurice de 16, 124, 339
Tapsell, Sir Peter 165, 311, 323
taxation 120
Budget of 1988 as ‘boom or bust’ 546–50
Capital Transfer Tax, proposals for 170–1
cutting of income tax 250, 523, 546
goal of 20 per cent income tax band 547
Selective Employment Tax 113–15
Value Added Tax (VAT) 251–2, 403
Taylor, (Sir) Edward ‘Teddy’ 139, 171–2, 203, 557, 635, 661
on European integration 557–8, 605, 660
loss of seat in 1979 election 245–6
Tebbit, Margaret: paralysis in Brighton bombing 414, 530, 613
Tebbit, Norman (later Baron Tebbit of Chingford) 219, 318, 441, 453, 456, 472, 501, 503, 530, 633, 634
and Brighton bomb 413–14, 501
on economy 376–7, 398, 404
and election campaign of 1987 524–8
Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM) 540–1
and leadership contest of 1975 172, 177
relations with Lord Young 525, 527, 530, 537
relations with MT 396, 503, 521, 524–6
relations with Waldegrave 503–4
terrorism 407–25, 468
Brighton bomb (1984) 53, 410–15, 453
by IRA 272, 407, 409–10, 425
Libyan, in Europe 470, 472
see also Libya bombing (1986)
Thanet East (Parliamentary constituency) 145, 177, 186, 195, 237, 527
Thatcher, Carol 68, 74, 187
Aitken (Jonathan), relationship with 4–6, 186–9, 669, 684
on Falklands War 360–1
memories of mother
as Education Secretary 133
election campaign of 1987 524
as Leader of the Opposition 178
leadership contest of 1990 630
as “superwoman” 75
; relations with mother 105–6
upbringing 75, 86
Thatcher, Margaret Hilda (Baroness)
achievements 1, 3, 651, 690–1
background, childhood and education
academic/intellectual ability 18, 29, 32–3, 42–3, 183–4
birthplace 9–11
chemistry studies 40–3
father, relations with 11, 19–24
see also Roberts, Alfred
frugality of childhood 9–10, 15–17, 25, 187
Huntingtower Road Council School 17–19
Indian Civil Service, desire of MT to join 35–6
Kesteven and Grantham Girls’ School 31–8
mother, relations with 9, 12–13, 26, 104
at Oxford 38–9, 40–51
religious faith see Methodism; religious faith of MT
Second World War, memories of 27–31
shortcomings of official accounts 24–6
sister, correspondence and discussions with 29, 46, 60–1, 67, 119, 127
upbringing at Grantham 9–10, 14–18, 21–2, 195
character, and personal characteristics
accent/voice 17–18, 74, 141
ambition 35–6, 51, 73, 86
appearance, femininity and clothing 3, 34, 42, 45–6, 54, 64, 66, 81, 94, 96, 111–12, 187, 241, 278, 374, 479, 498
argumentativeness 126–7, 129–30, 197, 236, 264, 278, 501
arrogance 127, 392
caution 145, 223, 244, 309, 377, 380, 535, 546
contradictions and paradoxes 2, 201, 205, 228, 239
courage 5, 239–41, 370–1, 408–11
directness/forthrightness of expression 2, 9, 86, 197, 480–1, 659
downfall, part in 7, 516–19, 538, 554, 587, 591, 596
good manners 124–5, 130
grudges, bearing of 26, 37, 393–4
humour, lack of 96, 122, 139–41, 187, 196, 230, 244, 257, 588
insecurity/lack of confidence 2, 9, 26, 40–1, 140, 183–4, 277–8, 328, 525
‘Iron Lady’ sobriquet 24, 184, 188, 202, 240, 290, 330, 475, 563
kindnesses 180, 240–1, 246, 684
leisure activities 375
loyalty to friends 660
obsessional nature 238, 263–5
on and off duty 277–9
opportunism 154, 156–7
overbearing nature 84–5
as over-opinionated 54, 58, 66
Oxford, effect on 52
paradoxes see contradictions and paradoxes above
personality shifts 2–3
polarising impact of personality 1–2, 500
as preacher and attitude to preachers 35, 43, 681
reluctance to apologise 218, 232, 241, 502, 659
strength of personality 6, 54, 281
stubbornness 272–5, 341, 519
as ‘Superwoman’ 75, 187
temper 99, 130, 218, 232, 241–2, 316, 490, 519, 551
unpredictability 671–2
voice see accent/voice above
Margaret Thatcher: Power and Personality Page 95