The History of the Times

by Graham Stewart

53. Clifford Longley to the author, interview, 3 September 2004; Mary Ann Sieghart to the author, interview, 20 January 2004.

  54. Charles Wilson to the author, interview, 19 and 24 February 2004.

  55. Philip Howard to the author, interview, 5 December 2002.

  56. Richard Williams to the author, interview, 12 May 2004.

  57. Charles Wilson to the author, interview, 24 February 2004.

  CHAPTER NINE: SIMON JENKINS (PP. 367–415)

  1. Recollection of John Bryant. John Bryant to the author, interview, 15 October 2004.

  2. Simon Jenkins to the author, interview, 20 December 2004; Rupert Murdoch to the author, interview, 2003; Andrew Knight to the author, interview, 2 December 2004; Andrew Knight to Rupert Murdoch, 25 September 1992, ref. 015729.

  3. Julian Barnes, Letters from London 1990–1995, p. 40.

  4. Simon Jenkins to the author, interview, 20 December 2004.

  5. David Watts to the author, interview, 17 August 2004.

  6. Brian MacArthur, Paper Round, Sunday Times, 25 March 1990.

  7. Clifford Longley to Simon Jenkins, 16 April 1991, ref. 14269/16.

  8. Simon Jenkins to the author, interview, 20 December 2004.

  9. Ibid.

  10. Guardian, 26 November 1990.

  11. Simon Jenkins to leader writers, memorandum, 5 May 1990, ref. 13261/6.

  12. Mary Ann Sieghart to Simon Jenkins, 18 March 1990, ref. 13261/6.

  13. Independent, 20 June 1990.

  14. Barnes, Letters from London, p. 41; Simon Jenkins to the author, interview, 20 December 2004.

  15. ‘Only One of London’s Problems’, leading article, The Times, 28 March 1988.

  16. ‘Community Charge’, leading article, The Times, 17 December 1986.

  17. The Times, 5 December 1987.

  18. ‘Community Charge’, leading article, The Times, 17 December 1986.

  19. See, for example, ‘A Misleading Debate’ and ‘Many Names, Not Many Friends’, leading articles, The Times, 7 October and 5 December 1987; ‘Making it Work’, leading article, The Times, 20 January 1990.

  20. ‘Community Charging’, leading article, The Times, 29 March 1990.

  21. ‘Untrivial Pursuit’, leading article, The Times, 19 March 1990.

  22. Robert Blake, The Times, 7 April 1990.

  23. ‘Taking the Plunge’ and ‘Averting Stagflation’, leading articles, The Times, 6 and 19 October 1990.

  24. ‘Taking the Plunge’, leading article, The Times, 6 October 1990.

  25. The Economist, 13 October 1990; Daily Mail, 6 October 1990; Today, 6 October 1990.

  26. The Times, 8 October 1990.

  27. ‘Sir Geoffrey Resigns’, leading article, The Times, 2 November 1990.

  28. The Times, 14 November 1990.

  29. ‘Heseltine Must Stand’, leading article, The Times, 12 November 1990.

  30. Michael Heseltine, Life in the Jungle, pp. 360–61, 373.

  31. The Times, 17 November 1990.

  32. ‘The Case for Thatcher’, The Times, 20 November 1990.

  33. The Times, 21 November 1990.

  34. ‘Her Life in Their Hands’, leading article, The Times, 21 November 1990.

  35. ‘A Wider Field’, leading article, The Times, 22 November 1990.

  36. The Times, 23 November 1990.

  37. Simon Jenkins to the author, interview, 20 December 2004.

  38. ‘Best of Three’, leading article, The Times, 27 November 1990.

  39. Simon Jenkins to the author, interview, 20 December 2004.

  40. The Times, 28 November 1990.

  41. John Campbell, Margaret Thatcher, vol. 2, p. 662.

  42. The Times, 22 March 1988.

  43. Ibid., 3 August 1990; ‘Iraq’s Naked Villainy’, leading article, The Times, 3 August 1990.

  44. Ibid., 6 August 1990.

  45. Ibid., 7 August 1990.

  46. ‘No Choice But War’, leading article, The Times, 16 January 1991.

  47. David Lipsey memo, 8 January 1991, ref. 14269/13/2.

  48. John Major to David Livsey, associate editor, 11 January 1991, ref. 013522; Brian MacArthur, Paper Round, Sunday Times, 13 January 1991; The Times, 16 January 1991.

  49. Brian MacArthur, Paper Round, Sunday Times, 13 January 1991.

  50. The Times, 16 January 1991.

  51. Ibid., 18 January 1991.

  52. Ibid., 2 February 1991.

  53. Richard Beeston to the author, interview, 10 January 2005.

  54. Ibid.

  55. The Times, 14 February 1991.

  56. ‘Direct Hit in Amiriya’, leading article, The Times, 14 February 1991.

  57. ‘Saddam’s Smokescreen’, leading article, The Times, 22 February 1991.

  58. The Times, 28 February 1991.

  59. Ibid., 28 February 1991.

  60. Ibid.

  61. Ibid., 1 March 1991.

  62. Quoted in Anthony Seldon, Major: A Political Life, p. 163.

  63. ‘Helping the Kurds’, leading article, The Times, 6 April 1991.

  64. Neil Chenoweth, Virtual Murdoch, p. 64.

  65. Quoted in Chenoweth, Virtual Murdoch, p. 69.

  66. The Times, 6 December 1990.

  67. Andrew Knight to the author, interview, 2 December 2004.

  68. John Warden, The Times Parliamentary Report: A Survey of MPs, July 1986, ref. 9837/11.

  69. Rupert Murdoch to the author, interview, 5 August 2003.

  70. ‘To Maastricht’, leading article, The Times, 9 December 1991.

  71. ‘A Sort of Triumph’ and ‘Job Well Done’, The Times, 11 and 12 December 1991.

  72. The Times, 12 and 13 December 1991.

  73. Ibid., 11 December 1991.

  74. ‘Where Britain’s interests lies by then is impossible now to say, which was precisely Mr Major’s point’: ‘Job Well Done’, leading article, The Times, 12 December 1991.

  75. Anatole Kaletsky’s articles in The Times, 17, 18 and 24 March 1992.

  76. Brian MacArthur, The Times, 31 March 1992.

  77. Matthew Parris, Chance Witness, pp. 378–81; The Times, 2 April 1992.

  78. The Times, 7 April 1992.

  79. ‘Major’s First Term’, leading article, The Times, 8 April 1992.

  80. ‘Moments of Inertia’, leading article, The Times, 9 April 1992.

  81. Brian MacArthur, Paper Round, Sunday Times, 12 April 1992.

  82. The Times, 11 April 1992.

  83. Brian MacArthur, Paper Round, Sunday Times, 2 July 1989.

  84. Simon Jenkins to Andrew Knight, 27 June 1991, ref. 18643.

  85. Simon Jenkins to Andrew Knight and John Dux, 6 December 1991, ref. 18643.

  86. The Times had a 27.4 per cent share of the week’s editorial columns; Independent, 26.4 per cent; Telegraph 24.7 per cent; Guardian, 21.4 per cent; source: Media Monitoring Service.

  87. Andrew Knight to the author, interview, 2 December 2004.

  88. Andrew Knight to Rupert Murdoch, 15 July 1992, ref. 023746.

  89. Andrew Knight to the author, interview, 2 December 2004.

  90. Simon Jenkins to the author, interview, 20 December 2004.

  91. Paul Dacre to the author, conversation, 8 February 2005.

  92. Rupert Murdoch to the author, interview, 4 August 2004.

  93. Various opinions expressed to the author, 2000–2004.

  94. Andrew Knight to Rupert Murdoch, 15 July 1992, ref. 023746.

  95. Charles Wilson to the author, interview, 24 February 2004.

  96. Simon Pearson to the author, interview, 13 July 2004.

  97. Graham Searjeant to the author, interview, 11 January 2004.

  98. Simon Jenkins to the author, interview, 20 December 2004.

  99. Ibid.

  CHAPTER TEN: CRITICAL TIMES (PP. 416–471)

  1. Peter Stothard wrote a touching portrayal of his father in ‘There will be no obit’, The Times, 31 December 1997.

  2. This became a regular claim made in Stephen Glover’s Media Studies column for t
he Spectator even though he wrote to Stothard to admit it was not true; Stephen Glover to Peter Stothard, 27 May 1993, Stothard Papers.

  3. The Economist, 7 August 1993.

  4. The Times, 29 January 1994; Independent, 7 February 1994.

  5. Peter Stothard to the author, interview, 15 November 2004.

  6. The Times Summary of Annual Performance, Andrew Knight Papers, ref. 015729.

  7. Anatole Kaletsky to Andrew Knight, 20 August 1992, ref. 023746; Andrew Knight to John Dux and Peter Stothard, 3 March 1994, ref. 021472.

  8. Peter Stothard to the author, interview, 15 November 2004.

  9. Financial Times, 2 September 1993.

  10. Guardian, 2 August 1993.

  11. Daily Telegraph, 2 September 1993.

  12. Independent, 2 September 1993.

  13. Financial Times, 2 September 1993.

  14. Peter Stothard to the author, interview, 15 November 2004.

  15. Independent, 2 September 1993; Daily Telegraph, 2 September 1993.

  16. Source: ABC, Financial Times, 26 August 1994.

  17. Max Hastings, Editor, pp. 355–61.

  18. Peter Stothard to the author, interview, 15 November 2004.

  19. Independent, 25 June 1994; Hastings, Editor, pp. 360–62.

  20. Independent, 24 June 1994.

  21. Hastings, Editor, p. 363.

  22. Daily Telegraph, 26 August 1994.

  23. Evening Standard, 10 May 1995.

  24. Peter Stothard to the author, interview, 15 November 2004.

  25. Media Week, 5 January 1996; Guardian, 22 August 1992.

  26. Independent, 15 November 1997.

  27. The Times, 22 May 1999; Independent, 22 May 1999.

  28. The Times, 16 July 1997.

  29. Peter Stothard to the author, interview, 15 November 2004.

  30. John Goodbody to the author, interview, 22 November 2004.

  31. The Times, 4 September 1991.

  32. Marcus Williams and John Goodbody to the author, interviews, 18 November 2004; Keith Blackmore to the author, interview, 25 November 2004.

  33. Simon Barnes to the author, interview, 24 January 2005.

  34. The Times, 3 August 1996.

  35. Ibid., 23 September 2000.

  36. Ibid., 6 November 2004.

  37. ‘A Jackpot to Be Won’, leading article, The Times, 23 October 1993.

  38. John Major, John Major: The Autobiography, p. 409.

  39. ‘A Risk for the Lottery’, leading article, The Times, 4 November 1994.

  40. ‘Grandees’ Opera’, leading article, The Times, 1 July 1998.

  41. The Times, 25 May 1988.

  42. Ibid., 23 May 1986.

  43. Rodney Milnes to the author, interview, 30 November 2004; Richard Morrison to the author, interview, 16 November 2004.

  44. The Times, 12 December 1996.

  45. Ibid., 28 November 2000.

  46. According to a British Phonographic Industry analysis and an estimate in the Sunday Business: The Times, 19 February 1997.

  47. The Times, 11 April and 14 May 1994.

  48. Ibid., 30 April and 14 May 1994.

  49. Ibid., 26 August 1994.

  50. Ibid., 27 December 1996.

  51. David Sinclair to the author, interview, 25 November 2004.

  52. The Times, 27 December 1996.

  53. Ibid., 1 January 2000.

  54. Ibid., 16 September 1997.

  55. Ibid., 13 September 1997.

  56. Ibid., 15 July 2000.

  57. Ibid., 10 June 1999; Dalya Alberge to the author, interview.

  58. The Times, 28 November 2000.

  59. Ibid., 30 October 1998 and 14 May 1999.

  60. Ibid., 17 January 1998.

  61. Ibid., 30 December 1991.

  62. Ibid., 1 January 2000.

  63. Ibid., 22 January 1998.

  64. Ibid., 20 October 1994.

  65. Ibid., 12 May 1994 and 20 May 1999.

  66. Ibid., 22 February 1996.

  67. The Times, 21 September 1995.

  68. Lisa Armstrong to the author, interview, 11 January 2005.

  69. The Times, 11 September 2000.

  70. Nigel Hawkes to the author, interview, 2 February 2005; The Times, 28 February 1991.

  71. The Times, 8 November 1990.

  72. Ibid., 19 December 2000.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN: THE HEART OF EUROPE (PP. 472–496)

  1. Peter Stothard to the author, interview, 15 November 2004.

  2. See, for example, ‘Disbanding Sterling’, leading article, The Times, 30 December 1991; ‘Good Money After Bad’, leading article, The Times, 11 September 1992.

  3. The Times, 7 October 1992.

  4. Peter Stothard to the author, interview, 15 November 2004.

  5. The Times, 4 June 1992.

  6. John Bryant to the author, interview, 15 October 2004.

  7. Note by Peter Stothard, 10 December 1997, Stothard Papers.

  8. The Times, 21 October 1992; Daily Mail, 22 October 1992.

  9. Peter Stothard to the author, interview, 15 November 2004.

  10. John Major, John Major: The Autobiography, p. 339; the same conclusion is reached in Anthony Seldon, Major: A Political Life, p. 317.

  11. The Times, 28 October 1992; Guardian, 28 June 1993.

  12. The Times, 10 May 1993.

  13. See, for example, ‘Must Try Harder’, ‘Childish Rites’, ‘The Test for Teachers’, leading articles, The Times, 6 February, 5 and 9 April 1996.

  14. The Times, 21 May 1991.

  15. ‘The Polys Are Coming’, leading article, The Times, 21 May 1991.

  16. ‘The Ranking of Universities’, leading article, The Times, 14 October 1992.

  17. The Times, 13 October 1992.

  18. ‘The Ranking of Universities’, leading article, The Times, 14 October 1992.

  19. The Times, 30 December 1994.

  20. Source: MORI, July-September 1994.

  21. Matthew Parris, Chance Witness, pp. 404, 410–11; Graham Stewart, Burying Caesar: Churchill, Chamberlain and the Battle for the Tory Party, pp. 69, 160.

  22. Matthew Parris, Chance Witness, pp. 408–9; Matthew Parris to the author, interview, 25 January 2005.

  23. Peter Stothard to the author, interview, 15 November 2004.

  24. Matthew Parris to the author, interview, 25 January 2005.

  25. The Times, 23 May 1994.

  26. Ibid., 4 October 1995.

  27. Matthew Parris, Chance Witness, pp. 411–14.

  28. The Times, 27 June 1995.

  29. Peter Stothard to the author, interview, 15 November 2004.

  30. Michael Gove to the author, interview, 7 October 2004; Mary Ann Sieghart to the author, interview, 20 January 2005.

  31. Note made by Peter Stothard, 6 January 1997, Stothard Papers.

  32. Ibid., 23 January 1997, Stothard Papers; Peter Stothard to the author, interview, 8 November 2004.

  33. The Times, 10 February 1997.

  34. Tim Hames to the author, interview, 12 October 2004.

  35. The Times, 21 April 1997.

  36. ‘Sceptical Voters’, leading article, The Times, 28 April 1997.

  37. The Times, 28 April 1997.

  38. Ibid., 1 May 1997.

  39. Peter Stothard to the author, interview, 15 November 2004.

  40. Mary Ann Sieghart to the author, interview, 20 January 2005.

  41. ‘Principle Not Party’, leading article, The Times, 29 April 1997.

  42. Rupert Murdoch to the author, interview, 5 August 2003.

  43. The Times, 22 April 1997.

  44. Ibid., 24 April 1997.

  45. Ibid., 29 April 1997.

  46. Ibid., 30 April 1997.

  47. Peter Stothard to the author, interview, 15 November 2004.

  48. The Times, 28 April 1997.

  49. ‘Tories in Trauma’, leading article, The Times, 3 May 1997.

  50. The Times, 6 May 1997.

  51. Ibid., 11 June 1997.

  52. Ibid., 19 June 1997.


  53. ‘Push-Me-Pull-You’, leading article, The Times, 19 June 1997.

  CHAPTER TWELVE: NEW LABOUR, NEW JOURNALISM (PP. 497–558)

  1. The Times, 2 May 1997.

  2. Ibid., 25 April 1997.

  3. John Mair to the author, interview, 29 November 2004.

  4. ‘End of Empire’, leading article, The Times, 1 July 1997.

  5. The Times, 3 September 1997.

  6. Ibid., 2 September 1997; Peter Stothard to the author, interview, 8 November 2004.

  7. Peter Stothard to the author, interview, 8 November 2004.

  8. Alan Hamilton to the author, 7 December 2004.

  9. The Times, 10 January 1997.

  10. Ibid., 17 May 1991.

  11. Ibid., 9 August 1991; ‘Discipline of the Press’, leading article, The Times, 10 August 1991.

  12. ‘Perils for the Press’, leading article, The Times, 15 January 1993.

  13. ‘Discipline of the Press’, leading article, The Times, 10 August 1991.

  14. The Times, 16 June 1992.

  15. Ibid., 12 January 1993.

  16. Ibid., 11 January 1993.

  17. ‘A Fine Mess’, leading article, The Times, 25 March 1993.

  18. ‘Royalty Uncovered’, leading article, The Times, 21 August 1992.

  19. Daily Telegraph, 28 April 1998.

  20. Lord Wakeham to the House of Lords, Hansard, 27 January 1999.

  21. The Times, 8 September and 14 October 1999.

  22. Ibid., 28 April 2001.

  23. Time Magazine, 8 July 1996.

  24. The Times, 28 April 2001.

  25. Ibid., 4 May 2001.

  26. Ibid., 27 November and 13 December 2002.

  27. The Times, Law Supplement, 21 May 2002.

  28. Ibid., 30 January 1999.

  29. The Times, 21 April 1992.

  30. Richard Owen (foreign editor) and David Watts to Peter Stothard, 10 January 1994, ref. 026672.

  31. Jonathan Mirsky to the author, interview, 8 September 2004.

  32. Ibid.

  33. Richard Owen to Peter Stothard, 30 March 1995, ref. 026672; The Times, 29 and 10 March 1995.

  34. ‘Voice of Hong Kong’, The Times, 19 September 1995.

  35. ‘China’s Obligations’ and ‘Beyond 1997’, leading articles, The Times, 10 January and 5 March 1996.

  36. ‘Stand by Taiwan’ and ‘The Taiwan Truth’, leading article, The Times, 6 February and 19 March 1996; Jiang Enzhu (Chinese Ambassador to Britain), letters to the editor, The Times, 28 March 1996.

  37. The Times, 21 November 1996.