Margaret Thatcher: The Authorized Biography, Volume 2

by Charles Moore

  * Bob Young (1944–), educated Magdalen College, Oxford; principal, European Economic Research Ltd, 2004–14, now special adviser; member, Central Policy Review Staff, 1983; No. 10 Policy Unit, 1983–4.

  † David Pascall (1949–), educated Queen Mary’s Grammar School, Basingstoke and University of Birmingham; held various positions in British Petroleum, 1967–93; seconded by BP to the Central Policy Review Staff, Cabinet Office, 1982–3 and then to the No. 10 Policy Unit.

  ‡ Peter Warry (1949–), educated Clifton College and Merton College, Oxford; group managing director, Aerospace Engineering plc, 1982–4; special adviser and deputy head, No. 10 Policy Unit, 1984–6; chief executive, Nuclear Electric, 1996–8; chairman, the Royal Mint, 2012–.

  * Mrs Thatcher rewarded Thomas by making him her second viscount. He took the title of Tonypandy. She also agreed to be interviewed by him for a soft television series he made called George Thomas in Conversation. For this, she so much liked the make-up she wore to see him (‘Pressed powder – light – by Cosmetic a la carte … Lipstick – Honey Raisin by Clinique Gloss’) that her staff made a note of it for future reference (Wallace to Robilliard, 13 September 1983, CAC: THCR 5/1/5/215).

  † Humphrey Atkins (1922–96), educated Wellington; Conservative MP for Merton and Morden, 1955–70; for Spelthorne, 1970–87; Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, 1979–81; Lord Privy Seal, 1981–2; created Lord Colnbrook, 1987.

  ‡ It remains to this day a fairly safe bet that a Speaker coming from the Conservatives will tend to favour Labour, and vice versa. This is partly because the Speaker understands the need for balance, and partly because, in politics, it is axiomatic that one’s real enemies are to be found on one’s own side.

  * In 1984, Weatherill made some outspoken comments about Prime Minister’s Questions and said that Parliament should make life ‘hell’ for the government. When these comments were reported in the press he wrote a grovelling letter to Mrs Thatcher to ‘apologise for the embarrassment I caused’ (Weatherill to Thatcher, 7 June 1984, CAC: THCR 1/3/13 (http://www.margaretthatcher.org/document/136373)).

  † Some also resented her self-sacrifice, saying that, since her husband was quite rich, she could afford it. There was some truth in this, though it is worth pointing out that Denis and Margaret kept their finances entirely separate, and he did not pay any of her bills. He did, however, pay the rent charged by the government for the flat they shared in 10 Downing Street.

  * It is traditional in Parliament not to impose a whip on votes which are deemed a matter of conscience, such as abortion, fox-hunting, euthanasia.

  † In the press it was reported that up to three Cabinet ministers – Walker, Prior and Heseltine – would resign from the government if the Commons voted to restore the death penalty. According to the Daily Mail, Ingham told Mrs Thatcher, ‘This is reason [sic] you have suddenly washed your hands of any direct Government involvement’ (‘Press Digest’, Ingham to Thatcher, 8 July 1983, CAC: THCR 3/5/25).

  * Mrs Thatcher did, in fact, have her own hobby horse – the money spent on the intelligence services, which she was determined not to pare back. She was able to do this unobserved because, in those days, when the services were not publicly ‘avowed’, ‘their budgets were secret too’ (Interview with Lord Lawson of Blaby).

  * This is the occasion fictionalized in Hilary Mantel’s controversial short story ‘The Assassination of Margaret Thatcher’ (included in the collection of that title published by Fourth Estate in 2014). In it, a local resident finds herself allowing an Irishman into her flat in Windsor because he says he wants to ‘shoot’ the Prime Minister and she assumes he is a photographer. When she discovers he is a terrorist, however, she still lets him stay and kill Mrs Thatcher as she leaves the hospital.

  * The Medium-Term Financial Strategy had been Lawson’s own invention in the previous Parliament. It spelt out in advance the government’s planned borrowing, thus setting targets, and helping to restrain what could be spent. It was the best-known tool of the government’s policy of monetary control. See Volume I, pp. 504–7.

  † As late as September she told Alan Walters that her eye specialist, who had seen her on television, thought her eye looked inflamed and wanted to see her again. ‘PM changed her working habits,’ Walters recorded, ‘– now goes to bed early and gets up early in the morning to read papers’ (Diary entry for Monday 5 September 1983, the diary of Sir Alan Walters, Papers of Sir Alan Walters, CAC: WTRS 3/1/5). Luckily, her retina did not detach again.

  ‡ Indira Gandhi (1917–84), Prime Minister of India, 1966–77 and from 1980 until her assassination in October 1984; daughter of the first prime minister of India, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru; Minister of Information and Broadcasting, 1964–6; Minister for Home Affairs, 1970–73; for Atomic Energy, 1967–77, 1980–84; for Defence, 1980–82.

  § Jimmy Savile (1926–2011), educated St Anne’s School, Leeds; TV and radio presenter of programmes including Jim’ll Fix It and Top of the Pops (TV) and Radio One Weekly Show; charity fund-raiser; knighted 1990. After his death, allegations were made public that Savile had used his celebrity status and free access to NHS hospitals where he was a volunteer helper to carry out acts of sexual abuse. A series of official investigations published in 2013 and 2014 concluded that he had sexually assaulted victims of all ages in NHS hospitals over several decades.

  * Mrs Thatcher was keen that Savile should be knighted for his services to charity. In May 1983, she asked Robert Armstrong whether he thought this a good idea. He said he did not, because he had heard stories about Savile’s misbehaviour with women (though not allegations of child abuse). ‘I didn’t know anything definite,’ Armstrong recalled, ‘but I told her I just didn’t like the feel of it, the smell.’ (Interview with Lord Armstrong of Ilminster). Mrs Thatcher later renewed her interest in a knighthood for Savile after Armstrong had ceased to be Cabinet secretary. He finally received the honour in 1990.

  * A change in social mores, already emerging in 1983, became clear in 1997, when Robin Cook, Foreign Secretary in the first Blair government, was told by Alastair Campbell, Tony Blair’s communications chief, to make up his mind at once between his wife and his lover when his affair was about to be exposed in the press. He chose the latter, and stayed in post. It probably would have gone worse for him in the media if he had stayed with his wife.

  † Gummer dropped the use of the name Selwyn, pleasingly ornamental in the Cambridge of his youth where he had attended Selwyn College, within days of attaining the chairmanship. Perhaps to make himself seem more ordinary, he made himself plain Gummer.

  ‡ There is a passage in Alan Clark’s diary for 1 September 1983 in which Clark records Tebbit indicating that he would eventually like to be party chairman himself, but telling him that ‘She wants to appoint a Parly Sec.’ (Alan Clark, Diaries, Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1993, pp. 37–8), without naming anyone. Clark advises Tebbit to talk her out of it. This suggests that Tebbit knew about, and hoped to frustrate, the Gummer idea well before it was announced on 15 September. On 8 September, he saw Michael Spicer privately, and put forward the idea that he (Tebbit) should be chairman of policy, with Spicer as chairman of the Central Office organization (Michael Spicer, The Spicer Diaries, Biteback, 2012, pp. 72–3). He seems to have been seeking more power for himself in the party in a way compatible with what Mrs Thatcher wanted.

  * Mrs Thatcher downplayed her birthday celebrations. She refused to have a cake presented to her in the conference hall. (Sherbourne to Thatcher, 4 October 1983, CAC: THCR 2/9/19.)

  * In fact, as the Telegraph’s editor, W. F. Deedes, wrote to The Times to point out, the article in question had argued the exact opposite, and praised her for not having an abortion, but Miss Keays seems to have been too angry to have noticed.

  † Sara Keays’s full story is told in her book A Question of Judgement, Quintessential Press, 1985.

  * Nicholas Ridley (1929–93), educated Eton and Balliol College, Oxford; Conservative MP for Cirencester a
nd Tewkesbury, 1959–92; Financial Secretary to the Treasury, 1981–3; Secretary of State for Transport, 1983–6; for the Environment, 1986–9; for Trade and Industry, 1989–90; forced to resign after an interview criticizing Germany and the EEC in the Spectator, 14 July 1990; created Lord Ridley of Liddesdale, 1992.

  † Tebbit had a different recollection, recalling (and recording in his memoirs) that Parkinson had told him during the general election campaign (Interview with Lord Tebbit. See also Norman Tebbit, Upwardly Mobile, Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1988, pp. 204–5).

  * Parkinson was alleged to have described his former friend Tebbit as his ‘worst enemy’, at a private dinner in Blackpool. Parkinson always denied this. (Interview with Lord Parkinson.)

  * There was actual music as well. Michael Scholar soothed Mrs Thatcher by playing Bach, Mozart, Schubert and Schumann on the Steinway piano that Ted Heath had installed when prime minister. (Interview with Sir Michael Scholar.)

  * Andrew Turnbull (1945–), educated Enfield Grammar School and Christ’s College, Cambridge; private secretary to the Prime Minister, 1983–5; principal private secretary, 1988–92; Permanent Secretary, Department of the Environment, later Department for Environment, Transport and the Regions, 1994–8; Permanent Secretary, Treasury, 1998–2002; Cabinet Secretary, 2002–5; knighted, 1998; created Lord Turnbull, 2005.

  * Different figures for the number of people in Hong Kong are explained by the fact that they often refer to different things. There were native Hong Kong people and Hong Kong people who were refugees. Some of these held British Dependent Territory passports. There were also numerous foreign residents. The total inhabitants of Hong Kong at this time officially numbered 5.322 million.

  * The Chinese attitude was not completely dissimilar, from the other side of the fence. ‘We will enable the British to back down with grace,’ Deng Xiaoping told Edward Heath (Youde, telegram 1031, Hong Kong, 19 July 1983, Hong Kong, TNA: PREM 19/1056).

  † In October 1983, officials debated internally whether it might be in the US interest ‘to involve ourselves directly in the ongoing talks’ (Draft NSSD, ‘US Policy Toward Hong Kong’, China-Foreign Relations-Hong Kong (9/16/83–10/29/83), Box 13, Laux Files, Reagan Library). These ideas did not find favour and the US remained resolutely on the sidelines.

  ‡ Charles Powell (1941–), educated King’s School, Canterbury, New College, Oxford; Private Secretary to the Prime Minister (1983–91); created Lord Powell of Bayswater, 2000.

  * Mrs Thatcher’s attention to Hong Kong views led her to take very seriously an accusation against Robin McLaren, the political adviser to the Governor. McLaren was accused by a naval commander and other Hong Kong residents of expressing pro-Soviet views at private parties, saying that the Falklands campaign had been ‘a great mistake’, and making other ‘extreme left-wing comments’ (Coles report, 5 September 1983, TNA: PREM 19/1057/1). Mrs Thatcher insisted on an investigation, but this was dropped on the grounds that the case was insubstantial. However Jill Knight, a Conservative MP, then raised the matter at a meeting with Mrs Thatcher. Further accusations against McLaren followed, including from Lord Cromer, the former Governor of the Bank of England, and although the Foreign Office remained convinced of McLaren’s integrity, it recommended an MI5 inquiry. ‘I see no alternative,’ wrote Mrs Thatcher (Appleyard to Coles, 26 March 1984, TNA: PREM 19/1263). Nothing was found against McLaren, but it was deemed prudent to move him to a different posting. ‘It was an unhappy and unfair story,’ recalled Charles Powell. ‘I’m afraid it rather blighted his subsequent career.’ (Interview with Lord Powell of Bayswater.) McLaren went on to become ambassador to Beijing in the 1990s, however. Throughout this process, Mrs Thatcher never called for McLaren’s head, but her extreme vigilance revealed not only her perennial anxiety about Communist penetration, but also her concern for sensitivities in Hong Kong.

  * The various bodies involved were EXCO (executive), LEGCO (legislative) and UMELCO (the grouping of Unofficials from both the others).

  † Sze-yuen Chung (1917–), Member, Hong Kong Executive Council, 1972–80; Senior Member, 1980–88; adviser to Government of People’s Republic of China on Hong Kong affairs, 1992–6; Convenor, HKSAR Executive Council, 1997–9; knighted, 1978.

  * These words appeared in Cradock’s farewell despatch as ambassador to Peking, a job which he left at the end of 1983. His successor was Sir Richard Evans. Cradock returned to London, however, as Mrs Thatcher’s principal foreign policy adviser (succeeding Tony Parsons), and also retained a senior position in the Foreign Office. He remained effectively the official in charge of the negotiations with China.

  * She also remembered, though the notetaker did not reproduce this, that Deng had said that capitalism should exist only on the periphery of China because otherwise it would ‘eat up socialism’. Mrs Thatcher relayed this to Vice-President Bush when she saw him in Washington four days later. (Butler to Appleyard, 23 December 1984, TNA: PREM 19/1502.)

  † In fact, China was to achieve this early in the twenty-first century, roughly forty years ahead of schedule – at least as measured by total output rather than per capita.

  * Lydia Dunn (1940–), Member, Legislative Council of Hong Kong, 1976–88; Senior Member, 1985–8; Member, Executive Council, 1982–95; Senior Member, 1988–95; created Lady Dunn, 1990.

  * Bryan Cartledge (1931–), educated Hurstpierpoint and St John’s College, Cambridge; head of East European and Soviet Department, FCO, 1975–7; diplomatic private secretary to the Prime Minister, 1977–9; Ambassador to Hungary, 1980–83; to the Soviet Union, 1985–8; Principal of Linacre College, Oxford, 1988–96; knighted, 1985.

  † Malcolm Rifkind (1946–), educated George Watson’s College and Edinburgh University; Conservative MP for Edinburgh Pentlands, February 1974–97; for Kensington and Chelsea, 2005–10; for Kensington, 2010–15; Secretary of State for Scotland, 1986–90; for Transport, 1990–92; for Defence, 1992–5; for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, 1995–7; unsuccessful candidate for leadership of the Conservative Party, 2005; knighted, 1997.

  ‡ The fact that Rifkind, a parliamentary under-secretary, and therefore on the lowest rung of the ministerial ladder, had this large role shows how little importance the British government ascribed to East–West links at that time.

  § Nigel Broomfield (1937–), educated Haileybury and Trinity College, Cambridge; diplomat; Ambassador to German Democratic Republic, 1988–90; Ambassador to Germany, 1993–7; knighted, 1993.

  * For a fuller picture see Paul Lettow, Ronald Reagan and his Quest to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, Random House, 2005, ch. 1.

  † For Reagan, a biblical Christian, a nuclear holocaust carried significant scriptural connotations. ‘[S]ome day people are going to ask why we didn’t do something now about getting rid of nuclear weapons,’ he once told his national security team. ‘You know I’ve been reading my Bible and the description of Armageddon talks about destruction, I believe, of many cities and we absolutely need to avoid that.’ (NSPG Meeting Minutes, 8 November 1987, NSPG 0165 09/08/1987, Exec Sec, NSC: NSPG Meetings, Box 91309, Reagan Library.)

  * The ABM Treaty between the US and the USSR placed strict limits on developing defences against nuclear-armed ballistic missiles. ‘Strategic ballistic missiles’ were considered the most potent weapons in a nuclear arsenal due to their rapid speed and ability to deliver a devastating nuclear payload anywhere in the world. They should be distinguished from ‘cruise missiles’ that travelled more slowly and had lesser ranges. The umbrella term ‘Intermediate Nuclear Forces’ (INF) covered non-strategic, land-based ballistic (e.g. Pershing) and cruise missiles with a range of 300 to 3,400 miles.

  * George Shultz (1920–), US Secretary of Labor, 1969–70; Director, Office of Management and Budget, 1970–72; Secretary of the Treasury, 1972–4; Secretary of State, 1982–9.

  * The eight academics present were Ronald Amann (Birmingham University), Archie Brown (Oxford University), the Rev. Michael Bourdeaux, Christopher Donnelly (Royal Military Academy
, Sandhurst), Michael Kaser (Oxford University), Professor Alec Nove (Glasgow University), Alex Pravda (Reading University) and George Schöpflin (LSE). On the government side, Mrs Thatcher was accompanied by Geoffrey Howe, Michael Heseltine and Malcolm Rifkind as well as Hugh Thomas (then Chairman of the Centre for Policy Studies and an informal adviser to her on foreign affairs) and a range of officials.

  * Mikhail Gorbachev (1931–), General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, 1985–91; President of the Soviet Union, 1990–91.

  * There is some dispute among those claiming the credit for first noticing Gorbachev in Britain. Rodric Braithwaite, later British Ambassador to the Soviet Union, has said: ‘Archie Brown believes that he was the first person to notice Gorbachev, but people in the Foreign Office at the time disagree. They say that everybody noticed Gorbachev at the same time.’ (Interview with Sir Rodric Braithwaite.) Nonetheless, Brown may well have been the first to draw Gorbachev to Mrs Thatcher’s attention.