Margaret Thatcher: The Authorized Biography (164 page)

*
Reagan failed to get the nomination, which went to the incumbent President, Gerald Ford, but succeeded when he tried again in 1980.

*
These fiscal stimuluses were as nothing beside those which Greenspan, at the Fed, encouraged in the early twenty-first century. He was widely blamed for the severity of the resulting ‘credit crunch’.

*
‘She is a great gal,’ Kissinger told President Ford in late February, ‘but she is not experienced at all in foreign policy’ (Memorandum of Conversation, National Security Advisor, Box 9, ‘February 27, 1975 – Ford, Kissinger, Richardson’, Gerald R. Ford Library).

†
Brent Scowcroft (1925–), educated US Military Academy, Columbia University, Lafayette College and Georgetown University; Lieutenant General, US Army; Deputy National Security Advisor, 1973–5; National Security Advisor, 1989–93.

*
The Schlesinger doctrine was an attempt to strengthen nuclear deterrence through laying out the level and scope of US nuclear retaliation in the event of acts of Soviet aggression of varying magnitudes.

†
At a lunch given shortly afterwards in London by Lady Hartwell, wife of the owner of the
Daily Telegraph
(who was also no fan of Mrs Thatcher), Mrs Graham provoked fierce argument by declaring: ‘I think she’s just a vulgar fishwife’ (interview with Lord Deedes).

*
Mrs Thatcher actually turned in a small profit from her US visit because of the honorariums of £3,250 for her lectures. After expenses had been deducted, the surplus was paid to Conservative Central Office to boost its empty coffers (THCR 6/4/1/13).

*
Alistair McAlpine (1942–), educated Stowe; director, Sir Robert McAlpine & Sons Ltd, 1963–95; Deputy Chairman, Conservative Party, 1979–83; created Lord McAlpine of West Green, 1984.

†
It was partly in this capacity that Airey Neave invited Mrs Thatcher to Harwell (see p. 285). Neave was criticized by some for mixing political and commercial interests.

‡
Michael Richardson (1925–2003), educated Harrow; partner, Cazenove & Co., 1971–81; managing director, N. M. Rothschild and Sons, 1981–90; knighted, 1990.

*
Cazenove’s used to give Mrs Thatcher an annual dinner, organized by Richardson, and contributed money to the party’s general funds to help with the running of her office.

†
Derek Rayner (1926–98), educated City College, Norwich and Selwyn College, Cambridge; chairman, Marks and Spencer, 1984–91; adviser to the Prime Minister on improving efficiency and eliminating waste in government, 1979–83; knighted, 1973; created Lord Rayner, 1983.

‡
Ronald Millar (1919–98), educated Charterhouse and King’s College, Cambridge; playwright and screenwriter; knighted, 1980.

*
There were limits, however, to Mrs Thatcher’s tolerance. Patrick Cosgrave, the political editor of the
Spectator
, had been one of the first to support her and tip her for the top. He also wrote one of her early biographies. Cosgrave was brilliant, but seldom sober, and it was rumoured that he had once been sick on Mrs Thatcher’s shoes (with her inside them). In any event, he ceased to be part of her inner circle, although he listed himself in
Who’s Who
as ‘Special Adviser to The Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher 1975–9’. The verdict on Cosgrave of one who remained in the inner circle was that ‘The cocktails overcame him.’

*
The other half was French.

*
Jonathan Aitken (1942–), educated Eton and Christ Church, Oxford; Conservative MP for Thanet East, February 1974–83; for Thanet South, 1983–97; Chief Secretary to the Treasury, 1994–5; journalist and author; jailed in 1999 and served seven months of an eighteen-month sentence for perverting the course of justice.

†
Denis used to exclaim, despairingly: ‘The boy’s a financial alcoholic!’ (private information).

*
Norman Tebbit (1931–), educated Edmonton County Grammar School; Conservative MP for Epping, 1970–74; for Chingford, February 1974–92; Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department of Trade, 1979–81; Minister of State, Department of Industry, 1981; Secretary of State for Employment, 1981–3; for Trade and Industry, 1983–5; Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, 1985–7; Chairman, Conservative Party, 1985–7; created Lord Tebbit, 1992.

†
Geoffrey Pattie (1936–), educated Durham School and St Catharine’s College, Cambridge; Conservative MP for Chertsey and Walton, February 1974–97; Minister of State for Defence Procurement, 1983–4; Department of Trade and Industry, 1984–7; knighted, 1987.

*
Adam Butler (1931–2007), educated Eton and Pembroke College, Cambridge; Conservative MP for Bosworth, 1970–92; Minister of State, Department of Industry, 1979–81; Northern Ireland Office, 1981–4; Defence Procurement, 1984–5; knighted, 1986.

†
If this had happened, history might have been different, since Morrison would not have been available to become her PPS in 1990.

‡
John Stanley (1942–), educated Repton School and Lincoln College, Oxford; Conservative MP for Tonbridge and Malling, from February 1974; Minister for Housing and Construction, 1979–83; Minister of State for the Armed Forces, 1983–7; Northern Ireland Office, 1987–8; knighted, 1988.

*
He may have meant Shostakovich.

*
John Stonehouse (1925–88), educated Tauntons School, Southampton and LSE; Labour MP for Wednesbury, 1957–74; for Walsall North, February 1974–6; Postmaster-General, 1968–9; Stonehouse was at the time an agent of the Czech security and intelligence service, the StB; he had faked his own death by leaving his clothes on a beach in Miami in 1974 in order to escape creditors and probable arrest in Britain. He resigned the whip to join the English National Party, and shortly afterwards went to prison for theft and fraud.

*
Mrs Thatcher recalled visiting Macmillan for a talk about these matters at this time at the house of his son, Maurice. She said she heard the old man asking his son, ‘Has the call come?’ – meaning was there a move to ask him to lead a national government. (THCR 4/4.)

*
Frank Johnson (1943–2006), educated Chartesey Secondary School, Shoreditch and Shoreditch Secondary School; parliamentary sketch-writer of the
Daily Telegraph
, 1972–9 and 1999–2006; staff of
The Times
, 1981–8; deputy editor,
Sunday Telegraph
, 1993–5; editor,
Spectator
, 1995–9.

*
One of Mrs Thatcher’s assistants met Maudling as he was leaving the Commons and asked him why he was not listening to Denis Healey’s Budget statement. ‘I practically went to sleep in my own Budget speeches,’ Maudling told him. ‘I’m f***ed if I’m going to sit through anyone else’s.’ (Private information.) On one occasion during the Heath government, the Prime Minister was out of the country and Maudling was deputizing for him. He returned to work at 4 p.m. after a convivial lunch: ‘What’s the sentence for being drunk in charge of a government?’ he was heard to ask a secretary.

†
David Howell (1936–), educated Eton and King’s College, Cambridge; Conservative MP for Guildford, 1966–97; Secretary of State for Energy, 1979–81; for Transport, 1981–3; Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, 2010–; created Lord Howell, 1997.

*
Friedrich von Hayek (1899–1992), educated University of Vienna; Tooke Professor of Economic Science and Statistics, University of London, 1931–50; Professor of Moral and Social Science, University of Chicago, 1950–62; Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences (jointly), 1974; Companion of Honour, 1984.

†
Milton Friedman (1912–2006), educated Rutgers, Chicago and Columbia universities; economist and writer; Professor of Economics, University of Chicago, 1948–82; Professor Emeritus from 1982; economic columnist,
Newsweek
, 1966–84; Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences, 1976.

‡
In her memoirs Mrs Thatcher records that she read
The Possessed
on the recommendation of her country neighbour, the journalist Malcolm Muggeridge, who told her that it would give her an understanding of the Communist frame of mind (see
The Path to Power
, HarperCollins, 1995, pp. 309–10).

*
Shirley Robin Letwin (1924–93), educated Chicago University and LSE; philosopher and historian of ideas; author of
The Anatomy of Thatcherism
(1992). Her husband Bill, Professor of Political Science, LSE, 1976–88, also contributed advice and help with speeches to Keith Joseph and Mrs Thatcher. Their son, Oliver, worked in Mrs Thatcher’s Policy Unit, and, at the time of writing, is a member of the Coalition government.

†
Peter Bauer (1915–2002), educated Scholae Piae, Budapest and Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge; Professor of Economics, LSE, 1960–83; best known for his work on international development and his scepticism about government aid to developing countries; created Lord Bauer, 1982.

‡
Robert Skidelsky (1939–), educated Brighton College, and Jesus College and Nuffield College, Oxford; Professor of Political Economy, Warwick University, 1990–2007; biographer of Oswald Mosley and of Keynes; created Lord Skidelsky, 1991.

*
Gordon Pepper (1934–), educated Repton and Trinity College, Cambridge; partner, Greenwell’s, 1962; chairman, Lombard Street Research, from 2000.

†
Gordon Richardson (1915–2010), educated Nottingham High School and Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge; Governor, Bank of England, 1973–83; created Lord Richardson of Duntisbourne, 1983.

‡
John Sparrow (1933–), educated Stationers’ Company’s School and LSE; head of Central Policy Review Staff, 1982–3; chairman, Horserace Betting Levy Board, 1991–8; knighted, 1984.

*
Woodrow Wyatt (1918–97), educated Eastbourne and Worcester College, Oxford; journalist; Labour MP for Aston Division of Birmingham, 1945–55; for Bosworth Division of Leicester, 1959–70; chairman, Horserace Totalisator Board, 1976–97; created Lord Wyatt of Weeford, 1987.

†
Brian Walden (1932–), educated West Bromwich Grammar School and Queen’s College and Nuffield College, Oxford; Labour MP for Birmingham All Saints, 1964–74; for Birmingham, Ladywood, 1974–7; presenter,
Weekend World
, 1977–86.

‡
Reg Prentice (1923–2001), educated Whitgift School and LSE; Labour MP for East Ham North, 1957–74; for Newham North East, 1974–7; Conservative MP for Newham North East, 1977–9; for Daventry, 1979–87; Secretary of State for Education and Science, 1974–5; Minister for Overseas Development, 1975–6; Minister of State for Social Security, DHSS, 1979–81; created Lord Prentice, 1992.

*
Hugh Thomas (1931–), educated Sherborne, Queens’ College, Cambridge and Sorbonne, Paris; Professor of History, University of Reading, 1966–76; chairman, Centre for Policy Studies, 1979–90; author of
The Spanish Civil War
(1961); created Lord Thomas of Swynnerton, 1981.

†
Leon Brittan (1939–), brother of Samuel Brittan; educated Haberdashers’ Aske’s School, Trinity College, Cambridge and Yale University; Conservative MP for Cleveland and Whitby, February 1974–83; for Richmond, Yorkshire, 1983–8; Chief Secretary to the Treasury, 1981–3; Home Secretary, 1983–5; Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, 1985–6; European Commissioner, 1989–99; knighted, 1989; created Lord Brittan of Spennithorne, 2000.

‡
Leonard Schapiro (1908–83), educated St Paul’s and University College London; Professor of Political Science with special reference to Russia, LSE, 1963–75.

§
Michael Howard (1922–), educated Wellington and Christ Church, Oxford; president, Wolfson College, Oxford, 1966–75; Regius Professor of Modern History, Oxford University, 1980–89; Professor Emeritus, from 1989; knighted, 1986.

¶
Isaiah Berlin (1909–97), educated St Paul’s and Corpus Christi College, Oxford; Chichele Professor of Social and Political Theory, Oxford, 1957–67; President of the British Academy, 1974–8; Fellow of All Souls College, Oxford; knighted, 1971.

*
John O’Sullivan (1942–), educated St Mary’s College, Crosby and London University; special adviser to the Prime Minister, 1986–8. His journalistic positions have included: parliamentary sketch-writer,
Daily Telegraph
; associate editor,
The Times
; editor,
National Review
.

†
T. E. (Peter) Utley (1921–88), educated privately and Corpus Christi College, Cambridge; journalist; leader writer, 1964–80, and chief assistant editor, 1980–87,
Daily Telegraph
; obituaries editor and columnist,
The
Times
, 1987–8; contested (Unionist) North Antrim, February 1974.

*
Roger Scruton (1944–), educated Jesus College, Cambridge; lecturer in philosophy, Birkbeck College, London, 1971–9, reader, 1979–85, Professor of Aesthetics, 1985–92; Professor of Philosophy, Boston University, Massachusetts, 1992–5; editor,
Salisbury Review
, 1982–2000.

†
John Casey (1939–), educated King’s College, Cambridge; lecturer, Cambridge University, and Fellow of Gonville and Caius College; founder (with Roger Scruton) Conservative Philosophy Group (1975).

‡
Edward Norman (1938–), educated Chatham House School, Ramsgate and Selwyn College, Cambridge; priest in the Church of England, 1971; lecturer in history, University of Cambridge, 1965–88; Dean of Peterhouse, Cambridge, 1971–88; historian of Church and society in Victorian England, and of modern Ireland; Reith Lecturer (published as
Christianity and the World Order
, 1979), 1978; Chancellor, York Minster, 1999–2004.

*
John Vaizey (1929–84), educated Colfe’s Grammar School, Lewisham, Queen Mary’s Hospital School, Carshalton and Queens’ College, Cambridge; economist and educationalist; Professor of Economics, Brunel University, 1966–82; created Lord Vaizey of Greenwich, 1976.

†
David Dilks (1938–), educated Royal Grammar School, Worcester, and Hertford College and St Antony’s College, Oxford; Chancellor of Hull University, 1991–9; biographer of Neville Chamberlain.