Margaret Thatcher: The Authorized Biography (165 page)

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Arthur Cockfield (1916–2007), educated Dover Grammar School and LSE; director of statistics and intelligence, Board of Inland Revenue, 1945–52; managing director, Boots, 1961–7; chairman, Price Commission, 1973–7; 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; created Lord Cockfield, 1978.

†
Peter Cropper (1927–), educated Hitchin Grammar School and Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge; special adviser to Chief Secretary to the Treasury, 1979–82; to Chancellor of the Exchequer, 1984–8; Conservative Research Department, 1951–3, 1975–9, director, 1982–4.

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Peter Rees (1926–2008), educated Stowe and Christ Church, Oxford; Conservative MP for Dover, 1970–74; for Dover and Deal, 1974–83; for Dover, 1983–7; Chief Secretary to the Treasury, 1983–5; created Lord Rees, 1988.

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Norman Strauss (1936–), educated Kilburn Grammar School; worked for Unilever, 1961–81; part-time member, Prime Minister’s Policy Unit, 1979–82; co-founder, Oxford Strategic Leadership Programme, 1982.

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Barney Hayhoe (1925–), educated state schools and Borough Polytechnic; Conservative MP for Heston and Isleworth, 1970–74; for Brentford and Isleworth, 1974–92; Minister of State, Treasury, 1981–5; Minister of State for Health, DHSS, 1985–6; created Lord Hayhoe, 1992.

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The evening was not helped by the fact that, at one point, the cat stroked Norman Strauss’s leg and then Mrs Thatcher’s. She started, apparently thinking for a second that Strauss had been stroking her leg, and was then embarrassed. (Interview with Norman Strauss.)

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Michael Portillo (1953–), educated Harrow County Boys’ School and Peterhouse, Cambridge; Conservative MP for Enfield, Southgate, 1984–97; for Kensington and Chelsea, 1999–2005; Secretary of State for Employment, 1994–5; for Defence, 1995–7; unsuccessful candidate for the leadership of the Conservative Party, 2001.

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Early in Mrs Thatcher’s leadership, Jonathan Aitken got into trouble for his joke at a dinner in Beirut that Mrs Thatcher ‘probably thinks Sinai is the plural of sinus’. This got back to Airey Neave, who made Aitken apologize to her. (Interview with Jonathan Aitken.)

†
Mrs Thatcher’s first visit to Communist China, in April 1977, was not politically eventful, but it made an impression. Because of extreme Chinese hostility to the Soviet Union at that time, she was welcomed with some pomp by the party leadership. She gave a reception for which the invitation read:

Margaret Thatcher
At Home
In the Great Hall of the People

But she did not feel at home at all. John Gerson, the official who accompanied her and briefed her, recalled that ‘To say she was open-minded would be an insult. She understood they
were
Communist, and she hated Communism’ (interview with John Gerson). In background conversation with journalists, she predicted that ‘the spark of human spirit’ would be the undoing of China and would eventually make India a more successful country (
Sunday Times
, 12 April 1977). In public, she described the Chinese approach as ‘wholly alien to us. They have a correct view, and they hand down that correct view … Fortunately, we don’t have a correct view’ (BBC Television interview, 14 April 1977). She was accompanied by Douglas Hurd, who had served as a diplomat in China before entering politics. After she had been up the Great Wall, she asked him, ‘Did I get to the top quicker than Ted?’ (George Gale,
Spectator
, 23 April 1977
.
)

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According to the late John Carbaugh, at that time aide to the right-wing Senator Jesse Helms, there was a concerted effort by Carter’s people to prevent senior staff in the administration seeing Mrs Thatcher. Helms threatened to put Senate approval for some appointments to the executive branch ‘on hold’ unless Carter and his Defense Secretary, Harold Brown, agreed to see Mrs Thatcher. No corroboration of this account has been found.

†
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.

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George Bush (1924–), Vice-President of the United States of America, 1981–9; President, 1989–93.

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Robert Mugabe (1924–), educated Kutama Mission School, Rhodesia and Fort Hare University, South Africa; co-founded Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU), 1963; detained in Rhodesia, 1964–74; led insurgency from Mozambique, 1975–9; Prime Minister, Zimbabwe, 1980–87; President 1988–.

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Alick Buchanan-Smith (1932–91), educated Trinity College, Glenalmond, Pembroke College, Cambridge and Edinburgh University; Conservative MP for North Angus and Mearns, 1964–83; for Kincardine and Deeside, 1983–91; Minister of State, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, 1979–83; Department of Energy, 1983–7.

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Malcolm Rifkind (1946–), educated George Watson’s College and Edinburgh University; Conservative MP for Edinburgh Pentlands, February 1974–97; for Kensington and Chelsea, from 2005; Secretary of State for Scotland, 1986–9; 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.

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Teddy Taylor (1937–), educated Glasgow High School and Glasgow University; Conservative MP for Glasgow Cathcart, 1964–79; for Southend East, 1980–97; for Rochford and Southend East, 1997–2005; knighted, 1991. Despite his shadow role, Taylor never held office in any of Mrs Thatcher’s administrations.

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Taylor’s prediction was correct. The Conservatives gained seven Scottish seats from the SNP in the 1979 general election. The only one they lost was his, to Labour. So the Conservative net gain in Scotland was six.

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Some Tories had this worry at the time. The late R. A. Butler told the present author in 1978 that he had threatened to write ‘Scotland’ on Mrs Thatcher’s breast with a piece of chalk. When she asked why, he said, ‘Because a queen of England had “Calais” written on her heart, and you should have “Scotland” written on yours.’ In another version of this story, also told by Lord Butler, he wrote ‘Scotland’ on the suit of his son Adam, Mrs Thatcher’s PPS. The truth of either version has not been established. Adam had no memory of the incident.

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Politicians at the time often referred to joining the EMS when they meant the ERM.

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Andrew Mackay (1949–), educated Solihull; Conservative MP for Birmingham, Stechford, 1977–9; for Berkshire East, 1983–97; for Bracknell, 1997–2010; Deputy Government Chief Whip, 1996–7; senior political and parliamentary adviser to the Leader of the Opposition, 2005–9. He was forced to resign his post in the expenses scandal which engulfed Parliament in 2009.

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An interesting example of Mrs Thatcher’s personal attitude to immigrants was noted by the young Michael Portillo when, as a member of the Research Department, he attended part of a Shadow Cabinet meeting in the summer of 1976. In the middle of a discussion of immigration, the division bell rang. Mrs Thatcher asked what the vote was about and was told that it was about giving Sikhs special exemption from wearing crash helmets on their motorbikes, so that they could keep their turbans on. Carrington made some
sotto voce
remark about the piquancy of this vote at this precise moment. Mrs Thatcher said sharply, ‘What did you say?’ Carrington said, ‘It was a joke, Margaret,’ and explained. She replied, ‘Well, it’s not very funny. These people fought for us in the war.’

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Maurice Saatchi (1946–), educated LSE; co-founder, Saatchi & Saatchi, 1970, chairman, 1985–94; partner, M&C Saatchi, from 1995; Co-Chairman, Conservative Party, 2003–5; created Lord Saatchi, 1996.

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Charles Saatchi (1943–), educated Christ’s Hospital; co-founder, Saatchi & Saatchi, 1970; partner, M&C Saatchi, from 1995; noted collector of contemporary art.

‡
Tim Bell (1941–), educated Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School, Barnet; managing director, Saatchi & Saatchi, 1970–75; chairman and managing director, Saatchi & Saatchi Compton, 1975–85; chairman, Bell Pottinger, from 1987; created Lord Bell, 1998.

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Bernard Donoughue, head of Callaghan’s Policy Unit, noted Mrs Thatcher’s first broadcast Prime Minister’s Questions with satisfaction from a Labour point of view: ‘She looked very pale and tense and sounded harsh. This was in some ways a trial run for the election, and we came away feeling very confident.’ (Bernard Donoughue,
Downing Street Diary
, 2 vols, Jonathan Cape, 2005, 2008, vol. ii:
With James Callaghan in No. 10
, 4 April 1978, p. 305.)

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Laurence Olivier (1907–89), actor and director; co-founder of the National Theatre, and its associate director, 1973–4; knighted, 1947; created Lord Olivier, 1970.

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Mrs Thatcher always had to have double entendres explained, and she came to dread uttering them by mistake. She saw them as a specifically male thing which would always remain a mystery to her. Once she wanted to use the word ‘blackball’ in a speech, and her advisers tried to prevent her without quite having the courage to tell her why. Eventually, Adam Butler solved the problem by saying, ‘Doesn’t it sound a bit too clubby, Margaret?’ (Interview with Lord Dobbs.) Perhaps the best-known example was her statement in a 1983 television interview that she was ‘always on the job’ (
Aspel & Company
, LWT).

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In fact, Patten did not normally take the minutes either. They were taken by David Nicholson.

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The word, meaning moderates of all parties, was created by amalgamating the surnames of R. A. Butler and Hugh Gaitskell.

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Tom McNally (1943–), educated College of St Joseph, Blackpool and University College London; Labour MP for Stockport South, 1979–81; SDP MP for Stockport South, 1981–3; created Lord McNally, 1995; Leader of Liberal Democrats in House of Lords, from 2004.

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Michael Dobbs (1948–), educated Christ Church, Oxford and Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University; government special adviser, 1981–7; chief of staff, Conservative Party, 1986–7; deputy chairman, Saatchi & Saatchi, 1983–6, 1988–91; Joint Deputy Chairman, Conservative Party, 1994–5; author of
House of Cards
and other political novels; created Lord Dobbs, 2010.

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Michael Portillo, who was also present, was impressed with how quickly Patten scooped up the proofs of the manifesto and locked them away, as soon as it became clear that they would not be needed immediately (interview with Michael Portillo).

‡
In this era, the union leaderships could cast the votes of all their members without consulting them. Motions were often passed at Labour conferences by extraordinary margins, such as 6 million votes.

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Mrs Thatcher was aware of this tendency in herself. She told the
Observer
in an interview conducted nine days later, ‘This animal, if attacked, defends itself’ (
Observer
, 18 February 1979).

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Tom McCaffrey (1922–), head of News Department, FCO, 1974–6; chief press officer to the Prime Minister, 1976–9; knighted, 1979.

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‘Action’ at that time, in the parlance of industrial disputes, always meant striking, never working.

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Gerry Fitt (1926–2005), educated Christian Brothers’ School, Belfast; Leader, SDLP, 1970–79; Irish Labour MP for Dock Division of Belfast, Parliament of Northern Ireland, 1962–72; MP for West Belfast: Republican Labour, 1966–70; SDLP, 1970–79; Independent Socialist, 1979–83; created Lord Fitt, 1983.

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Not Fortnum’s, as Mrs Thatcher erroneously states in her memoirs.

†
Audrey was Callaghan’s immensely supportive wife. He liked to have her near him on all difficult occasions, and when she died in 2005 he survived her by only eleven days.

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Sinn Fein–IRA had turned against the Labour government because of the very strong security stand taken by Roy Mason.

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The general election was not due by law until October, but Callaghan could not continue any longer than six weeks, the maximum permitted notice period for a poll, without a working majority in Parliament.

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Ian Bancroft (1922–96), educated Coatham School and Balliol College, Oxford; head of the Home Civil Service and Permanent Secretary to the Civil Service Department, 1978–81; knighted, 1975; created Lord Bancroft, 1982.

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Kenneth Stowe (1927–), educated County High School, Dagenham and Exeter College, Oxford; principal private secretary to the Prime Minister, 1975–9; Permanent Under-Secretary, Northern Ireland Office, 1979–81; Permanent Secretary, DHSS, 1981–7; knighted, 1980.

‡
Matthew Parris (1949–), educated Waterford School, Swaziland and Clare College, Cambridge; Conservative MP for West Derbyshire, 1979–86; author, columnist for
The Times
, from 1987.

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Neave’s widow, Diana, was made Baroness Airey of Abingdon.

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James Hanson (1922–2004), educated Elland Grammar School and Merlegh; chairman, Hanson PLC, 1965–97; knighted, 1976; created Lord Hanson of Edgerton, 1983.

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Mrs Thatcher found it hard to keep her weight down, and for two weeks of the campaign she subjected herself to a diet, aimed at losing 20 lb, which she checked against a daily sheet of instructions. This began: ‘Abstain from everything not included in the diet and be sure to eat what is assigned rather than do without. NO EATING BETWEEN MEALS.’ (Minute, 1 January 1979, THCR 6/1/1/31.) The diet involved eating twenty-eight eggs per week, grapefruit for breakfast (with ‘black coffee or clear tea’), steak and salad. By the time she entered No. 10, she did look more slender.