Margaret Thatcher: Power and Personality (113 page)

          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

          vulnerability
5
,
183–4
,
187–8
,
196
,
350
,
688

          warmth
4
,
207

          willingness to learn from mistakes
659

          work ethic
26
,
42
,
195
,
208
,
263–4
,
279

          
see also
man-management shortcomings of MT

     death (8 April 2013)
689

downfall and resignation
108
,
504

          Community Charge (Poll Tax)
154
,
400
,
537
,
591
,
602–4

          complacency of Peter Morrison
625–8

          coup against MT, staging of
624
,
630
,
632
,
649
,
667

          election of new leader
645–9

          exit of Howe
608–14

          exit of MT
633–52

          farewell performance
642–4

          Heseltine, part played in
7
,
590
,
621–3

          leaving No.
10
646
,
653

          period following
653–67

          personality as contributing factor
7
,
516–19
,
538
,
554
,
587
,
591
,
596
,
650

              
see also
character, and personal characteristics above; man-management shortcomings of MT

          as public execution
7
,
618–21

          reactions of MT to
653–6

          resignation speech of Howe (November 1990)
7
,
394–5
,
617–21

          Weatherill Speakership misjudgement
394–5

          Westland crisis in relation to
see
Westland crisis (1986)

     early adulthood and career

          bar, being called to
76

          boyfriends
40
,
44–7
,
61–3

          Canterbury rejection
73–4
,
77

          as Dartford Parliamentary Candidate
3–4
,
57–61
,
65
,
111

          employment
54
,
61
,
67

          engagement and marriage to Denis (1951)
57
,
68–74

          Finchley nomination
see
Finchley, London

          General Election of 1950
63–5

          as junior minister
98–101

          legal studies
51
,
72
,
74–5

          Maidstone rejection
77–9

          mentoring by Alfred Bossom
55–8
,
66
,
71
,
78
,
97

          political frustration
65
,
67
,
77–8
,
108

          respect for MT in Conservative Party
65–6

          tax barrister
76–7

          vote of thanks to Winston Churchill, seconding (1950)
66–7

          as Young Conservative
4
,
54–5

     early parliamentary career
13
,
51
,
85
,
89
,
97

          constituency duties
101–3

          Criminal Justice Bill (1960)
95–6

          family problems
103–8
,
123

          lucky events
87–94

          maiden speeches
88
,
91–2
,
94

          at Ministry of Pensions and National Insurance
99–100
,
155

          Private Members’ Bills
87–9
,
93
,
97

          support in House
94–9

          U-turns
89–91

     Education Secretary and Cabinet Minister (1970–74)

          appointment (1970)
109

          discussions with Edward Heath (1972)
134–7

          first actions
126–30

          grammar schools, preservation
126–9

          and issues other than education
137–40

          nursery education, expansion
136–7

          relations with officials and ministers
98

          school leaving age
128–9

          school milk
19
,
130–4
,
153

          school reorganisation schemes
128–9

          U-turns
134
,
138

     family life

          culinary abilities of MT
75
,
187
,
261

          engagement to Denis
68–70

          Highlands holiday
675–8

          marriage to Denis
57
,
68–74
,
189–90

          maternal tactility and intimacy, lack of
17
,
75
,
190

          motherhood
17
,
74–7
,
104

              
see also
Thatcher, Carol

              Thatcher, (Sir) Mark

          nannies
75
,
106

          nervous breakdown of Denis
106

          suffering at expense of political career
75
,
86
,
103–8
,
123
,
133
,
190

          theatre visits
230–1

          wedding and honeymoon
71–2

     foreign policy
see
foreign policy

     funeral (17 April 2013)
1
,
112
,
690–1

     health problems

          in final years
684–8

          during finals at Oxford
43

          memory loss
531
,
685–8

          pneumonia
107–8

          varicose veins surgery
374

     as Leader of the Opposition (1975–79)

          BBC debates (1978)
217–18

          difficult start
178–86

          evaluation of years in
192–3
,
209–10

          exchanges with James Callaghan
5
,
198
,
211–12

          exchanges with Dennis Healey
201
,
212

          Finance Bills, MT’s speeches on
77

          ‘laughing boys,’ support from
211
,
213–14
,
216
,
222

          leadership contest (1975)
156–78

          new policies and philosophies
201–9

          no confidence debate (March 1979)
224–9

          parliamentary speeches
50

          party conferences and foreign visits
194–8

          privatisation policies
380

          televised debates, invitation to participate in
217–18

          ‘winter of discontent’ (1978–79)
5
,
201
,
208–9
,
211–22
,
282

     in Opposition (1964–70)
120
,
124

          entering opposition
109–13

          Environment, MT as Shadow Minister for
144
,
154–5

          Fuel and Power, MT as Shadow Minister for
116–18

          as junior minister
4
,
109–11
,
113–18

          Iain Macleod, working with
113–15

          preparation for government
120–5

          Shadow Cabinet
109–10
,
112
,
116–18
,
155

          Treasury and Economic Affairs spokeswoman (number two Opposition), MT as
113–15
,
156

          US visits (1967 and 1968)
119–20

     political beliefs

          accuracy of, as factor in downfall
597

          anti-communism/anti-socialism
60
,
120
,
197
,
202
,
207
,
389

          capital punishment
396–7

          civil service
see
civil service

          defence cuts
324

          economy and taxation
see
under
economic issues

          European policy
7
,
138–9
,
555–68

          freedom/free-trade
118–19
,
161
,
194–5
,
208
,
322

          grammar schools, preservation
121–2
,
126–7
,
251