Margaret Thatcher: The Authorized Biography (160 page)

*
See Dennis Walters,
Not Always with the Pack
, Constable, 1989, pp. 102–3. But note that in fact the ‘bloody Jew’ mentioned, Peter Goldman, was not shortlisted for Finchley. He was to be the unlucky victim of the Liberal by-election triumph in Orpington in 1962.

*
Keith Joseph (1918–94), 2nd baronet; educated Harrow and Magdalen College, Oxford; Conservative MP for Leeds North East, 1956–87; Secretary of State for Social Services, 1970–74; for Industry, 1979–81; for Education and Science, 1981–6; founder and chairman, Centre for Policy Studies, 1974–9 (director, 1991–4); created Lord Joseph, 1987.

*
Peter Thorneycroft (1909–94), educated Eton and Royal Military Academy, Woolwich; MP for Stafford, 1938–45; for Monmouth, 1945–66; created Lord Thorneycroft, 1967; Chairman of the Conservative Party, 1975–81.

*
William Whitelaw (1918–99), educated Winchester and Trinity College, Cambridge; served in Scots Guards, 1939–46, awarded the Military Cross; Conservative MP for Penrith and the Border, 1955–83; Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, 1972–3; Secretary of State for Employment, 1973–4; Deputy Leader of Conservative Party, 1975–9; Home Secretary and Deputy Prime Minister, 1979–83; created Viscount Whitelaw, 1983; Leader of the House of Lords and Lord President of the Council, 1983–8.

†
Betty Boothroyd, who was to become the first woman Speaker of the Commons, worked in the same office at that time, as secretary to a Labour MP, Geoffrey de Freitas.

*
In an article called ‘Local Government’ in
Conservative Oxford
in October 1949, writing as the new Dartford parliamentary candidate, Margaret Roberts had argued that Labour was damaging local government by grabbing powers from it, leading to a ‘loss of local responsibility’ and making it less attractive to good people. It seems likely that the expulsion of Alderman Roberts would have confirmed this view, rather than turning her against local government
per se
.

*
‘Pairing’ is the device by which members of opposing parties arrange, for mutual convenience, to be absent from the same divisions, cancelling out each other’s vote. It is approved by the whips. A standing committee considers public Bills rather than policy subjects in general, and is part of the legislative process. Bills go ‘into committee’ after second reading, which is the chief occasion for debate of legislation by the whole House.

†
For a discussion of all this, see
New Outlook
, August 1963.

*
Henry Brooke’s son, Peter, was to serve in Mrs Thatcher’s Cabinet from 1988.

*
Fiennes was even more anguished by the idea that the author of the Bill should have a serious say in its drafting. He argued unsuccessfully that she should not attend the relevant drafting meeting with Commons officials: ‘I am not sure that it would be a good thing for Mrs Thatcher to do so. She probably has very little idea of the point at issue … and if she treats them as she treated us, she may well put their backs up. This is not a thing you can say to her.’

*
At this time, Deedes led a double life, also writing (pseudonymously) for the Peterborough column of the
Daily Telegraph
. There, the following day, he described the speech as being ‘of frontbench quality’.

†
Barbara Castle (1910–2002), educated Bradford Girls’ Grammar School and St Hugh’s College, Oxford; Labour MP for Blackburn, 1945–79; Minister of Transport, 1965–8; Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity, 1968–70; for Social Services, 1974–6; created Baroness Castle of Blackburn, 1990.

*
There is probably a sexist joke (or gallant compliment) hiding in the phrase, with the words ‘rather beautiful’ governing the word ‘maiden’ rather than the word ‘speech’.

†
She was always, even when Carol was grown up, inclined to worry about her daughter’s appearance, manners and deportment.

*
In the event, this did not happen. Denis had been to Mill Hill; Mark went to Harrow.

†
At the time of writing, Carol was not married.

*
One invalid who did receive a surprise visit from Margaret was her former boyfriend Willie Cullen, now Muriel’s husband, who was in hospital in London with lung problems (‘I have finished
The Cruel Sea
, the first book I’ve read since I left school’). ‘What a surprise!’ he wrote. ‘I had your Margaret come in with a bunch of crysants – they cheer up the room … Margaret looked well, and I told her I don’t know how she gets through all the work.’ (Cullen to Muriel Cullen, 9 November 1960.)

*
Margaret’s familiar address of her father varied. In later life, she would always refer to him as ‘Father’, but when he was alive he was very occasionally ‘Pop’, quite often ‘Father’, but mostly ‘Daddy’. He was never ‘Dad’.

†
The spelling of Abbey’s abbreviated nickname was not consistent within the family.

*
John Boyd-Carpenter (1908–98), educated Stowe and Balliol College, Oxford; Conservative MP for Kingston-upon-Thames, 1945–72; Minister of Transport, 1954–5; of Pensions and National Insurance, 1955–62; Chief Secretary to the Treasury, 1962–4; created Baron Boyd-Carpenter, 1972.

*
Michael Foot (1913–2010), educated Leighton Park School, Reading and Wadham College, Oxford; Labour MP for Plymouth Devonport, 1945–55; for Ebbw Vale, 1960–83; for Blaenau Gwent, 1983–92; Secretary of State for Employment, 1974–6; Leader of the House of Commons, 1976–9; Leader of the Opposition, 1980–83.

†
Richard Crossman (1907–74), educated Winchester and New College, Oxford; MP for Coventry East, 1945–74; Minister for Housing and Local Government, 1964–6; Leader of the House of Commons, 1966–8; Secretary of State for Health and Social Security, 1968–70. A leading Labour intellectual and (later) editor of the
New Statesman
, Crossman caused great public controversy by the posthumous publication of his
Diaries of a Cabinet Minister
. The government of the day unsuccessfully opposed their publication.

*
Although conservative in moral questions, Mrs Thatcher maintained throughout her career a dislike of laying down the law about marital and sexual behaviour, and using the tax and benefit system punitively in this context. This was apparent during her time at MPNI. Opening a home for unmarried mothers and babies in her constituency, she declared that ‘It is our job to help and not to sit in judgment’ (
Finchley Press
, 24 May 1963).

†
She told the House of Commons on 31 October 1969 that Boyd-Carpenter had ‘taught me most of what I know about politics’.

*
The parliamentary private secretary is an MP who is bag-carrier for a minister. His is not a ministerial job, and is unpaid, but is often the first rung on the ministerial ladder. Bossom was the son of Margaret’s patron, Alfred.

*
This reform was the result of a campaign by Anthony Wedgwood Benn, later famous as Tony Benn, a Labour MP who was determined to avoid succeeding his father, Viscount Stansgate, in the Lords, and thus sacrificing his political career.

*
Home was tolerant even of her faults. After she became leader in 1975, he would say, ‘Undeniably, she is a bossy woman. It’s sometimes necessary to stand up for yourself.’ (Correspondence with Professor David Dilks.)

†
Iain Macleod (1913–70), educated Fettes and Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge; Conservative MP for Enfield West, 1950–70; Minister of Health, 1952–5; of Labour and National Service, 1955–9; Secretary of State for the Colonies, 1959–61; Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Leader of the House of Commons, 1961–3; Chairman of the Conservative Party, 1961–3; editor of the
Spectator
, 1963–5; Chancellor of the Exchequer, June–July 1970.

*
John Pardoe (1934–), educated Sherborne and C0rpus Christi College, Cambridge; Liberal MP for Cornwall North, 1966–79; unsuccessful candidate for Liberal leadership, 1976.

†
Bernard Donoughue (1934–), educated Northampton Grammar School, Lincoln College and Nuffield College, Oxford; senior policy adviser to Prime Minister, 1974–9; created Lord Donoughue, 1985; Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, 1997–9.

*
In later life she turned against red. ‘Red is too sharp,’ she told the present author. Hats, she added, ‘complete the picture’.

*
Mark was at Belmont, the prep school for Mill Hill, Denis’s old school. Carol was at Queenswood in Hatfield. Eventually she went to St Paul’s.

*
To the end of her days, she remembered her extravagance in paying £66 in the mid-1950s for a lacquered cabinet with mirrors. Long after her memory for the details of political events had faded, she remained minutely accurate about what she had collected, where she had bought it and what she had spent on it.

†
Mrs Thatcher’s taste in porcelain was always for what was bright and perfect. When she became secretary of state for education, the Victoria and Albert Museum (for which she was responsible) supplied her with an 1840s Spode dessert service in bright pink. She complained that the pieces looked very dirty and demanded that they be cleaned. In fact, the ‘dirt’ was black spotting from original firing difficulties which could not be removed. (Correspondence with Dame Rosalind Savill.)

*
Reginald Maudling (1917–79), educated Merchant Taylors’ and Merton College, Oxford; Conservative MP for Barnet, 1950–79; President of the Board of Trade, 1959–61; Colonial Secretary, 1961–2; Chancellor of the Exchequer, 1962–4; Home Secretary, 1970–72; Shadow Foreign Secretary, 1975–6.

*
Mrs Thatcher, who generally eschewed what she called ‘personal remarks’, put it more gently, even in private: ‘Reggie had a first-class brain but he didn’t bestir himself as much as he should have done’ (The Thatcher Papers, Churchill College, Cambridge, THCR 4/4).

†
She later felt that Ted Heath had abandoned his father’s common sense in favour of a more pompous, clubby Tory milieu.

*
Eric Heffer (1922–91), educated Longmore Senior School, Hertford; joiner; Christian Socialist; Labour MP for Liverpool Walton, 1964–91; Shadow Cabinet, 1981; left-wing candidate for Labour leadership, 1983 (came third). Mrs Thatcher attended his memorial service.

*
She was wrong there. Jay was known to have a marked interest in short skirts.

*
James Prior (1927–), educated Charterhouse and Pembroke College, Cambridge; Conservative MP for Lowestoft, 1959–83; for Waveney, 1983–7; Minister of Agriculture, 1970–72; Leader of the House of Commons, 1972–4; Shadow Employment Secretary, 1974–9; Secretary of State for Employment, 1979–81; for Northern Ireland, 1981–4; created Lord Prior, 1987.

†
Mervyn Pike was a woman.

*
Paul Johnson (1928–), editor of the
New Statesman
, 1965–70; author of innumerable works of history.

*
General de Gaulle rubbed salt in the wound by again refusing British entry to the EEC, nine days after devaluation.

*
Richard Marsh (1928–2011), educated Jennings School, Swindon, Woolwich Polytechnic and Ruskin College, Oxford; Labour MP for Greenwich, 1959–71; Minister of Power, 1966–8; of Transport, 1968–70; chairman, British Rail, 1971–6; created Lord Marsh, 1981.

*
Mrs Thatcher’s rhetoric was notable for the number of times she mentioned hopes or fears for her children, particularly her son. A poignant example from this period comes from her speech to the North Finchley and Whetstone British and Foreign Bible Society (see
Finchley Times
, 28 October 1966 (
http://www.margaretthatcher.org/document/101296
)). In it, she spoke of the extreme horror of the death or serious illness of one’s child and mentioned Aberfan. She praised the beauty of the language of the Authorized Version of the Bible (‘the most beautiful piece of language that exists’) and said that one of her favourite passages in the Bible was David’s lament for his dead son, Absalom. It is clear from the way she speaks that the passage hit home because it led her to imagine her feelings if her own son were to die.

*
Surtax was the high rate of income tax on the top earners.

*
In a later draft, Galloway also reported that Mrs Thatcher would like to meet John Kenneth Galbraith, the guru of liberal economics, who had just delivered the BBC’s Reith Lectures. This desire was not to be fulfilled.

*
Campbell notes his source for this story as ‘private information’, but since the only British Treasury official present at the lunch with Schweitzer was Douglas Wass, it seems reasonable to assume that the ‘information’ was his. Wass was permanent secretary at the Treasury when Mrs Thatcher first came into office in 1979, and was believed to have taken an equally dim view of her economic policy. When the present author interviewed him, he was less critical of her handling of Schweitzer. She had only a ‘superficial knowledge’ of the procedures of the IMF, but this was neither surprising nor discreditable. The cynical, worldly-wise Frenchman was simply ‘the antithesis of her’. (Interview with Sir Douglas Wass.)

*
The mayor, Ivan Allen Jr, was echoing Atlanta’s self-adopted mantra as the city ‘too busy to hate’.

*
Paul Channon (1935–2007), educated Eton and Christ Church, Oxford; son of Sir Henry ‘Chips’ Channon, MP and political diarist; Conservative MP for Southend West, 1959–97; Minister for the Arts, 1981–3; Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, 1986–7; for Transport, 1987–9; created Lord Kelvedon, 1997.

*
This story is told slightly differently in Lady Thatcher’s memoirs, though the variations are not important. She was often imprecise in her memories of incidents, long before she suffered a loss of memory, due to small strokes, in the late 1990s.

†
Shirley Williams (1930–), educated at eight schools in UK and USA and Somerville College, Oxford; Labour MP for Hitchin, 1964–74; for Hertford and Stevenage, February 1974–9; Secretary of State for Prices, 1974–6; for Education, 1976–9. Member of ‘Gang of Four’ which founded SDP; elected SDP MP for Crosby in by-election, 1981; lost seat, 1983; created Baroness Williams of Crosby, 1983.