Thatcher as leader
Character:
o Conviction politician = follows policies based on own beliefs.
o Dismissive of Post-War consensus.
o Middle class background- daughter of grocer.
Self-reliance/improvement central to upbringing- influenced her political beliefs.
Outsider- not traditional Tory background- suburban/from trade/a women.
Ideology:
o Based on some traditional Conservative thinking e.g. Tory intellectuals such as Powell.
o Thatcher’s own political/social instincts.
o New Right think tanks/academics.
Rejected Keynesian economics- favoured monetarism/free-market economics.
Encouraged individuals to take responsibility for own actions.
o Emphasised order in society- family central to this.
Thatcher ‘Who is society? There is no such thing as that!’/‘There are individual men + women + families.’
Supportive of police/tough on law + order issues.
Mid-1980s- accusations police become politicised especially industrial disputes.
Ministers
‘Wets’ = derisive nickname to Tories Thatcher regarded as soft about social consequences of Monetarism.
o Whitelaw- Home Secretary 1979-83/ Deputy PM 1979-88.
Stood against Thatcher in 2nd ballot 1975- 79 votes against Thatcher’s 146.
Natural consensus politics/doubted Thatcher’s judgement.
o Heseltine- Westland affair- damaged Thatcher’s image/showed not always effective manager of her cabinet.
Over whether US or European-led consortium should take over Britain’s last remaining helicopter company.
Major power struggle between Thatcher + Heseltine/highlighted deep divisions about role of government in
economic decisions.
Heseltine favoured European takeover/Thatcher favoured no government interference.
Scandal- had Thatcher authorised/knowingly permitted confidential legal advice from Attorney General to
be leaked in press to discredit Heseltine?
Heseltine stormed out of cabinet/resigned.
o Prior- employment minister.
Disagreed with Thatcher over anti-union legislation/ believed too friendly with Trade Unions.
Demoted- moved to Northern Ireland 1981/replaced by Tebbit.
Resigned 1984- quick to attack Thatcher’s early government.
‘Dries’ = nickname to Tories who were firm in their support for Monetarism.
o Howe- Chancellor of Exchequer.
Longest serving cabinet minister.
Resigned over government’s policy towards Europe/Thatcher’s downfall.
o Lawson- Chancellor of Exchequer 1983-89
Lawson boom- expansionary budgets 1977 + 1988.
Internal Labour divisions/formation of SDP
o 1979-83 Labour came close to political oblivion.
o Contest for deputy leadership 1981- Healey (more moderate) + Foot (Left-Wing)- Healey won.
o 1981 key personalities broke away to form new party = SDP.
‘Gang of 4’- Owen, Jenkins, Williams, Rodgers- ‘Limehouse declaration’ = announced formations of Council
for Social Democracy.
Leaders of new SDP/28 Labour MPs followed- felt driven out by extremists taking over Labour.
Impact on national policies:
• Williams won sensational by-election in Conservative seat Crosby Nov 1981.
• March 1982- Jenkins won Glasgow Hillhead.
Character:
o Conviction politician = follows policies based on own beliefs.
o Dismissive of Post-War consensus.
o Middle class background- daughter of grocer.
Self-reliance/improvement central to upbringing- influenced her political beliefs.
Outsider- not traditional Tory background- suburban/from trade/a women.
Ideology:
o Based on some traditional Conservative thinking e.g. Tory intellectuals such as Powell.
o Thatcher’s own political/social instincts.
o New Right think tanks/academics.
Rejected Keynesian economics- favoured monetarism/free-market economics.
Encouraged individuals to take responsibility for own actions.
o Emphasised order in society- family central to this.
Thatcher ‘Who is society? There is no such thing as that!’/‘There are individual men + women + families.’
Supportive of police/tough on law + order issues.
Mid-1980s- accusations police become politicised especially industrial disputes.
Ministers
‘Wets’ = derisive nickname to Tories Thatcher regarded as soft about social consequences of Monetarism.
o Whitelaw- Home Secretary 1979-83/ Deputy PM 1979-88.
Stood against Thatcher in 2nd ballot 1975- 79 votes against Thatcher’s 146.
Natural consensus politics/doubted Thatcher’s judgement.
o Heseltine- Westland affair- damaged Thatcher’s image/showed not always effective manager of her cabinet.
Over whether US or European-led consortium should take over Britain’s last remaining helicopter company.
Major power struggle between Thatcher + Heseltine/highlighted deep divisions about role of government in
economic decisions.
Heseltine favoured European takeover/Thatcher favoured no government interference.
Scandal- had Thatcher authorised/knowingly permitted confidential legal advice from Attorney General to
be leaked in press to discredit Heseltine?
Heseltine stormed out of cabinet/resigned.
o Prior- employment minister.
Disagreed with Thatcher over anti-union legislation/ believed too friendly with Trade Unions.
Demoted- moved to Northern Ireland 1981/replaced by Tebbit.
Resigned 1984- quick to attack Thatcher’s early government.
‘Dries’ = nickname to Tories who were firm in their support for Monetarism.
o Howe- Chancellor of Exchequer.
Longest serving cabinet minister.
Resigned over government’s policy towards Europe/Thatcher’s downfall.
o Lawson- Chancellor of Exchequer 1983-89
Lawson boom- expansionary budgets 1977 + 1988.
Internal Labour divisions/formation of SDP
o 1979-83 Labour came close to political oblivion.
o Contest for deputy leadership 1981- Healey (more moderate) + Foot (Left-Wing)- Healey won.
o 1981 key personalities broke away to form new party = SDP.
‘Gang of 4’- Owen, Jenkins, Williams, Rodgers- ‘Limehouse declaration’ = announced formations of Council
for Social Democracy.
Leaders of new SDP/28 Labour MPs followed- felt driven out by extremists taking over Labour.
Impact on national policies:
• Williams won sensational by-election in Conservative seat Crosby Nov 1981.
• March 1982- Jenkins won Glasgow Hillhead.
