The Downing Street Years (149 page)

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Authors: Margaret Thatcher

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1989
January 31
Publication of NHS White Paper.
March 27
PM began six-day visit to Africa.
April 1
PM visited Namibia.
April 5
Mr Gorbachev began a three-day visit to UK.
May 29–30
NATO fortieth anniversary summit in Brussels.
June 3
China: Tiananmen Square; massacre.
June 26
Madrid European Council.
July 14–16
French Revolution Bicentennial and Paris G7summit.
July 24
Reshuffle: John Moore, Paul Channon, Lord Youngand George Younger left the Government. Geoffrey Howe from FCO to Lord President and Leader HC. John Major succeeded him at FCO.
September 19–22
PM visited Japan.
October 18–24
Kuala Lumpur CHOGM.
October 26
Nigel Lawson resigned. John Major replaced himas Chancellor and Douglas Hurd became ForeignSecretary.
November 9
East Germany: announced opening of its border with West Germany. Demolition of Berlin Wallbegan 10 November.
December 5
PM defeated Sir Anthony Meyer in leadershipelection 314:33. Twenty-seven abstained.
December 10
Czechoslovakia: end of communist rule.
December 22
Romania: Ceauşescu overthrown.
1990
February 2
South Africa: President de Klerk announcedunbanning of ANC. Nelson Mandela released February 11.
March 31
Trafalgar Square riot.
April 24–25
PM visited Turkey on seventy-fifth anniversary of Gallipoli landings.
July 6
NATO summit in London.
July 9
Houston G7 summit.
July 14
Nick Ridley resigned.
July 30
IRA murdered Ian Gow.
August 2
Gulf: Iraq invaded Kuwait. PM held talks in Aspen, Colorado with President Bush.
September 17–19
PM visited Czechoslovakia and Hungary.
October 3
German reunification.
October 27–28
Rome European Council.
November 1
Geoffrey Howe resigned.
November 19–21
CSCE summit in Paris.
November 20
Conservative leadership first ballot: MT 204, Heseltine 152, 16 abstentions.
November 22
PM announced decision not to contest secondballot. Final speech to the Commons as PM.
November 28
MT resigned as PM.
The Cabinet and other important offices

Names marked with an asterisk denote ministers changing jobs or entering the Cabinet for the first time at the beginning of the defined period.

Names in italics denote ministers who left the Government at the end of the defined period.

Names in bold denote Cabinet members. Others in roman.

List of Offices
May 1979–January 1981
January – September 1981
PM
MRS THATCHER
MRS THATCHER
Chllr Exchequer
HOWE
HOWE
Chief Secretary
BIFFEN
*
BRITTAN
Foreign Secretary
CARRINGTON
CARRINGTON
Home Secretary
WHITELAW
WHITELAW
Leader H/Commons
STEVAS
*
PYM
Leader H/Lords
SOAMES
SOAMES
Ld Chllr
HAILSHAM
HAILSHAM
Ld President
SOAMES
SOAMES
Ld Privy Seal
GILMOUR
GILMOUR
Chllr of the Duchy
STEVAS
*
PYM
Agriculture
WALKER
WALKER
Defence
PYM
*
NOTT
Education
CARLISLE
CARLISLE
Employment
PRIOR
PRIOR
Energy
HOWELL
HOWELL
Environment
HESELTINE
HESELTINE
DHSS
JENKIN
JENKIN
Industry
JOSEPH
JOSEPH
Northern Ireland
ATKINS
ATKINS
Paymaster-General
MAUDE
*
PYM
Scotland
YOUNGER
YOUNGER
Trade
NOTT
*
BIFFEN
Transport
(non-cabinet)
*
FOWLER
Without portfolio
-
-
Wales
EDWARDS
EDWARDS
Attorney-General
HAVERS
HAVERS
SOLICITOR-GENERAL
PERCIVAL
PERCIVAL
CHMN PARTY
THORNEYCROFT
THORNEYCROFT
CHIEF WHIP
JOPLING
JOPLING
CHMN 1922 CTTEE
DU CANN
DU CANN
 
September 1981 – April 1982
April 1982 – January 1983
PM
MRS THATCHER
MRS THATCHER
Chllr Exchequer
HOWE
HOWE
Chief Secretary
BRITTAN
BRITTAN
Foreign Secretary
CARRINGTON
*
PYM
Home Secretary
WHITELAW
WHITELAW
Leader H/Commons
PYM
*
BIFFEN
Leader H/Lords
LADY YOUNG
LADY YOUNG
Ld Chllr
HAILSHAM
HAILSHAM
Ld President
*
PYM
*
BIFFEN
Ld Privy Seal
*
ATKINS
*
LADY YOUNG
Chllr of the Duchy
*
PYM
*
PARKINSON
Agriculture
WALKER
WALKER
Defence
NOTT
NOTT
Education
*
JOSEPH
JOSEPH
Employment
*
TEBBIT
TEBBIT
Energy
*
LAWSON
LAWSON
Environment
HESELTINE
HESELTINE
DHSS
*
FOWLER
FOWLER
Industry
*
JENKIN
JENKIN
Northern Ireland
*
PRIOR
PRIOR
Paymaster-General
*
PARKINSON
PARKINSON
Scotland
YOUNGER
YOUNGER
Trade
*
BIFFEN
*
COCKFIELD
Transport
HOWELL
HOWELL
Without portfolio
-
-
Wales
EDWARDS
EDWARDS
Attorney-General
HAVERS
HAVERS
Solicitor-General
PERCIVAL
PERCIVAL
Chmn Party
*
PARKINSON
PARKINSON
Ch Whip
JOPLING
JOPLING
Chmn 1922 Cttee
DU CANN
DU CANN
 
January – June 1983
June – October 1983
PM
MRS THATCHER
MRS THATCHER
Chllr Exchequer
HOWE
*
LAWSON
Chief Secretary
BRITTAN
*
REES
Foreign Secretary
PYM
*
HOWE
Home Secretary
WHITELAW
*
BRITTAN
Leader H/Commons
BIFFEN
BIFFEN
Leader H/Lords
LADY YOUNG
*
WHITELAW
Ld Chllr
HAILSHAM
HAILSHAM
Ld President
BIFFEN
*
WHITELAW
Ld Privy Seal
LADY YOUNG
*
BIFFEN
Chllr of the Duchy
PARKINSON
*
COCKFIELD
Agriculture
WALKER
*
JOPLING
Defence
*
HESELTINE
HESELTINE
Education
JOSEPH
JOSEPH
Employment
TEBBIT
TEBBIT
Energy
LAWSON
*
WALKER
Environment
HESELTINE
*
KING
DHSS
FOWLER
FOWLER
Industry/DTI
JENKIN
*
PARKINSON
Northern Ireland
PRIOR
PRIOR
Paymaster-General
PARKINSON
VACANT
Scotland
YOUNGER
YOUNGER
Trade
COCKFIELD
SEE DTI
Transport
HOWELL
*
RIDLEY
Without portfolio
-
-
Wales
EDWARDS
EDWARDS
Attorney-General
HAVERS
HAVERS
Solicitor-General
PERCIVAL
PERCIVAL
Chmn Party
PARKINSON
PARKINSON/GUMMER
ChWhip
JOPLING
WAKEHAM
Chmn 1922 Cttee
DU CANN
DU CANN

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