A QUARTER of a century ago these were the men and woman who ran Britain. Sorry, let’s try that again. A quarter of a century ago this woman ran Britain. With the help of these men.

Margaret Thatcher picked a homogenous group: many were from old aristocratic families, most were public-school educated (six at Eton alone) and all but three were Oxbridge graduates.

They may look like rather a dry bunch but in fact many of them were dripping “wet”. She didn’t take long to change that. One by one they were weeded out until she was the only one left. The last to go — Geoffrey Howe — brought her down with him.

What also seems surprising about this picture is the absence, at the very start of the revolution, of so many of the big beasts we associate with the era; Hurd, Lawson and Tebbit had yet to arrive.

This week many of the survivors of those days will attend events to mark the 25th anniversary of her march into Downing Street. Others were surprised to hear of celebrations to which they had not been invited.

She will be there. According to one of her former Cabinet ministers “some of the spark has gone”. But she will be centre stage. For one night it will unquestionably be her party.

MICHAEL JOPLING
Chief Whip

Surprised to be called into the Cabinet, Jopling was Agriculture Secretary in the second term but sacked in the reshuffle after the 1987 election.

“I received a call on the Friday evening asking me to be in Downing Street at 10am on Saturday morning. As I was driving down from the Lake District it occured to me that it might be a practical joke so I called the Cabinet Secretary to ask if the Prime Minister was really expecting to see me. He said, rather crossly: ‘Yes, I thought I made that clear.’ The Prime Minister said she wanted my recommendations for 72 members of Government by Sunday morning. I thanked her and went off, somewhat shellshocked. By Sunday evening the whole Government was on the 10 o’clock news. Then she said, ‘Let’s have a drink’ and we had a glass of whisky. She very much hit the ground running. Excitement wasn’t the word for it. Wow. Bloody hell, yes.”

NORMAN FOWLER
Transport Secretary

Also held Social Services and Employment portfolios until he announced in 1990 that he was leaving to spend more time with his family. He returned as Party Chairman in 1992 but then quit again to spend, it was said, more time with his directorships.

“I see her from time to time in the House of Lords. She was a great Prime Minister and changed Britain for the good. My only regret is that she was a destructive ex-Prime Minister. I was John Major’s party chairman and I have to say she could not have been more unhelpful. Several of us greatly resented what happened.”

JOHN BIFFEN
Chief Secretary to the Treasury