MARGARET THATCHER MARGARET THATCHER A PERSONAL AND POLITICAl BIOGRAPHY RUSSELL LEWIS ROUTLEDGE & KEGAN PAUL lONDON AND BOSTON First publishedin 1975 by Routledge& Kegan Paul Ltd Broadway House,68-74Carter Lane, LondonEC4V5ELand 9 ParkStreet, Boston,Mass.02108, USA Setin 11/14ptBaskervilleby Autoset, Brentwood, and printedinGreatBritainby TheCamelotPress Ltd,Southampton ©Russell Lewis 1975 No partofthis bookmay be reproduced in any form withoutpermission from the publisher,exceptfor thequotationof brief passagesin criticism ISBN 0 71008283 5 To Oliver,Martinand Daniel PREFACE AND ACKNOWLEDGMENTS xr 1 ASTAR ISBORN 1 2 GRANTHAM ANDOXFORD 9 3 FROMDARTFORDTO FINCHLEY 17 4 CLASS OF '59 25 5 OPPOSITION FRONTBENCH 38 6 SHADOWINGSHORT 52 7 STATUTORY WOMAN 67 8 MRS 9Y2 PER CENT 84 9 BREAKTHROUGHONTHEBUDGET 96 10 EXITMRHEATH 104 11 VICTORYINTHESECONDROUND 122 12 HONEYMOON PERIOD 135 13 FIRSTWOMANPRIMEMINISTER 146 INDEX 161