The Fall of Margaret Thatcher, a who done it.

I recently published herself alone, the final volume of my authorised biography of Margaret

Thatcher.

When writing the chapter about Mrs. Thatcher's fall from office,

I realise that the story is half tragedy, half who done it. As in Agatha Christie's murder on the

Orient Express, many of those involved had a motive. What follows is an attempt to convey this.

I shall introduce the suspects and other dramatist persona as we proceed.

The narrative is based on my book and draws on quotations from those interviewed

and from the private papers and diaries which many of them kept at the time.

None of the dialogue therefore is made up.

The story is voiced by me and by Kate Ehrman who assisted me with all three volumes of the dialogue therefore is made up. The story is voiced by me and by Kate Ehrman,

who assisted me with all three volumes of the book. First, let me remind you of the main characters.

There is Mrs. Thatcher, of course, Prime Minister since 1979. Now in November 1990, she is

65 years old. After winning three consecutive general elections,

she has been 11 and a half years in office. Next comes her husband, Dennis, 11 years her senior.

Though ever loyal, he had advised her 18 months earlier on her 10th anniversary in office that she

should retire.

She had ignored him.

Sir Geoffrey Howe was her most senior cabinet minister.

Chancellor of the Exchequer from 1979 to 1983, he had been her foreign secretary from then until July 1989,

when she had demoted him to leader of the House of Commons. He felt very bitter

about this and deeply disapproved of her views on Europe. Her most prominent rival was Michael

...