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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Thatcher's 1970s files released | Thatcher's 1970s files released |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Lady Thatcher was confident she would become the UK's first female PM two years before her 1979 election victory, newly released files suggest. | |
| By 1977, the Conservative Party leader was preparing for power and had decided to take most "major decisions" herself. | By 1977, the Conservative Party leader was preparing for power and had decided to take most "major decisions" herself. |
| The papers relating to the first year of her premiership have been released by the Thatcher Foundation. | The papers relating to the first year of her premiership have been released by the Thatcher Foundation. |
| They also reveal she went on a high protein diet before the election, which included eating up to 28 eggs a week. | They also reveal she went on a high protein diet before the election, which included eating up to 28 eggs a week. |
| The programme, which promised to help Lady Thatcher shed 20lb (9kg) in two weeks, was outlined in a yellowing note found inside her 1979 black leather Economist magazine pocket diary. | The programme, which promised to help Lady Thatcher shed 20lb (9kg) in two weeks, was outlined in a yellowing note found inside her 1979 black leather Economist magazine pocket diary. |
| "It has to be pre-election," said Chris Collins, historian at the foundation. | "It has to be pre-election," said Chris Collins, historian at the foundation. |
| "I think she was looking to get in trim for the cameras." | "I think she was looking to get in trim for the cameras." |
| US rebuff | US rebuff |
| Lady Thatcher's belief she would defeat the beleaguered Labour administration can be seen in a hand-written letter from August 1977. | Lady Thatcher's belief she would defeat the beleaguered Labour administration can be seen in a hand-written letter from August 1977. |
| Ahead of a US trip to meet members of President Jimmy Carter's administration, she asked management consultants to update her on the "latest industrial and financial matters". | Ahead of a US trip to meet members of President Jimmy Carter's administration, she asked management consultants to update her on the "latest industrial and financial matters". |
| "It is most important that we get the structure and strategy right and I have already come to the conclusion that I shall have to take most of the major decisions myself," she wrote. | "It is most important that we get the structure and strategy right and I have already come to the conclusion that I shall have to take most of the major decisions myself," she wrote. |
| Morality is personal. There is no such thing as a collective conscience Margaret Thatcher note from 1979 href="/2/hi/uk_news/politics/8488635.stm">Papers reveal Mrs T's first days | |
| But despite earning the nickname the "Iron Lady", the documents show how, once in power, she rebuffed appeals from the US for the "strongest possible remonstration or action" to the Iranian hostage crisis. | But despite earning the nickname the "Iron Lady", the documents show how, once in power, she rebuffed appeals from the US for the "strongest possible remonstration or action" to the Iranian hostage crisis. |
| Among the 23,198 pages from Lady Thatcher's personal and political files is a 14 November 1979 cable from President Carter suggesting the UK might consider reducing the number of diplomatic staff in the country. | Among the 23,198 pages from Lady Thatcher's personal and political files is a 14 November 1979 cable from President Carter suggesting the UK might consider reducing the number of diplomatic staff in the country. |
| In her response a week later, Lady Thatcher said the UK had withdrawn some staff "but we have not hitherto believed it wise to make a political point of any reduction, partly because we doubt whether the Iranians would be much impressed and partly because of the risk of retaliatory action against those remaining". | In her response a week later, Lady Thatcher said the UK had withdrawn some staff "but we have not hitherto believed it wise to make a political point of any reduction, partly because we doubt whether the Iranians would be much impressed and partly because of the risk of retaliatory action against those remaining". |
| The diet was to be followed for two weeks | The diet was to be followed for two weeks |
| In one of her most controversial interviews, for Woman's Own magazine in 1987, Lady Thatcher said there was "no such thing as society". | In one of her most controversial interviews, for Woman's Own magazine in 1987, Lady Thatcher said there was "no such thing as society". |
| The sentiments are echoed in draft notes for her maiden address to the October 1979 party conference and suggest it was a long held opinion. | The sentiments are echoed in draft notes for her maiden address to the October 1979 party conference and suggest it was a long held opinion. |
| She wrote: "Morality is personal. There is no such thing as a collective conscience, collective kindness, collective gentleness, collective freedom. | She wrote: "Morality is personal. There is no such thing as a collective conscience, collective kindness, collective gentleness, collective freedom. |
| "To talk of social justice, social responsibility, a new world order, may be easy and make us feel good, but it does not absolve each of us from personal responsibility." | "To talk of social justice, social responsibility, a new world order, may be easy and make us feel good, but it does not absolve each of us from personal responsibility." |
| In the end the comments were ignored by her speechwriters. | In the end the comments were ignored by her speechwriters. |
| Last-minute reshuffle | Last-minute reshuffle |
| Many of the papers covering the May to December 1979 period are available online. | Many of the papers covering the May to December 1979 period are available online. |
| Tea towels were on the agenda five days after the election win | Tea towels were on the agenda five days after the election win |
| Notes on Lady Thatcher's first Cabinet show there was a last-minute reshuffle. | Notes on Lady Thatcher's first Cabinet show there was a last-minute reshuffle. |
| Written in pencil, the first draft has Michael Heseltine down as Energy Secretary. | Written in pencil, the first draft has Michael Heseltine down as Energy Secretary. |
| But the entry is scribbled out after an objection from the now Lord Heseltine and he is instead chosen as Environment Secretary. | But the entry is scribbled out after an objection from the now Lord Heseltine and he is instead chosen as Environment Secretary. |
| And the papers show a Downing Street aide was rebuked after proposing Lady Thatcher's image might be used on a range of merchandise, five days after she came to power. | And the papers show a Downing Street aide was rebuked after proposing Lady Thatcher's image might be used on a range of merchandise, five days after she came to power. |
| In a note, Gordon Reece said he was "inundated" with requests for postcards, tea cups and tea towels. | In a note, Gordon Reece said he was "inundated" with requests for postcards, tea cups and tea towels. |
| Lady Thatcher was resolute and wrote at the bottom of his letter: "NO permission to be given at all on any goods of any kind. Don't mind a straight photograph." | Lady Thatcher was resolute and wrote at the bottom of his letter: "NO permission to be given at all on any goods of any kind. Don't mind a straight photograph." |