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'Gee, isn't she marvellous': politicians share Thatcher anecdotes 'Gee, isn't she marvellous': politicians share Thatcher anecdotes
(6 months later)
• David Cameron said he remembered helping Margaret Thatcher to prepare for PMQs when he was a young Tory researcher in the 1980s. She used to shake Whitehall like a giant octopus for answers and information, he said, adding that he recalled a junior minister once rushing to a meeting. "Rome wasn't built in a day," someone told him. "Yes, but Margaret Thatcher wasn't the foreman on that job," the minister replied.• David Cameron said he remembered helping Margaret Thatcher to prepare for PMQs when he was a young Tory researcher in the 1980s. She used to shake Whitehall like a giant octopus for answers and information, he said, adding that he recalled a junior minister once rushing to a meeting. "Rome wasn't built in a day," someone told him. "Yes, but Margaret Thatcher wasn't the foreman on that job," the minister replied.
• Cameron said that in the 1940s the then Margaret Roberts went for a job interview at ICI. Afterwards the interviewer said she was "headstrong, obstinate and dangerously opinionated". Those qualities, said Cameron, were eventually put to use in the service of the country.• Cameron said that in the 1940s the then Margaret Roberts went for a job interview at ICI. Afterwards the interviewer said she was "headstrong, obstinate and dangerously opinionated". Those qualities, said Cameron, were eventually put to use in the service of the country.
• Cameron also told MPs an anecdote of when one Number 10 staffer wrote a note to the former prime minister asking her to re-sign a minute. But the hapless official had left out the hyphen, so the note read "please can you resign this minute". Thatcher replied: "Thank you dear, but I'd rather not."• Cameron also told MPs an anecdote of when one Number 10 staffer wrote a note to the former prime minister asking her to re-sign a minute. But the hapless official had left out the hyphen, so the note read "please can you resign this minute". Thatcher replied: "Thank you dear, but I'd rather not."
• Sir Malcolm Rifkind, the Conservative former foreign secretary, said people sometimes accused Thatcher of lacking a sense of humour. But he recalled her saying she did believe in consensus – a consensus behind her convictions. At the time he thought this was a joke. But as time went on, he concluded that she was deadly serious.• Sir Malcolm Rifkind, the Conservative former foreign secretary, said people sometimes accused Thatcher of lacking a sense of humour. But he recalled her saying she did believe in consensus – a consensus behind her convictions. At the time he thought this was a joke. But as time went on, he concluded that she was deadly serious.
• Rifkind said Thatcher showed that a British prime minister did not have to agree with everything a US president did to have a good relationship with him. Thatcher openly disagreed with Ronald Reagan over the Reykjavik summit. And she was strongly opposed to the invasion of Grenada. She went on the BBC World Service to say so, and a few days later she rang Reagan to berate him. In his diaries Reagan recalled putting his hand over the receiver and telling his aides: "Gee, isn't she marvellous."• Rifkind said Thatcher showed that a British prime minister did not have to agree with everything a US president did to have a good relationship with him. Thatcher openly disagreed with Ronald Reagan over the Reykjavik summit. And she was strongly opposed to the invasion of Grenada. She went on the BBC World Service to say so, and a few days later she rang Reagan to berate him. In his diaries Reagan recalled putting his hand over the receiver and telling his aides: "Gee, isn't she marvellous."
• Paddy Ashdown recalled his left-leaning wife meeting Thatcher at a Downing Street reception and leaving reflecting: "She's absolutely bloody charming". Ashdown agreed that Thatcher was charming to everyone – except those in her cabinet.• Paddy Ashdown recalled his left-leaning wife meeting Thatcher at a Downing Street reception and leaving reflecting: "She's absolutely bloody charming". Ashdown agreed that Thatcher was charming to everyone – except those in her cabinet.
• Conor Burns, a personal friend in the Tory party, said Thatcher saw gyms as a waste of time. "Up and down stairs keeps me fit," she said. He also recalled Thatcher berating him for accepting a free ride from a taxi driver who was thrilled to be dropping him off at her home in Belgravia. Burns said that when he told Thatcher that the driver said Britain had not had a "good 'un" prime minister since her departure, she replied: "Well he's quite right."• Conor Burns, a personal friend in the Tory party, said Thatcher saw gyms as a waste of time. "Up and down stairs keeps me fit," she said. He also recalled Thatcher berating him for accepting a free ride from a taxi driver who was thrilled to be dropping him off at her home in Belgravia. Burns said that when he told Thatcher that the driver said Britain had not had a "good 'un" prime minister since her departure, she replied: "Well he's quite right."
• A clearly moved Lord Tebbit said he regretted turning down Thatcher's request for him to return to government because he had to look after his wife. "I left, I fear, her at the mercy of her friends," he said. "That I do regret."• A clearly moved Lord Tebbit said he regretted turning down Thatcher's request for him to return to government because he had to look after his wife. "I left, I fear, her at the mercy of her friends," he said. "That I do regret."
• Tebbit said his life as Conservative party chairman was made much easier by "the certainty of her beliefs". "I was never asked by her to commission a focus group," he said. "Had I been so, I would have resisted manfully." But he said he did not always agree with Thatcher. "I recollect one occasion when I left her office in No 10, walked back over to Victoria Street, got into my office and asked my private secretary if there had been any calls from No 10. 'No, secretary of state,' he said. So I knew I was still the secretary of state."• Tebbit said his life as Conservative party chairman was made much easier by "the certainty of her beliefs". "I was never asked by her to commission a focus group," he said. "Had I been so, I would have resisted manfully." But he said he did not always agree with Thatcher. "I recollect one occasion when I left her office in No 10, walked back over to Victoria Street, got into my office and asked my private secretary if there had been any calls from No 10. 'No, secretary of state,' he said. So I knew I was still the secretary of state."
• The Tory peer Lord Hill recalled: "The great Ronnie Millar, who helped with her speeches for many years, told me of the occasion when he was trying to [calm] a rather nervous Margaret Thatcher with some soothing words just before she was about to speak at her first party conference as prime minister. 'Piece of cake, prime minister.'" Thatcher replied: "Not now, thank you dear."• The Tory peer Lord Hill recalled: "The great Ronnie Millar, who helped with her speeches for many years, told me of the occasion when he was trying to [calm] a rather nervous Margaret Thatcher with some soothing words just before she was about to speak at her first party conference as prime minister. 'Piece of cake, prime minister.'" Thatcher replied: "Not now, thank you dear."
• Sir Gerald Howarth, who was parliamentary private secretary to Thatcher after she stood down as prime minister, said Thatcher's personal protection officer once told him he would "catch bullets between his teeth" to protect her.• Sir Gerald Howarth, who was parliamentary private secretary to Thatcher after she stood down as prime minister, said Thatcher's personal protection officer once told him he would "catch bullets between his teeth" to protect her.
• Lord McNally recalled sitting next to Thatcher at the state opening of parliament in 2003, the year her husband died and a year after she suffered a series of minor strokes. "Suddenly she turned to me and said: 'My husband died earlier this year.' And I said: 'Yes, I know Baroness Thatcher.' She paused again and then said: 'I miss him very much.'"• Lord McNally recalled sitting next to Thatcher at the state opening of parliament in 2003, the year her husband died and a year after she suffered a series of minor strokes. "Suddenly she turned to me and said: 'My husband died earlier this year.' And I said: 'Yes, I know Baroness Thatcher.' She paused again and then said: 'I miss him very much.'"
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