Archive

MT's official files as Prime Minister, 1979-90

MT's official files as PM can be read on this site as they are released, in full and free to all - the confidential files originally stored at No.10, the core record of her premiership.

The files have been copied at the British National Archives (TNA) at Kew in London and can be downloaded precisely as they appear in the reading room.

We are doing something more to help people make sense of this mass of information. The files are subject-based, logically enough, but that system makes it difficult to reconstruct the flow of paper across the Prime Minister’s desk at any point in time, depriving us of a sense of context, of the political cross-winds, some of them overwhelming.

To combat this effect we are uploading a large selection of the most important documents from these files – thousands in total - to our powerful site database. You can search and sort by date, subject and other parameters, getting as close as anyone can now get to reconstructing the Prime Minister’s daily "Red Boxes", the rich diet of foreign and domestic policy papers submitted to her by the No.10 Private Office.

List and links to the PM’s files

Below are links to the downloadable files in numerical order. The subject terms are those used in the original filing system.

An average file has around 200 pages.

You can read here an account of how filing worked at No.10, and the system for archiving MT’s Prime Ministerial papers, both of which had their quirks.

Chancellor of the Exchequer’s Private Office files, 1979-1989

1979-89: Chancellor’s Private Office files [links to hundreds of digitised files from the Chancellorships of Sir Geoffrey Howe and Nigel Lawson]

Engagement Diaries

An alternative way through the material is to read MT’s engagement diaries, jumping day to day.

The engagement diaries link directly to relevant documents in the site database, so this is a good way to recover the perspective from the Red Box.

Showing items 651 - 700 of 3726

Per page:
File name File title Begins Ends Release date Any docs withheld? Classification Pages
PREM19/651 Argentina (Falklands: sensitive briefing) (Part 9) Begins: 1982 Jun 7 Ends: 1982 Jun 25 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Top Secret - UK Eyes B Pages: 95
PREM19/652 Argentina (Falklands: sensitive briefing) (Part 10) Begins: 1982 Jun 26 Ends: 1982 Sep 28 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Top Secret - UK Eyes A Pages: 171
PREM19/653 Argentina (Falklands: sensitive briefing) (Part 11) Begins: 1982 Oct 1 Ends: 1982 Dec 23 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Top Secret Pages: 146
PREM19/654 Argentina (Falkland Islands Review Committee (chaired by Lord Franks): general correspondence) (Part 1) Begins: 1982 Apr 15 Ends: 1982 Jul 5 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Secret Pages: 203
PREM19/655 Argentina (Falkland Islands Review Committee (chaired by Lord Franks): general correspondence) (Part 2) Begins: 1982 Jul 6 Ends: 1982 Oct 28 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Any docs withheld? 4 Classification: Top Secret Pages: 273
PREM19/656 Argentina (Falkland Islands Review Committee (Franks): documentation seen by PM, extracted from PREM19 files and copied to the Committee) (Part 1) Begins: 1979 Sep 20 Ends: 1981 Dec 21 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Secret Pages: 131
PREM19/657 Argentina (Falkland Islands Review Committee (Franks): documentation seen by PM, extracted from PREM19 files and copied to the Committee) (Part 2) Begins: 1982 Jan 7 Ends: 1982 Apr 2 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Top Secret Pages: 119
PREM19/658 Argentina (The Falkland Islands Service held in St Paul's Cathedral on 26 July 1982) Begins: 1982 Jul 2 Ends: 1992 Jul 23 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Confidential Pages: 36
PREM19/659 Argentina (Compensation for the requisition of shipping and for civilian losses during the Falklands campaign) Begins: 1982 Jun 17 Ends: 1982 Sep 30 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Confidential Pages: 49
PREM19/660 Argentina (Falklands) Begins: 1982 Apr 8 Ends: 1982 Apr 12 Date of release: Retained Sec 3.4. Reconsideration in 2022 Classification: Unknown
PREM19/661 Arts and amenities (Royal Opera House development appeal; Prime Minister’s meeting with Lord Drogheda and Sir Claus Moser) Begins: 1980 Feb 18 Ends: 1982 Aug 9 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Any docs withheld? 3 Classification: Confidential Pages: 127
PREM19/662 Broadcasting (Study of impact of television on schoolchildren) Begins: 1982 Jan 8 Ends: 1982 Dec 13 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Unclassified Pages: 100
PREM19/663 Broadcasting (BBC TV programme about handling of information by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and media during the Falklands crisis; Prime Minister’s directive that no Ministers or officials should take part) Begins: 1982 Aug 6 Ends: 1982 Aug 9 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Unclassified Pages: 4
PREM19/664 Broadcasting (Direct broadcasting by satellite; cable systems and broadcasting policy) (Part 1) Begins: 1981 Jan 16 Ends: 1982 Feb 25 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Confidential Pages: 143
PREM19/665 Broadcasting (Direct broadcasting by satellite; cable systems and broadcasting policy) (Part 2) Begins: 1982 Mar 2 Ends: 1982 Nov 24 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Secret Pages: 110
PREM19/666 Cabinet (Cabinet committee structure and membership) (Part 1) Begins: 1979 May 6 Ends: 1982 Sep 30 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Secret Pages: 144
PREM19/667 Cabinet (Attendance at Cabinet and Cabinet Committee meetings) (Part 2) Begins: 1980 Dec 3 Ends: 1982 Dec 16 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Confidential Pages: 32
PREM19/668 Cameroon (Visit to UK by President Ahmadou Ahidjo, April 1982; meeting with Prime Minister) Begins: 1980 Dec 1 Ends: 1982 May 20 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Confidential Pages: 124
PREM19/669 Canada (UK/Canadian relations: patriation of the Canadian constitution) (Part 4) Begins: 1981 Oct 26 Ends: 1982 Feb 9 Date of release: 2013 Jul 25 Classification: Confidential Pages: 285
PREM19/670 China (Prime Minister's visit to China, Hong Kong & Japan, September 1982: briefing) (Part 1) Begins: 1982 May 6 Ends: 1982 Sep 13 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Confidential Pages: 257
PREM19/671 Civil service (Dispersal programme) (Part 2) Begins: 1979 Oct 19 Ends: 1982 Jun 4 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Confidential Pages: 244
PREM19/672 Civil service (Pay and pensions) (Part 8) Begins: 1981 Nov 9 Ends: 1982 Jan 13 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Secret Pages: 306
PREM19/673 Civil service (Pay and pensions) (Part 9) Begins: 1982 Jan 4 Ends: 1982 Feb 8 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Secret Pages: 271
PREM19/674 Civil service (Pay and pensions) (Part 10) Begins: 1982 Feb 8 Ends: 1982 Feb 26 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Secret Pages: 274
PREM19/675 Civil service (Pay and pensions) (Part 11) Begins: 1982 Mar 1 Ends: 1982 Jul 7 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Secret Pages: 172
PREM19/676 Civil service (Pay and pensions) (Part 12) Begins: 1982 Jul 8 Ends: 1982 Nov 18 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Secret Pages: 93
PREM19/677 Civil service (Lecture by Sir Douglas Wass on 'The Public Service in Modern Society': draft sent to MT) Begins: 1982 Nov 26 Ends: 1982 Nov 29 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Unclassified Pages: 10
PREM19/678 Civil service (BBC Radio 4 series on the Civil Service; participation by Ministers and senior officials) Begins: 1981 Feb 9 Ends: 1982 Jul 5 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Confidential Pages: 32
PREM19/679 Civil service (Long term management and manpower policy) (Part 9) Begins: 1981 Sep 28 Ends: 1982 May 10 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Confidential Pages: 226
PREM19/680 Civil service (Long term management and manpower policy) (Part 10) Begins: 1982 May 12 Ends: 1982 Jul 30 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Confidential Pages: 314
PREM19/681 Civil service (Long term management and manpower policy) (Part 11) Begins: 1982 Aug 2 Ends: 1982 Nov 30 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Confidential Pages: 181
PREM19/682 Commonwealth (Heads of Government meeting in Melbourne, September-October 1981: records of meetings; Melbourne Declaration; communique) (Part 4) Begins: 1981 Sep 15 Ends: 1982 Jun 25 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Any docs withheld? 1 Classification: Secret Pages: 247
PREM19/683 Defence (Purchase by Ministry of Defence of aircraft for conversion to aerial tanker and freighter roles) Begins: 1982 Dec 2 Ends: 1982 Dec 14 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Secret Pages: 27
PREM19/684 Defence (Special project) Begins: 1980 May 9 Ends: 1982 Nov 29 Date of release: Retained Classification: Retained Sec 3.4
PREM19/685 Defence (Supply of highly enriched uranium (HEU)) (Part 1) Begins: 1979 Jul 3 Ends: 1982 Jun 16 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Top Secret Pages: 137
PREM19/686 Defence (Intelligence gathering operations) (Part 1) Begins: 1979 May 8 Ends: 1982 Oct 6 Date of release: Retained Classification: Retained Sec 3.4
PREM19/687 Defence (Defence budget) (Part 7) Begins: 1981 Jul 2 Ends: 1982 Feb 12 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Secret Pages: 219
PREM19/688 Defence (Defence budget) (Part 8) Begins: 1982 Mar 1 Ends: 1982 Jun 30 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Secret Pages: 123
PREM19/689 Defence (Review of home defence) (Part 1) Begins: 1980 Mar 6 Ends: 1982 Mar 3 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Secret Pages: 99
PREM19/690 Defence (Defence sales; sale of HMS Invincible to Royal Australian Navy) (Part 2) Begins: 1981 Dec 15 Ends: 1982 Nov 4 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Secret Pages: 276
PREM19/691 Defence (Replacement of Royal Air Force (RAF) communications aircraft; aircraft for Queen's Flight) (Part 1) Begins: 1979 Nov 16 Ends: 1982 Nov 24 Date of release: 2013 Nov 20 Any docs withheld? 10 Classification: Secret Pages: 254
PREM19/692 Defence (Armed forces' pay; service medical and dental officers' pay) (Part 1) Begins: 1979 May 8 Ends: 1982 Feb 25 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Secret Pages: 244
PREM19/693 Defence (Arms control) (Part 3) Begins: 1979 Sep 3 Ends: 1982 Dec 24 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Top Secret Pages: 258
PREM19/694 Defence (UK Strategic Nuclear Deterrent) (Part 4) Begins: 1981 Nov 17 Ends: 1982 Feb 26 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Top Secret Pages: 154
PREM19/695 Defence (UK Strategic Nuclear Deterrent) (Part 5) Begins: 1982 Mar 1 Ends: 1982 Sep 9 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Top Secret Pages: 126
PREM19/696 Economic policy (Domestic monetary policy) (Part 9) Begins: 1981 Sep 4 Ends: 1982 Feb 1 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Secret Pages: 279
PREM19/697 Economic policy (International banking system) (Part 1) Begins: 1982 Aug 2 Ends: 1982 Nov 30 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Secret Pages: 221
PREM19/698 Economic policy (International Meeting for Co-operation and Development (North/South Summit), Cancun, Mexico, October 1981; Brandt Commission) (Part 3) Begins: 1981 Sep 24 Ends: 1981 Oct 20 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Confidential Pages: 128
PREM19/699 Economic policy (International meeting for Co-operation and Development (North/South Summit), Cancun, Mexico, October 1981; Brandt Commission) (Part 4) Begins: 1981 Oct 21 Ends: 1982 Jul 9 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Confidential Pages: 198
PREM19/700 Economic policy (Budget) (Part 6) Begins: 1981 Sep 4 Ends: 1982 Jan 28 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Secret Pages: 108
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