| 45 May 8 Tu |
 |
Key |
[Chronology] |
VE Day |
| 45 Jul 5 Th |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
General Election: Labour Government formed (146 majority) |
| 45 Aug 6 Mo |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Hiroshima destroyed by A-bomb |
| 45 Aug 16 Th |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
VJ Day |
| 49 Jan 31 Mo |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Margaret Roberts selected Conservative candidate for Dartford |
| 50 Feb 23 Th |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
General Election: Labour Government formed (5 majority) |
| 51 Oct 25 Th |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
General Election: Conservative Government formed (13 majority) |
| 51 Dec 13 Th |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Marriage of Margaret Roberts and Denis Thatcher |
| 55 Apr 5 Tu |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Churchill resigned as Prime Minister; Eden succeeded |
| 55 May 26 Th |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
General Election: Conservative Government formed (58 majority) |
| 56 Jul 26 Th |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Nasser announced nationalisation of Suez Canal |
| 56 Oct 30 Tu |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Anglo-French ultimatum to Israel and Egypt; Soviet invasion of Hungary |
| 56 Oct 31 We |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Anglo-French forces began action against Egypt; abandoned under US pressure 7 Nov |
| 57 Jan 9 We |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Eden resigned as Prime Minister; Macmillan succeeded (10 Jan) |
| 57 Mar 25 Mo |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Treaty of Rome |
| 58 Jan 6 Mo |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Thorneycroft, Powell and Birch resigned as Treasury Ministers |
| 58 Jul 31 Th |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
MT adopted candidate for Finchley |
| 59 Oct 8 Th |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
General Election: Conservative Government formed (100 majority) |
| 61 Oct 9 Mo |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
MT appointed Parliamentary Under Secretary (Ministry of Pensions and National Insurance) |
| 62 Jul 13 Fr |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
"Night of the Long Knives": 7 of 21 Cabinet Ministers sacked |
| 63 Jan 14 Mo |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
De Gaulle vetoed British entry to EEC |
| 63 Jun 4 Tu |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Profumo resigned |
| 63 Oct 10 Th |
 |
Key |
[Chronology] |
Macmillan’s decision to resign as PM announced; Home succeeded; Macleod and Powell refused to serve (13 Oct) |
| 64 Oct 15 Th |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
General Election: Labour Government formed (4 majority); MT became a shadow spokesman on pensions |
| 65 Jul 25 Su |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Home resigned as Conservative leader; Heath elected successor (28 Jul) |
| 65 Oct 18 Mo |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
MT moved to shadow Housing and Land |
| 65 Nov 11 Th |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Rhodesia declared UDI |
| 66 Mar 31 Th |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
General Election: Labour Government formed (98 majority) |
| 66 Apr 19 Tu |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
MT moved to shadow Treasury as deputy to Iain Macleod |
| 67 Jun 5 Mo |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Middle East: Six Day War (ended 10 Jun) |
| 67 Oct 10 Tu |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
MT appointed to Shadow Cabinet, responsible for Fuel and Power |
| 68 Apr 20 Sa |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Enoch Powell's "River Tiber" speech; Powell fired from Shadow Cabinet (21 Apr) |
| 68 Aug 20 Tu |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia |
| 68 Nov 14 Th |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
MT reshuffled to shadow Transport |
| 69 Aug 14 Th |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Northern Ireland: troops deployed in Belfast |
| 69 Oct 21 Tu |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
MT appointed shadow education spokesman |
| 70 Jan 30 Fr |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Selsdon Park Shadow Cabinet (manifesto meeting); ended 1 Feb |
| 70 Jun 18 Th |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
General Election: Conservative Government formed (majority 31) |
| 70 Jun 19 Fr |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
MT given her first Cabinet post (Secretary of State for Education and Science) |
| 70 Jun 30 Tu |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Circular 10/70, withdrawing compulsion to go comprehensive |
| 72 Jan 9 Su |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Miners' strike began |
| 72 Jan 20 Th |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Unemployment passed 1m |
| 72 Jan 30 Su |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
"Bloody Sunday": British troops killed 13 in Londonderry |
| 72 Feb 10 Th |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Saltley Coke depot closed by pickets |
| 72 Feb 19 Sa |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Heath conceded miners' demands |
| 72 Mar 21 Tu |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Budget: full scale reflation |
| 72 Mar 22 We |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Industry White Paper, basis of 1972 Industry Act |
| 72 Mar 24 Fr |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Northern Ireland: Stormont suspended; direct rule began |
| 72 Jun 23 Fr |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Sterling floated: left European `snake' and unpegged from dollar |
| 72 Nov 6 Mo |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Statutory control of pay, prices, dividends and rents (Phase I) |
| 72 Dec 6 We |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
MT's White Paper published: Education: A Framework for Expansion |
| 73 Jan 1 Mo |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Britain acceded to the European Community |
| 73 Oct 6 Sa |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Arab-Israeli War (ended 24 Oct); oil price increased 70 per cent |
| 73 Oct 8 Mo |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Phase III announced: 2.25 or 7 per cent; inflation linked `threshold' payments |
| 73 Nov 12 Mo |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
NUM overtime ban began; State of Emergency following day |
| 73 Dec 9 Su |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Sunningdale Agreement |
| 73 Dec 13 Th |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Three day week announced |
| 74 Feb 7 Th |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
General Election called for 28 Feb |
| 74 Feb 10 Su |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Miners' strike began (ended 11 Mar) |
| 74 Feb 28 Th |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
General Election: no overall majority for any party |
| 74 Mar 2 Sa |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Heath offered Liberals seats in coalition; rejected by them |
| 74 May 15 We |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Northern Ireland: Loyalist strike began; executive resigned (28 May) |
| 74 Jun 22 Sa |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Keith Joseph’s Upminster speech |
| 74 Sep 5 Th |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Keith Joseph’s Preston speech |
| 74 Oct 10 Th |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
General Election: Labour majority of three |
| 74 Oct 19 Sa |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Keith Joseph’s Edgbaston speech |
| 74 Nov 21 Th |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Keith Joseph told MT he would not stand for the leadership; MT decided she would |
| 75 Feb 4 Tu |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Conservative leadership first ballot: Heath resigned |
| 75 Feb 11 Tu |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Conservative leadership second ballot: MT elected leader |
| 75 Feb 18 Tu |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Shadow Cabinet complete |
| 75 Apr 9 We |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
MT met Ronald Reagan for the first time (or possibly the second) |
| 75 Jun 5 Th |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
European Referendum: 67.2 per cent for; 32.8 per cent against (64 per cent turnout) |
| 75 Jul 1 Tu |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Labour Government proposed pay policy; White Paper (11 Jly) |
| 75 Sep 13 Sa |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
MT visited USA and Canada (returned 26 Spt) |
| 75 Nov 27 Th |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Ross McWhirter murdered by IRA - MT given 24 hour police protection |
| 76 Mar 16 Tu |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Wilson announced his resignation as Prime Minister |
| 76 Apr 5 Mo |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Callaghan elected Labour leader; became Prime Minister |
| 76 Apr 7 We |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Government lost its majority (Stonehouse resigned whip) |
| 76 Sep 28 Tu |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Sterling crisis resumed: Healey turned back from Heathrow |
| 76 Oct 4 Mo |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
The Right Approach published |
| 76 Dec 1 We |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Shadow Cabinet decided to oppose devolution on 2R; Buchanan-Smith and Rifkind resigned |
| 76 Dec 15 We |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Budget: Letter of Intent to IMF published (loan granted 3 Jan 77) |
| 77 Feb 22 Tu |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
HC: devolution guillotine defeated 312:283 |
| 77 Mar 23 We |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Lib-Lab Pact |
| 78 Jul 21 Fr |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Stage 3 White Paper: 5 per cent pay guideline |
| 78 Sep 7 Th |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Callaghan surprise broadcast: no autumn General Election |
| 79 Jan 3 We |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Lorry drivers’ strike began; "Winter of Discontent" peaking |
| 79 Jan 10 We |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Callaghan's return from Guadelope Summit: "Crisis, What Crisis?" ( Sun ) |
| 79 Mar 28 We |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
HC: Government fell |
| 79 Mar 29 Th |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
General Election announced for 3 May |
| 79 Mar 30 Fr |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Airey Neave murdered by INLA |
| 79 May 3 Th |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
General Election: Conservative victory (43 majority) |
| 79 May 4 Fr |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
MT appointed Prime Minister |
| 79 Jun 7 Th |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
European Elections |
| 79 Jun 12 Tu |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Budget |
| 79 Jul 31 Tu |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Lusaka Commonwealth Meeting began (ended 8 Aug) |
| 79 Aug 27 Mo |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
IRA murdered Mountbatten and 18 soldiers (Warrenpoint) |
| 79 Oct 23 Tu |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Exchange controls abolished |
| 79 Nov 29 Th |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Dublin European Council (ended 30 Nov); budget row |
| 79 Dec 24 Mo |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
USSR invaded Afghanistan |
| 80 Jan 2 We |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Steel strike began (ended 3 April) |
| 80 Mar 25 Tu |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Budget |
| 80 Jun 2 Mo |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Cabinet agreed European budget proposal |
| 80 Sep 22 Mo |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Iran-Iraq war began |
| 80 Nov 4 Tu |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Reagan elected US President |
| 81 Jan 5 Mo |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Reshuffle: Stevas, Maude left cabinet; Brittan joined |
| 81 Feb 10 Tu |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
NCB announced pit closures (abandoned 18 Feb) |
| 81 Mar 1 Su |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
2nd Republican hunger strike began (ended 3 Oct) |
| 81 Mar 10 Tu |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Budget |
| 81 Mar 26 Th |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
SDP formed (Alliance formed 16 June) |
| 81 Sep 14 Mo |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Reshuffle: Soames, Gilmour, Carlisle dropped; Prior moved to Northern Ireland; Tebbit joined Cabinet to replace him at Employment; Lawson joined Cabinet (Energy); Parkinson became Party Chairman |
| 81 Nov 26 Th |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Crosby by-election: Shirley Williams won Conservative seat for SDP |
| 82 Mar 9 Tu |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Budget |
| 82 Mar 31 We |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Falklands: Argentine invasion learned to be imminent |
| 82 Apr 2 Fr |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Falklands: Argentina invaded |
| 82 Apr 3 Sa |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Falklands: UN SCR 502 demanding Argentine withdrawal |
| 82 Apr 5 Mo |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Falklands: FCO Ministers resigned, Pym new Foreign Secretary; Task Force sailed |
| 82 Apr 25 Su |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Falklands: South Georgia recaptured |
| 82 Apr 30 Fr |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Falklands: US `tilt' in favour of Britain; Total Exclusion Zone put in force |
| 82 May 2 Su |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Falklands: General Belgrano sunk by HMS Conqueror |
| 82 May 4 Tu |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Falklands: HMS Sheffield hit by Argentine missile |
| 82 May 21 Fr |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Falklands: British Forces landed at San Carlos Bay |
| 82 Jun 14 Mo |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Falklands: Argentine surrender |
| 83 Jan 6 Th |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Reshuffle: Heseltine replaced Nott at Defence |
| 83 Mar 15 Tu |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Budget |
| 83 Mar 23 We |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Reagan announced Star Wars programme (SDI) |
| 83 May 9 Mo |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
General Election announced for 9 Jun |
| 83 Jun 9 Th |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
1983 General Election: Conservative majority 144 |
| 83 Jun 11 Sa |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
New Government formed |
| 83 Oct 14 Fr |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Cecil Parkinson resigned over Keays affair |
| 83 Oct 22 Sa |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Grenada: Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States requested US intervene (following coup 19 Oct) |
| 83 Oct 25 Tu |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
US invasion of Grenada |
| 84 Mar 12 Mo |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Coal strike began |
| 84 Mar 13 Tu |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Budget |
| 84 Jun 25 Mo |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Fontainebleau European Council (ended 26 Jun); budget settlement |
| 84 Oct 12 Fr |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Brighton bomb |
| 84 Nov 6 Tu |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Reagan reelected US President |
| 84 Nov 20 Tu |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Flotation of British Telecom |
| 84 Dec 16 Su |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Gorbachev visited Chequers |
| 84 Dec 19 We |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Hong Kong: MT signed Joint Agreement with China |
| 85 Mar 3 Su |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
NUM voted to end coal strike |
| 85 Mar 19 Tu |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Budget |
| 85 Sep 2 Mo |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Reshuffle: Hurd replace Brittan at Home Office; Tebbit new Party Chairman |
| 85 Nov 15 Fr |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Anglo-Irish Agreement signed at Hillsborough |
| 85 Dec 2 Mo |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Luxembourg European Council; Single European Act agreed (ended 3 Dec) |
| 86 Jan 6 Mo |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Westland: leak of Attorney-General's letter to Heseltine |
| 86 Jan 9 Th |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Westland: Heseltine resigned; Younger replaced him at Defence; Rifkind joined the Cabinet as Scottish Secretary |
| 86 Jan 24 Fr |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Westland: Brittan resigned; Channon replaced him at DTI |
| 86 Jan 27 Mo |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Westland: emergency debate, ending the crisis |
| 86 Apr 15 Tu |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
US air raids on Libya, mainly flown from British bases |
| 86 May 18 Su |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Budget |
| 86 Oct 11 Sa |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Reykjavik (Reagan-Gorbachev) Summit (ended 12 Oct) |
| 86 Nov 15 Sa |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Anglo-US Summit at Camp David: arms control statement agreed |
| 87 Feb 22 Su |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
"Louvre Accord" to halt decline in the dollar; Lawson began shadowing Deutschmark |
| 87 Mar 17 Tu |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Budget |
| 87 Mar 28 Sa |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
MT visited USSR (ended 1 Apr) |
| 87 May 11 Mo |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
General Election called for 11 June |
| 87 Jun 11 Th |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
General Election |
| 87 Jun 13 Sa |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Reshuffle: five ministers left cabinet |
| 87 Oct 19 Mo |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
"Black Monday": Dow Jones fell 23 per cent |
| 88 Feb 8 Mo |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Gorbachev announced Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan from May |
| 88 Mar 7 Mo |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Sterling `uncapped' on MT's insistence; rose above 3DM |
| 88 Mar 15 Tu |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Budget |
| 88 May 17 Tu |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Interest rates cut 0.5 per cent to 7.5 per cent (lowest 1979-90); MT formula of support for Lawson at PQs |
| 88 Jul 6 We |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Jacques Delors told European Parliament that in ten years 80 per cent of economic and social legislation would be made there rather than at national level |
| 88 Sep 8 Th |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Jacques Delors addressed TUC Conference & invited them to join "the architects of Europe" |
| 89 Jan 11 We |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
NHS White Paper published ( Working for Patients ) |
| 89 Mar 14 Tu |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Budget |
| 89 Jun 3 Sa |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
China: Tiananmen Square massacre |
| 89 Jun 20 Tu |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
MT met Howe and Lawson to discuss ERM line at Madrid Council (met again 25 Jun) |
| 89 Jun 26 Mo |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Madrid European Council (ended 27 Jun): MT set "Madrid conditions" for ERM entry; rejected Social Charter |
| 89 Sep 24 Su |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Reshuffle: Major replaced Howe at Foreign Office; Howe new Deputy PM |
| 89 Oct 26 Th |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Lawson resigned as Chancellor of the Exchequer; Major succeeded him; Hurd became Foreign Secretary; Waddington succeeded Hurd as Home Secretary; Renton became Chief Whip |
| 89 Nov 9 Th |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
East Germany announced opening of its border with West Germany; demolition of Berlin Wall began 10 Nov |
| 89 Dec 5 Tu |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
MT won Conservative leadership election; 314:33 (27 abstained) |
| 89 Dec 10 Su |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Czechoslovakia: end of Communist rule (Havel President 29 Dec) |
| 89 Dec 22 Fr |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Romania: Ceausescu overthrown (killed 25 Dec) |
| 90 Feb 10 Sa |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Kohl in Moscow: Gorbachev agreed German reunification |
| 90 Mar 11 Su |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Lithuania declared independence of USSR |
| 90 Mar 20 Tu |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Budget |
| 90 Mar 31 Sa |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Trafalgar Square riot |
| 90 Apr 1 Su |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Strangeways prison siege (ended 25 Apr); disturbances in other gaols |
| 90 Jul 14 Sa |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Ridley resigned over comments on Germany; Lilley joined Cabinet to succeed him at DTI |
| 90 Aug 2 Th |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Iraq invaded Kuwait; MT with Bush in Aspen |
| 90 Aug 9 Th |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
UK announced commitment of forces to the Gulf |
| 90 Oct 3 We |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
German reunification |
| 90 Oct 5 Fr |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Britain joined ERM; interest rates cut by one per cent to 14 per cent |
| 90 Nov 1 Th |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Howe resigned |
| 90 Nov 13 Tu |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
HC: Howe's resignation speech |
| 90 Nov 14 We |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Heseltine stood for Conservative leadership |
| 90 Nov 20 Tu |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Conservative leadership election first ballot (MT 204:152 Heseltine) |
| 90 Nov 22 Th |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
MT announced decision not to contest second ballot |
| 90 Nov 27 Tu |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Conservative leadership election second ballot; Major became leader |
| 90 Nov 28 We |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
MT resigned as Prime Minister |
| 91 Jan 16 We |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Air campaign launched against Iraq ("Desert Storm") |
| 91 Feb 24 Su |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Ground war began in Kuwait |
| 91 Feb 27 We |
|
Key |
[Chronology] |
Kuwait liberated; ceasefire |
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