Speeches, etc.

Margaret Thatcher

Letters to persons leaving the Government (Carlisle, Gilmour, Goodhart, Marshall, Soames)

Document type: Speeches, interviews, etc.
Venue: No.10 Downing Street
Source: Thatcher Archive
Editorial comments: This item contains MT’s letters to (1) Mark Carlisle MP, (2) Sir Ian Gilmour MP, (3) Philip Goodhart MP, (4) Michael Marshall MP, and (5) Lord Soames. It also includes resignation letters from Mark Carlisle, Sir Ian Gilmour, Philip Goodhart, and Lord Soames.
Importance ranking: Major
Word count: 1444
Themes: Executive (appointments), Foreign policy - theory and process
(1) Mark Carlisle MP

Dear Prime Minister.

When I saw you this morning you indicated to me that you were anxious to make certain changes in the Government and asked me if I would put my office at your disposal. This I now do.

I am grateful for having had the opportunity for serving as Secretary of State for Education for the last 2½ years and for having been a member [end p1] of the Cabinet.

I can assure you that I will continue to give my loyal support to the Conservative Party in the House of Commons and throughout the Country

Yours ever

[Carlisle] [end p2]

My dear Mark CarlisleMark, Thank you very much for your generous letter of 14th September.

I do want to thank you most warmly for all that you have done for the Government and for education during your time as Secretary of State. You have the satisfaction of knowing that you piloted through the House of Commons two most important Education Bills, started the assisted places scheme and initiated the studies of the school curriculum. These are achievements of which you can be proud.

I send you my most grateful thanks and warmest good wishes for the future.

Yours ever

Margaret

(2) Sir Ian Gilmour MP

Dear Prime Minister,

You asked for my resignation. As I told you this morning, this was, in view of our disagreements, neither surprising nor unwelcome.

I am grateful to you for having asked me to be a member both of your Shadow Cabinet throughout the period of Opposition and of the Cabinet you formed in 1979. And I am proud to have been concerned under Peter Carrington with the conduct of foreign policy which has been, I think, one successful part of the Government's record.

Thank you for your kindnesses over the years. May I wish the Government success in the future?

Yours ever

Ian [end p3]

My dear Sir Ian GilmourIan,

Thank you for your letter of 14th September which was written after our talk this morning.

I would like to thank you for all that you have done as a Member of the Cabinet and at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office since May 1979; and as a Member of the Shadow Cabinet throughout the Opposition years.

You have helped to fashion British foreign policy over the past two and a quarter years. Under Peter Carrington 's leadership and with your help, Britain's influence in Europe and throughout the world has been strengthened immeasurably.

I send you my warm thanks and my best wishes.

Yours ever

Margaret

[end p4] (3) Philip Goodhart MP

Dear Prime Minister,

Thank you for your kind words. It has been a privilege to be a Member of your Government.

When you next consider reshaping your administration, I hope that you will give serious thought to restoring the practice of having one Junior Minister for each of the Armed Services. I quite understand the political problems of appointing a new Minister for the Navy immediately after Keith Speed understandably felt that he had to speak out about the proposed reduction in the size of the surface fleet, but the new Ministerial structure is untidy and does not fit the sensible Service and administrative framework which now exists. There are, I believe, better ways of diminishing inter-Service rivalry.

I am particularly sorry that I was not able to establish a proper scheme for making the superb training facilities of the Armed Forces more widely available to young people. Of course there are problems. Any form of military training is expensive. The Army would prefer to spend any extra money on real recruits, while the Department of Employment wants all the money it can get for its own projects. All that is understandable, but we are now faced with the absurd position where the Armed Services have to increase the current volume of youth unemployment by slashing recruiting quotas at a time when so many of our excellent training establishments are under-used. A number of imaginative proposals have been put forward, and I understood from John Nott that you have supported them. I hope they will not be forgotten now. [end p5] At the same time, I hope that a proper determination to stick to financial targets will not inhibit the development of sensible policies. To give just one example: the British Forces in Germany employ several thousand foreign civilians on a variety of guarding and transport tasks. Studies show that much of this work could be done more cheaply by British soldiers, but these savings aren't made because it is feared that any change involving the use of more British soldiers would push us above the upper limit set on the size of the British Army on the Rhine, and would encourage the Treasury to demand compensating cuts elsewhere. It cannot make sense to preserve German jobs while potential British recruits are turned away.

I am particularly glad that I am being succeeded by my old friend, Jerry Wiggin, who knows the Territorial Army so well. At a time when we are sensibly planning to substantially increase the strength of our Reserves, it always seemed particularly frustrating to have to impose such tight restrictions on the training time that the Territorials are allowed. Jerry Wiggin will be well placed to see that the expanded Reserve Forces get the resources they need.

During my many visits to the Armed Forces in recent months, I have found wide admiration for your courage, your determination and your evident understanding of the importance of our defences. I share that admiration.

Yours ever

Philip [end p6]

My dear Philip GoodhartPhilip,

Thank you for your kind letter. And thank you so very much for everything you have done in Northern Ireland and at the Ministry of Defence. I know you have been devoted to the work and that I have always been able to rely on you completely.

It would have been wonderful for me if I could have carried on with the same junior team but I had to make some changes solely for the purpose of giving some of our younger MP's a chance.

I hope you will play a prominent part on the back benches. We shall have need during the coming session of the kind of leadership and experience you can provide.

My warmest thanks to you and to Val GoodhartVal.

Yours ever

Margaret

[end p7] (4) Michael Marshall MP

My dear Michael MarshallMichael,

I want to thank you most warmly for the excellent work you did while a minister at the department of Industry and for your enthusiastic support of the Government's policies.

As I explained to you when we discussed these matters, in order to give someone else a chance to serve in a ministerial capacity. I have to ask a few of my ministers to relinquish their portfolios. Each time we [end p8] have a reshuffle, that is the most painful part, the more so because, like you, so many have done wonderfully well in office.

I believe it is to our country's and party's advantage that we have on the back-benches people who have served in government and who may come back to serve again. Also, it is vital to give a chance to a considerable number of our colleagues. May I thank you for your understanding and for your unswerving loyalty to our cause. I hope to receive the benefit of your experience and advice frequently in the House.

Yours ever

Margaret

[end p9] (5) Lord Soames

Dear Prime Minister,

You told me this morning that you wished to put someone else in my place, so I hasten to place my office at your disposal.

Yours sincerely,

Christopher Soames.

[end p10]

My dear Christopher SoamesChristopher,

Thank you for your letter of earlier today.

As I explained to you this morning I feel that it is time as we enter the second half of the Parliament to bring into the Cabinet some new and younger Ministers; and I am most grateful to you for being so ready to put your office at my disposal.

I should like to thank you very warmly for all that you have done not only for the present Government but also in so many previous capacities, especially in the international field. Above all, of course, we shall always be in your debt for all that you did to help bring Rhodesia to independence. Yours has been a life-time of service to the country, and I am sure that there will be further opportunities, particularly in the international area for you to continue to make a contribution.

Yours ever

Margaret