Letters to persons leaving the Government (Alison, Berry, Blaker, Bruce-Gardyne, Eyre, Finsberg, Onslow, Percival, Rossi, Shelton, Sproat, Wiggin)

(1) Michael Alison MP

My dear Michael AlisonMichael,

I am writing to thank you so much for all that you have done as Minister of State throughout the period of the last Administration, first at the Northern Ireland Office and then at the Department of Employment.

To each of these appointments you brought great dedication and perception and made a very significant contribution in both offices. I want you to know how specially grateful I am.

I am delighted to think that I am going to have you working closely with me at Number Ten.

Yours ever

Margaret.

[end p1]

(2) Anthony Berry MP

Dear Anthony BerryTony,

Following our talk this morning, I am writing to thank you so much for all that you have done during your eight years in the Whips' Office, first in Opposition, then as Vice-Chamberlain, Comptroller, and finally as Treasurer of Her Majesty's Household.

Throughout these years, whether in Opposition or in Government, you have shown an enthusiastic and total commitment to the Conservative cause and made a very special contribution to the success of the last Administration.

I am grateful to you for having agreed to undertake further responsibilities at Central Office in the future.

I send you my warm thanks and best wishes for the future.

Yours ever

Margaret.

[end p2]

(3) Peter Blaker MP

Dear Peter BlakerPeter,

Following our talk this morning, I am writing to thank you for all that you have done as a Minister of State throughout the period of the last Administration, first at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and then at the Ministry of Defence.

While you were Minister for the Armed Forces, you carried a very heavy responsibility during the Falklands Campaign; and I want to thank you, particularly, for the enormous support which you gave to John Nott and to the Task Force during those dramatic three months.

That was an epic moment in our history and you have the satisfaction of knowing how well you carried our your task.

I send you my very best wishes for the future.

Yours ever

Margaret. [end p3]

Dear Prime Minister,

Thank you for your letter of 13th June.

It has been a privilege and a pleasure to serve in your Administration. As I told you, I leave it with regret, since I feel I have a lot of work to give [end p4] to the Party and to the furtherance of what we believe in.

I send you every good wish for the future and feel sure that the Administration in which I served will be only the first of several which you will lead.

Yours ever,

Peter

[end p5]

(4) Jock Bruce-Gardyne

Dear Prime Minister,

May I start by congratulating you on a truly magnificent victory. It was, I believe, a most just reward and recognition for the courage and inspired leadership which you have given our country these past four years.

It is a source of enormous sadness to me that I am not present in the new Parliament to serve under that leadership in whatever capacity. But that being the case I must obviously place my resignation as Economic Secretary to the Treasury in your hands. I would not wish to do so without thanking you for giving me the opportunity to serve in your first Administration and to make a modest contribution to the economic strategy so essential to the restoration of this country's fortunes which you and Geoffrey Howe set out for us.

May I also thank you for your innumerable personal kindnesses to me, and wish you every possible success in the great responsibilities which our fellow-countrymen have so wisely laid upon you.

Yours ever

Jock [end p6]

Dear Jock Bruce-GardyneJock,

Thank you for your letter of 10th June.

You write in characteristically generous terms.

As you know, it is a matter of great regret, personal and political, that you are not a member of the new House of Commons.

During your 21 months at the Treasury, you have helped to fashion the Government's economic policy and have made a very important contribution to the success of the last Administration.

Geoffrey Howe is, I know, especially grateful for the unfailing support which you gave him.

Your departure is a great loss to the Government and to Parliament. I know that you will have a most successful career outside politics, and I send to you and to Sally Bruce-GardyneSally my very best wishes for the future.

Warm regards,

Yours ever

Margaret.

[end p7]

(5) Reginald Eyre MP

Name omitted. Reginald Eyre

I am writing to thank you very warmly for the sterling work which you did throughout the period of the last Administration, first at the Department of Trade and latterly at the Department of Transport. Your hard work and versatility in demanding posts contributed greatly to the Administration's reputation for good Government, and thus helped to pave the way to our success at the Polls.

You set a standard which those who follow you in Government will be proud if they can achieve. I am deeply grateful to you for your selflessness and service, and I know our colleagues in Parliament and others in the country at large will also be. [end p8]

Dear Margaret,

Thank you so much for your very kind letter of yesterday.

It was a great honour to serve in your first Government and I am very grateful to you for giving me the opportunity to do so.

You know of my strong belief in the cause you serve and the leadership you provide. I assure you of my determined and positive support in the great task you have undertaken.

Yours ever

Reggie.

[end p9]

(6) Geoffrey Finsberg MP

Dear Geoffrey FinsbergGeoffrey,

When we met this morning, I explained that I was having to ask some members of the Government to retire, so that I could bring in some new Ministers.

I want to thank you, most warmly, for all that you have done as a Minister throughout the last Administration, first as Under-Secretary of State at the Department of the Environment and then at the Department of Health and Social Security.

To each of these appointments, you brought great wisdom and total dedication and I want you to know how specially grateful I am.

I am glad to know that your experience and advice will continue to be available to the Government and to me.

I send you my very best wishes for the future.

Yours ever

Margaret.

[end p10]

(7) Cranley Onslow MP

Dear Margaret,

You may recall that, when you asked me to join your administration in April last year, I told you that I had no wish to pursue a Ministerial career.

Since then, I have been very glad to serve as a member of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office team, under Francis Pym. But this would seem to be the right time for me to return to the back benches, and I hope you will understand why I want to do so.

With all good wishes,

Yours ever,

Cranley. [end p11]

My dear Cranley OnslowCranley,

Thank you for your letter of 12th June.

I am, of course, very sorry to hear that you wish to leave the Administration, although I do, indeed, remember our talk at the time of your appointment in April of last year.

I want to thank you, most warmly, for all that you have done over the past 14 months as Minister of State at the Foreign Office. During that time you have visited and have had special responsibility for the Falklands. You have made a significant contribution to the success of the work of reconstruction in the Islands.

I send you my very best wishes for the future.

[Following sentence written as a handwritten addition to the typed letter in THCR 3/4/1 f125] I am specially appreciative of the fact that you came into the administration at a very critical time in our history and as an act of public service.

Yours ever

Margaret.

[end p12]

(8) Sir Ian Percival MP

Dear Ian PercivalIan,

Following our talk this morning, I am writing to thank you so much for the marvellous work which you have done as Solicitor General throughout the period of the last Administration.

In that high office, you contributed greatly to the success of the Government and I want you to know how specially grateful I am.

I send to you and to Judy PercivalJudy my warmest good wishes for the future.

Yours ever

Margaret.

[end p13]

Dear Margaret,

Thank you for your letter and for the very nice things you said in it.

I think that you know what a joy it has been—and for Judy as well as for me—to work with you and to see you achieve all the things we knew you would.

It is quite magnificent what you have done for our nation by your own personal leadership and example. May God give you stength to complete the task in which you have made such a wonderful start.

I shall always be very proud to have been a member [end p14] of your first team and thankful for having had that opportunity and experience.

Judy and I send our very best wishes to you, and Denis, Carol and Mark.

Yours ever,

Ian

[end p15] (9) Hugh Rossi MP

My dear Hugh RossiHugh,

Following our talk this morning, I am writing to thank you, most warmly, for the marvellous service which you have given to the Government as a Minister of State throughout the period of the last Administration, first at the Northern Ireland Office, and then as Minister for Social Security.

In each appointment you have shown a total commitment to your work and I want you to know how specially grateful I am.

I send you my very best wishes for the future.

Yours ever

Margaret.

[end p16] (10) William Shelton MP

Dear William SheltonBill,

Following our talk this morning, I am writing to thank you so much for all that you have done during your time as Under-Secretary of State at the Department of Education.

Throughout that period you have made a really important contribution to the success of the Department and I know that Keith JosephKeith is particularly grateful for the help which you have always given to him.

I send you my very best wishes for the future.

Yours ever

Margaret.

[end p17] (11) Iain Sproat

My dear Iain SproatIain,

It is a matter of deep regret to me that you are no longer a member of the House of Commons.

I do want to thank you, most warmly, for all that you did during your period as Under-Secretary of State for Trade.

Your reforming zeal made a most significant contribution to the success of your Department and I want you to know how grateful I am.

I hope that we will see you back in the House of Commons before long; in the meantime, I send you my very best wishes.

Yours ever

Margaret.

[end p18] (12) Jerry Wiggin MP

Dear Jerry WigginJerry,

Following our talk this morning, I am writing to thank you so much for all that you have done as a member of the Administration throughout the last Parliament, first at the Ministry of Agriculture, and then at the Ministry of Defence.

You were Under-Secretary for the Armed Forces at the time of the Falklands Campaign and I know how grateful John Nott was to you for the unswerving support which you gave to him and to our Task Force.

It will always be a matter of pride to you to know that you served in the Ministry of Defence during that epic moment in our country's history.

I send you my very best wishes for the future.

Yours ever

Margaret. [end p19]

Dear Prime Minister,

It has been a great privilege and honour to serve in your Government over the past four years.

I am in no doubt that you have pointed the country in the right direction and there can now be great hopes for the future.

It is a major disappointment to me not to serve in your new Government but I shall look forward to supporting you in other ways.

Yours ever,

Jerry