Letter to Lord Gray (resignation)
| Document type: | Speeches, interviews, etc. |
|---|---|
| Venue: | No.10 Downing Street |
| Source: | Thatcher MSS (Churchill Archive Centre): THCR |
| Editorial comments: | Hamish Gray’s reply (dated 30 September) follows MT’s original letter. |
| Importance ranking: | Minor |
| Word count: | 277 |
| Themes: | Executive (appointments), Energy |
Dear Lord GrayHamish
I do want to thank you and to congratulate you on all that you have achieved during your years as a Minister since 1979. Your role in energy policy goes back to our days in opposition and for four years you served with distinction at the Department of Energy. The development of North Sea oil is a story of enterprise and success: you played a full part in that. And of course since 1983 you have contributed in great measure to the work of the Scottish Office, whilst carrying an extra burden first as a spokesman on employment and then as principal spokesman on energy.
I send you my grateful thanks and warmest good wishes for the future.
Yours ever
Margaret [end p1]
Dear Margaret,
Due to a misunderstanding between the Lords and Dover House I received your letter only when I was in London a few days ago but of course we did speak on the telephone.
Thank you for writing as you did and I do appreciate your kind words. I want to thank you most warmly for including me among your Ministers of State since you forever your first Government in 1979. It has been a great honour and a wonderful experience to serve as one of your team in the Dept of Energy and more recently in the Scottish Office. I now hope to give what support I can from the back benches in the Lords.
I am also deeply indebted to you for recommending me for a Peerage after the 1983 election and I wish you and the Government every success in the years ahead.
Yours ever,
Hanish