Obraz (114)

() Key MP held on bribes charge

A prominent........ has becn    bccausc he is allegcd to have..................

bribes.

7 Washington ups arms spending

The..................goYcrnmcnt have..................their defence budget.

s £3m drugs haul at Heathrow

(lustoms officers at Meathrow Airport have..................drugs..................£3 million.

9 HEADS UP IN ARMS 0VER CUTS - TEACHERS TO BE AXED

................teachers are..................because spending on schools is to be...................

Sonie teachers are going to lose..................

i Fish talks in Brussels

.................between EC..................ministers are to be..................in Brussels.

Reading

bd of an era

m k in groups and discuss these ąuestions:

W bat do you remember about the woman below?

Wliat do you know about her fali from power in November 1990?

>\v read these extracts from The Economist 's BR1TA1N THIS WEEK colurnn:

Douglas Iiurd

John Major

Michael Hescltinc Gcoffrcy Home

ut in the cold

le Tories found themselves in crisis cr their policy towards Europę. A rk that began with ominous rumbles the European Community's Romę mmit produced fireworks in the mmons on Tuesday, as Mrs Thatcher erted her opposition to economic I political union - and closed with h drama at Westminster when Sir offrey Howe resigned as deputy ne minister and leader of the nmons on Thursday. After a half r meeting between them in the y evening, Downing Street said Mrs tcher had accepted his resignation »re in sorrow than in anger”.

NOVEMBER3 1990

Torytorments

The prime minister took an unrepentant stand over Europę in her first big speech in the Commons sińce Sir Geoffrey Howe’s resignation. She also told Saddam Hussein “either he gets out of Kuwait soon or we and our allies will remove him by force . . . he has been warned”.

After criticising Mrs Thatcher’s style and stance on Europę, Michael Heseltine retreated to his old position that he would not challenge her for the leadership. Party managers brought forward the deadline for any challenger to appear by, earnestly hoping for nonę.

NOVEMBER 10 1990

The race is on

After tantalising the Tories for months, Michael 1 leseltinc finally challenged Margaret Thatcher for the Tory leadership. He had said he would not do this in any foreseeable circumstances; but no one foresaw this wcck. His platform: anti-poll tax, pro-listening to colleagues, lots of Eurovision - and better odds for Tory MPs at the next election.

Having arrived at the Lord Mayor's banquet dressed in regal gown and train, the prime minister figuratively donned cricket pads and boots for her after dinner speech. “There will be no ducking the bounccrs.. . the bowling's going to get hit all round the ground. That's my style," she said, anticipating the challenge to come.

In his resignation speech to the Commons, Sir Geoffrey Howe became the sheep that roared. MPs gasped as he laid into Mrs Thatcher’s attitude to Europę. She sees a continent “teeming with ill-intentioned people", he said -and risks leaving Britain "once again scrambling to join the club. . . after the rules have been set."

Uncertainty over the Tory party's leadership knocked the pound for six.

It fell almost to DM 2.88, leaving it looking the weakest currency in the ERM. Unemployment recorded its largest monthly inerease for four years.

NOVEMBER 17 1990

End of an era

Margaret Thatcher resigned after 11 Zi years as prime minister. In the first ballot for the Conservative leadership she got 204 votes, while her challenger Mr Michael Heseltine won only 152; but the margin was less than the 15% lead needed for victory. At first she said she would fight on. But her cabinet colleagues persuaded her to stand down. The pound and shares soared.

Mrs Thatcher told the Quecn of her intention to resign but agreed to continue as prime minister umil a new leader was chosen. Two new candidates joined the race: Mr Douglas Hurd, the foreign secretary, and Mr John Major, the chancellor. Sir Geoffrey Howe, the man who precipitated the challenge, said he would not stand.

The Labour party could hardly contain its delight at the Tories' disarray. Mr Neil Kinnock proposed a motion of no confidence in the government.

NOVEMBER 24 1990

A fresh start

Mr John Major, aged 47, was elected as the Tory leader and on November 28th was appointed Britain's new prime minister - the youngest this century. With 185 votes in the second ballot of the Tories' leadership contest, he was two short of an absolute majority. But Mr Michael Heseltine (131 votes) and Mr Douglas Hurd (56 votes) both withdrew from the race.

Mrs Margaret Thatcher answered her last ąuestion - her 7,450th - as prime * minister in the Commons. Hours later, she said she was “thrilled and delighted" at the triumph of her protege, Mr Major. After a visit to the Queen next day to hand in her resignation, she set off with Denis and the removal van from Downing Street to Dulwich.

Remembering a rash quip from Mrs Thatcher, before his election, about her futurę as a backseat driver, and derided as Son of Thatcher by Labour, Mr Major quickly asserted his authority in shuffling names for his new cabinet. Mr Heseltine was madę environment secretary, to tackle the poll tax;

Norman Lamont became chancellor; and Chris Patten took on the party chairmanship, in place of Kenneth Baker, who became Home Secretary.

DECEMBER 1 1990