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This is a collaborative effort with Basileus Giorgios. Enjoy. :cool:


PRIME MINISTER TO VISIT CANADA


14th September 1990


The Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, is to visit Canada today, for a summit with the Canadian Premier, Mr. Brian Mulroney. Mrs Thatcher was attacked by the Shadow Chancellor, John Smith, for “swanning around attempting to be a world statesman, as Britain sinks deeper into Conservative induced recession.”

“Brian seemed despondent on that visit: he had lost with the failure to ratify Meech in June. He was also rather condescending- he warned me about annoying the backbenchers over the Community Charge. Still, I wondered if he might be on to something: Canada was used to minority governments at the time, and he knew the mood of a backbench Tory better than others might have done.”
From “The Downing Street Years, 1979-1994” by Margaret Thatcher.



HOWE RESIGNATION SHOCK


2nd November 1990


The Deputy Prime Minister yesterday resigned after Mrs. Thatcher’s provocative speech on the issue of a federal Europe on Wednesday. Senior sources within the Conservative Party indicate that Howe’s resignation could yet trigger a dangerous revolt against the Prime Minister herself, who remains increasingly unpopular amongst the back benches, despite a series of conciliatory measures proposed at Conference last month.


U.S. midterm elections, Nov. 6

Democratic: 260 seats (-7)
Republican: 175 seats
Incumbent Speaker: Tom Foley (D-WA)

Senate

Democratic: 55 seats (no change)
Republican: 45 seats

Incumbent Majority Leader: George Mitchell (D-ME)



HESELTINE TO CHALLENGE PM


10th November 1990


The former Environment Secretary, Michael Heseltine, today announced his intention to stand against Mrs. Thatcher for the leadership of the Conservative Party, stating he believed he stood the best chance of ensuring a fourth term for the Conservatives and denying “the calamity of a Labour Government”. The Prime Minister’s office refused to comment, although it is currently believed that the scheduled visit to the Fontainebleau Summit will go ahead as planned.



TRANSCRIPT OF A BBC INTERVIEW, NOVEMBER 20th 1990


John Sergeant: Prime Minister (.) Mrs Thatcher (.) could I ask you to comment
Margaret Thatcher: Good evening (.) good evening (.) naturally very pleased I got (.) more (.) than half the parliamentary party (1) and delighted that I won by a large enough threshold to retain the leadership (1)
John Sergeant: But could this mean a (.) weakening of your leadership
Margaret Thatcher: Weakening (1) You should be so lucky (1)
Interviewers: (Chuckles)
Margaret Thatcher: Now if you’ll excuse me I’m very busy this evening (1) thank you all very much for your time


THATCHER TRIUMPHANT?


21st November 1990


The Prime Minister yesterday emerged triumphant over Michael Heseltine in the Conservative Party leadership ballot, winning 214 votes to Heseltine’s 146. There are believed to have been three abstentations, and sixteen spoilt papers. Despite Thatcher’s triumph, this second challenge to her leadership raises further questions as to whether she can survive until a general election must be called in around eighteen months time. A cabinet reshuffle is expected shortly.

Michael Heseltine reacts upon his loss to Prime Minister Thatcher at the leadership balloting, Nov. 22



Prime Minister Thatcher declares victory, Nov. 22






MULRONEY: “ROUND THREE” OF CONSTITUTIONAL TALKS IMMINENT



December 7 1990


“Prime Minister Brian Mulroney announced the resumption of Constitutional talks following the failure to ratify the Meech Lake Accord in June. A First Ministers’ conference is due to be held in Ottawa upon the resumption of Parliament in January. Quebec Premier Robert Bourassa has refused to publicly commit, saying that “all options are currently on the table for Quebec and Quebecers.” Whether or not the Prime Minister can convince Western premiers and Newfoundland’s Clyde Wells to be brought onboard is debatable.”
Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and President George Bush hold a joint press conference in Washington, D.C., Dec. 1


“I owe this to Brian, and it must be finished before I leave office.”

- Premier Robert Bourassa to Sen. Lowell Murray (PC-NB)

THE CABINET OF THE UNITED KINGDOM


CHRISTMAS 1990


Prime Minister: Margaret Thatcher MP
Deputy Prime Minister: Douglas Hurd MP
Chancellor of the Exchequer: John Major MP
Secretary of State for the Home Department: David Waddington MP
Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs: Tom King MP
Chief Secretary to the Treasury: Norman Lamont MP
Lord Chancellor: Lord Mackay of Clashfern
Lord Privy Seal: Lord Belstead
Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food: Francis Maude MP
Secretary of State for Defence: Cecil Parkinson MP
Secretary of State for Education and Science: Kenneth Clarke MP
Secretary of State for Employment: Michael Howard MP
Secretary of State for Energy: John Wakeham MP
Secretary of State for the Environment: Michael Portillo MP
Secretary of State for Health: William Waldegrave MP
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster: Norman Tebbit MP
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland: Peter Brooke MP
Secretary of State for Scotland: Malcolm Rifkind MP
Secretary of State for Social Security: John Redwood MP
Secretary of State for Trade and Industry: Peter Lilley MP
Secretary of State for Transport: John Gummer MP
Secretary of State for Wales: David Hunt MP
Leader of the House of Commons and Lord President of the Council: John MacGregor MP
Chief Whip of the Conservative Party: Tim Renton MP
Chairman of the Conservative Party: Kenneth Baker MP



QUEBEC DEFECTIONS HALT, BOUCHARD ISOLATED



January 9, 1991


“Following the recent spate of defections from the Conservatives’ Quebec wing, the wave appears to have crested. Mr. Bouchard is now only joined by five former backbench PCs and one dissident Liberal. One senior Tory MP was quoted as saying “the media has been proven wrong: one man’s egotism and obscene ambition hasn’t killed off our party. We have hopes of recapturing all these seats except M. Bouchard’s come the next election.”


“Once the Gulf War began, I urged Margaret to hold off dissolution until the war had been won. Then she could go to the country fighting a khaki election, as in 1983. We both understood that this would be her last election- and all her rivals on the Tory left, being of her generation, would also retire. Thus her choice would finish her long run at the helm- perhaps the longest since Walpole.”

- Brian Mulroney interviewed, 2002

“Look at the trends, not the daily Gallup. Daily isn’t worth a damn.”

- President George H.W. Bush, February 1991

PRESIDENTIAL APPROVAL RATINGS
APPROVE: 93%
DISAPPROVE: 6%


UK OPINION POLLING, FEB. 22-25

LABOUR: 44%
CONSERVATIVE: 42%
LIB DEM: 10%
UNDECIDED: 4%


“When I appointed Joe Clark Minister of Constitutional Affairs, that’s when everyone began to believe that Charlottetown actually had a chance of success. Having been in External for the previous seven years, Joe was perhaps the only non-partisan person in my Cabinet. Being a Westerner, he also defused criticism from the Western premiers that this was a deal only to get Robert’s signature on the Constitution, no matter the price.”

- Brian Mulroney, 2004

“Mulroney’s a constitutional pyromaniac who seems to delight in seeking discord and making the federal government a captive of the premiers.”

- Former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, Mar. 1

“If I’m a pyromaniac, Mr. Trudeau is advocating the dictatorship of the centre. Must I remind that Canada is a federal, not a unitary state?”

- Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, Mar. 2
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