I recall the associated kerfulffle but I never really took much interest in this story. The protagonists are the dog strangler (aka Michael Heseltine), Leon Brittan and Margaret Thatcher. At stake was the future of Westland Helicopters. Westland, our last helicopter maker, needed to merge with another company to survive and the choices were either Sikorsky or a European consortium including BAe, Aerospatiale, MBB of the fatherland and Agusta of Italian fame. The dog strangler, Defence Secretary at the time, was in favour of the European solution (quelle surprise) and Leon Brittan, Trade and Industry Secretary, and Maggie favoured merging with America’s Sikorsky.
My own thoughts are that this was Heseltine’s first attempt to oust Margaret Thatcher with the possibility of financial inducements to encourage him. We will probably never know the full story. Maggie although technically neutral was in favour of the Sikorsky solution as well. The story really takes off with Hezza’s very public hissy fit when he stormed out of a cabinet meeting. He was always one for dramatic flourishes, who remembers him waving the mace around in the House. I vaguely remember that is when he was given the nickname Tarzan though I can think of more appropriate descriptions especially one beginning with the letter C, the name was coined by some nonentity on Labour’a backbenches whose name was Stanley Clinton-Davis.
The newspapers were full of this scandal, they were very happy to put the boot into the Tories and especially Maggie, nothing much changes does it. At the time the so called big beasts among the Tories gave off the impression that they hated being second fiddle to a woman. Add in Hezza’s obsession with all things EU and we have a very potent concoction indeed.
Eventually Leon Brittan fell on his sword and resigned leaving Margaret Thatcher to continue as Prime Minister. Brittan had authorised the leaking of a confidential law officer’s letter meant to discredit the dog strangler. The dog strangler then continued his career as an MP by taking over from Ted Heath as the great sulk.
At the time I thought it was all a storm in a teacup. My view has not changed though having looked at it again I am convinced that dog strangling mysogynist hated playing second fiddle to a woman and attempted a coup. He is a loathsome creature and the grim reaper still hasn’t called him to account.
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