Third Thatcher ministry

This article is about the people in Margaret Thatcher's third government. For the events of Margaret Thatcher's third term as Prime Minister, see Premiership of Margaret Thatcher § Third term (June 1987 – November 1990).

Main article: List of ministers under Margaret Thatcher

Third Thatcher ministry
Cabinet of the United Kingdom
1987–1990
Thatcher in 1990
Date formed	12 June 1987 (1987-06-12)
Date dissolved	28 November 1990 (1990-11-28)
People and organisations
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Prime Minister	Margaret Thatcher
Prime Minister's history	Premiership of Margaret Thatcher
Deputy Prime Minister	Geoffrey Howe (1989–1990)
Total no. of members	245 appointments
Member party	Conservative Party
Status in legislature	Majority
Opposition cabinet	Kinnock shadow cabinet
Opposition party	Labour Party
Opposition leader	Neil Kinnock
History
Outgoing formation	1990 Conservative leadership election
Election	1987 general election
Legislature terms	50th UK Parliament
Budgets	1988 budget 1989 budget 1990 budget
Predecessor	Second Thatcher ministry
Successor	First Major ministry

Margaret Thatcher was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 4 May 1979 to 28 November 1990, during which time she led a Conservative majority government. She was the first woman to hold that office. During her premiership, Thatcher moved to liberalise the British economy through deregulation, privatisation, and the promotion of entrepreneurialism.

This article details the third Thatcher ministry which she led at the invitation of Queen Elizabeth II from 1987 to 1990.

Election

Main article: 1987 United Kingdom general election

The Conservatives were elected for a third successive term in June 1987, with a majority of 102 seats. It enabled Margaret Thatcher to become the longest-serving prime minister of the 20th century, as Britain's economic recovery continued.

Section 28

Main article: Section 28

In October 1987, Thatcher during her speech at Conservative Party Conference said, "Children who need to be taught to respect traditional moral values are being taught that they have an inalienable right to be gay. All of those children are being cheated of a sound start in life."

In May 1988, Margaret Thatcher's Conservative government introduced Section 28. The law stopped councils and schools "promoting the teaching of the acceptability of homosexuality as a pretended family relationship." The law also effectively encouraged overt discrimination against LGBT people in the UK.

Fate

Further information: 1990 Conservative Party leadership election

Then, on 1 November 1990, came the first of a series of events which would spell the end of Margaret Thatcher's years in power. Geoffrey Howe, the Deputy Prime Minister, long resentful of being ousted as Foreign Secretary, resigned from the cabinet over its European policy. Soon afterward, in his resignation speech in the House of Commons, he publicly denounced Thatcher, having once been one of her closest allies, personally and for her hostility towards the programmes of the European Economic Community. On 14 November, former cabinet minister Michael Heseltine challenged Thatcher's leadership. Thatcher polled higher than him in the first round of the leadership contest, but failed to gain an outright victory in the first round of voting.

Within minutes of the result being announced, Thatcher informed reporters that she intended to let her name go forward for the second ballot. However, on 22 November, before a second round of the contest could take place, Thatcher announced her resignation as prime minister and Leader of the Conservative Party after more than 11 years, explaining that she was resigning to make way for a leader more likely to win the next general election.

Her successor was the Chancellor of the Exchequer, John Major, who was elected on 27 November 1990, and who at 47 became the youngest Conservative Prime Minister of the 20th century.

Cabinets

June 1987 to July 1989

Office	Name
Prime Minister First Lord of the Treasury Minister for the Civil Service	Margaret Thatcher
Deputy Prime Minister Leader of the House of Lords Lord President of the Council	William Whitelaw
Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain	Michael Havers, Baron Havers
Leader of the House of Commons Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal	John Wakeham
Chancellor of the Exchequer	Nigel Lawson
Chief Secretary to the Treasury	John Major
Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs	Geoffrey Howe
Secretary of State for the Home Department	Douglas Hurd
Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food	John MacGregor
Secretary of State for Defence	George Younger
Secretary of State for Education and Science	Kenneth Baker
Secretary of State for Employment	Norman Fowler
Secretary of State for Energy	Cecil Parkinson
Secretary of State for the Environment	Nicholas Ridley
Secretary of State for Health	John Moore
Secretary of State for Trade and Industry President of the Board of Trade	David Young, Baron Young of Graffham
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster	Kenneth Clarke
Secretary of State for Transport	Paul Channon
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland	Tom King
Secretary of State for Scotland	Malcolm Rifkind
Secretary of State for Wales	Peter Walker
Chief Whip of the House of Commons Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury	David Waddington
Attorney General for England and Wales	Patrick Mayhew

Changes

• October 1987 – Lord Mackay of Clashfern succeeds Lord Havers as Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain
• January 1988 – Viscount Whitelaw retires and is succeeded by John Wakeham as Lord President of the Council. Lord Belstead succeeds Wakeham as Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal. Lord Belstead succeeds Viscount Whitelaw as Leader of the House of Lords
• July 1988 – Department of Health and Social Security broken up into component parts:
  • John Moore continues on as Secretary of State for Social Security
  • Kenneth Clarke becomes Secretary of State for Health
• Tony Newton succeeds Clarke as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster

July 1989 to November 1990

Office	Name
Prime Minister First Lord of the Treasury Minister for the Civil Service	Margaret Thatcher
Deputy Prime Minister Leader of the House of Commons Lord President of the Council	Geoffrey Howe
Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain	James Mackay, Baron Mackay of Clashfern
Leader of the House of Lords Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal	John Ganzoni, 2nd Baron Belstead
Chancellor of the Exchequer	Nigel Lawson
Chief Secretary to the Treasury	Norman Lamont
Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs	John Major
Secretary of State for the Home Department	Douglas Hurd
Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food	John Gummer
Secretary of State for Defence	Tom King
Secretary of State for Education and Science	John MacGregor
Secretary of State for Employment	Norman Fowler
Secretary of State for Energy	John Wakeham
Secretary of State for the Environment	Chris Patten
Secretary of State for Health	Kenneth Clarke
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster	Kenneth Baker
Secretary of State for Social Security	Tony Newton
Secretary of State for Trade and Industry President of the Board of Trade	Nicholas Ridley
Secretary of State for Transport	Cecil Parkinson
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland	Peter Brooke
Secretary of State for Scotland	Malcolm Rifkind
Secretary of State for Wales	Peter Walker

Changes

• October 1989 –
  • John Major succeeds Nigel Lawson as Chancellor of the Exchequer
  • Douglas Hurd succeeds John Major as Foreign Secretary
  • David Waddington succeeds Douglas Hurd as Home Secretary
  • Tim Renton succeeds David Waddington as Chief Whip
• January 1990 – Norman Fowler resigns as Secretary of State for Employment and is succeeded by Michael Howard
• May 1990 – Peter Walker resigns as Secretary of State for Wales, having announced his intention in March. David Hunt succeeds him
• July 1990 – Nicholas Ridley resigns as Secretary of State for Trade and Industry. Peter Lilley succeeds him
• November 1990 – At the start of the month, Geoffrey Howe resigns and the title of Deputy Prime Minister is not reallocated. John MacGregor succeeds him as Lord President of the Council and is in turn succeeded by Kenneth Clarke as Secretary of State for Education and Science, who is succeeded by William Waldegrave as Secretary of State for Health

List of ministers

Members of the Cabinet are in bold face

Office	Name	Dates	Notes
Prime Minister First Lord of the Treasury Minister for the Civil Service	Margaret Thatcher	June 1987 – 28 November 1990
Deputy Prime Minister	William Whitelaw	June 1987 – January 1988	also Leader of the House of Lords and Lord President of the Council
Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain	Michael Havers	13 June 1987
James Mackay	26 October 1987
Leader of the House of Commons	John Wakeham	13 June 1987	also Lord Privy Seal from June 1987 – January 1988, Lord President of the Council from January 1988 – July 1989
Geoffrey Howe	24 July 1989	also Lord President of the Council
John MacGregor	2 November 1990	also Lord President of the Council
Leader of the House of Lords	William Whitelaw	June 1987	also Lord President of the Council
John Ganzoni	January 1988	also Lord Privy Seal
Lord President of the Council	Willie Whitelaw	June 1987	also Deputy Leader of the Conservative Party and Leader of the House of Lords
John Wakeham	10 January 1988	also Leader of the House of Commons
Geoffrey Howe	24 July 1989	also Deputy Prime Minister and Leader of the House of Commons
John MacGregor	2 November 1990	also Leader of the House of Commons
Minister of State for the Privy Council Office	Richard Luce	June 1987 – 24 July 1990
David Mellor	24 July 1990 – 28 November 1990
Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal	John Wakeham	13 June 1987	also Leader of the House of Commons
John Ganzoni	10 January 1988	also Leader of the House of Lords
Chancellor of the Exchequer	Nigel Lawson	June 1987
John Major	26 October 1989
Chief Secretary to the Treasury	John Major	13 June 1987
Norman Lamont	24 July 1989
Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury	David Waddington	13 June 1987
Tim Renton	28 October 1989
Financial Secretary to the Treasury	Norman Lamont	June 1987
Peter Lilley	24 July 1989
Francis Maude	23 July 1990
Economic Secretary to the Treasury	Peter Lilley	June 1987
Richard Ryder	25 July 1989
John Maples	23 July 1990
Lords Commissioners of the Treasury	Michael Neubert	June 1987 – 26 July 1988
Peter Lloyd	June 1987 – 24 July 1988
Mark Lennox-Boyd	June 1987 – 25 July 1988
Tony Durant	June 1987 – 19 December 1988
David Lightbown	26 July 1987 – 24 July 1990
Alan Howarth	27 July 1988 – 24 July 1989
David Maclean	27 July 1988 – 24 July 1989
Kenneth Carlisle	27 July 1988 – 22 July 1990
Stephen Dorrell	20 December 1988 – 3 May 1990
David Heathcoat-Amory	26 July 1989 – 28 October 1989
John Taylor	26 July 1989 – 29 November 1990
Tom Sackville	30 October 1989 – November 1990
Michael Fallon	10 May 1990 – 22 July 1990
Sydney Chapman	25 July 1990 – November 1990
Greg Knight	25 July 1990 – November 1990
Irvine Patnick	25 July 1990 – November 1990
Assistant Whips	Richard Ryder	June 1987 – July 1988
Kenneth Carlisle	June 1987 – July 1988
Stephen Dorrell	June 1987 – December 1988
Alan Howarth	June 1987 – July 1988
David Maclean	June 1987 – July 1988
Tom Sackville	July 1988 – October 1989
John Taylor	July 1988 – July 1989
Michael Fallon	July 1988 – May 1990
David Heathcoat-Amory	July 1988 – July 1989
Sydney Chapman	December 1988 – July 1990
Greg Knight	July 1989 – July 1990
Irvine Patnick	July 1989 – July 1990
Nicholas Baker	November 1989 -November 1990
Timothy Wood	May 1990 – November 1990
Timothy Kirkhope	July 1990 – November 1990
Tim Boswell	July 1990 – November 1990
Neil Hamilton	July 1990 – November 1990
Foreign Secretary	Geoffrey Howe	June 1987
John Major	14 June 1989
Douglas Hurd	26 October 1989
Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs	Lynda Chalker	June 1987 – November 1990	also Minister of Overseas Development from 24 July 1989
Chris Patten	June 1987 – 24 July 1989	also Minister of Overseas Development
David Mellor	13 June 1987 – 26 July 1988
Simon Arthur	13 June 1987 – 24 July 1989
William Waldegrave	26 July 1988 – 2 November 1990
Francis Maude	24 July 1989 – 14 July 1990
Ivon Moore-Brabazon	24 July 1989 – 24 July 1990
Malcolm Sinclair	14 July 1990 – November 1990
Tristan Garel-Jones	14 July 1990 – November 1990
Douglas Hogg	2 November 1990 – November 1990
Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs	Timothy Eggar	June 1987
Tim Sainsbury	24 July 1989
Mark Lennox-Boyd	24 July 1990
Minister for Overseas Development	Chris Patten	June 1987	also Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
Lynda Chalker	24 July 1989	also Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
Home Secretary	Douglas Hurd	June 1987
David Waddington	26 October 1989
Minister of State for Home Affairs	Malcolm Sinclair	June 1987 – 10 January 1988
Tim Renton	15 June 1987 – October 1989
John Patten	13 June 1987 – November 1990
Robert Shirley	10 January 1988 – November 1990
David Mellor	27 October 1989 – 22 July 1990
Angela Rumbold	23 July 1990 – November 1990
Under-Secretary of State for Home Affairs	Douglas Hogg	June 1987 – 26 July 1989
Peter Lloyd	25 July 1989 – November 1990
Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food	John MacGregor	13 June 1987
John Gummer	24 July 1989
Minister of State for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food	John Gummer	June 1987 – 26 July 1988
Baroness Trumpington	28 September 1989 – November 1990
Under-Secretary of State for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food	Donald Thompson	June 1987 – 25 July 1989
Baroness Trumpington	13 June 1987 – 28 September 1989
Richard Ryder	25 July 1988 – 14 July 1989
David Curry	26 July 1989 – November 1990
David Maclean	26 July 1989 – November 1990
Minister for the Arts	Richard Luce	June 1987
David Mellor	26 July 1990
Secretary of State for Defence	George Younger	June 1987
Tom King	24 July 1989
Minister of State for the Armed Forces	Ian Stewart	13 June 1987
Archie Hamilton	25 July 1988
Minister of State for Defence Procurement	David Trefgarne	June 1987
Alan Clark	24 July 1989
Under-Secretary of State for the Armed Forces	Roger Freeman	June 1987 – 15 December 1988
Michael Neubert	19 December 1988 – 23 July 1990
Under-Secretary of State for Defence Procurement	Tim Sainsbury	13 June 1987 – 25 July 1989
Arthur Gore	25 July 1989 – 26 July 1990
Kenneth Carlisle	26 July 1990 – 28 November 1990
Secretary of State for Education	Kenneth Baker	June 1987
John MacGregor	24 July 1989
Kenneth Clarke	2 November 1990
Minister of State, Education and Science	Angela Rumbold	June 1987 – 24 July 1990
Tim Eggar	24 July 1990
Under-Secretary of State, Education and Science	Bob Dunn	June 1987 – 26 July 1988
Gloria Hooper	13 June 1987 – 26 July 1988
Robert Jackson	13 June 1987 – 24 July 1990
John Butcher	26 July 1988 – 24 July 1989
Alan Howarth	24 July 1989 – November 1990
Michael Fallon	24 July 1990 – November 1990
Secretary of State for Employment	Norman Fowler	13 June 1987
Michael Howard	3 January 1990
Minister of State, Employment	John Cope	13 June 1987 – 25 July 1989
Timothy Eggar	25 July 1989 – 23 July 1990
Under-Secretary of State, Employment	John Lee	June 1987 – 26 July 1989
Patrick Nicholls	13 June 1987 – 24 July 1990
Thomas Galbraith	26 July 1989 – 24 July 1990
Robert Jackson	24 July 1990 – November 1990
Eric Forth	24 July 1990 – November 1990
Nicholas Lowther	24 July 1990 – November 1990
Secretary of State for Energy	Cecil Parkinson	13 June 1987
John Wakeham	24 July 1989
Minister of State, Energy	Peter Morrison	13 June 1987 – 26 July 1990
Under-Secretary of State, Energy	Michael Spicer	13 June 1987 – 3 January 1990
Gloria Hooper	26 July 1988 – 28 July 1989
Tony Baldry	3 January 1990 – 28 November 1990
Colin Moynihan	24 July 1990 – November 1990
Secretary of State for the Environment	Nicholas Ridley	June 1987
Chris Patten	24 July 1989
Minister of State for Local Government	Michael Howard	13 June 1987
John Gummer	25 July 1988
David Hunt	25 July 1989
Michael Portillo	4 May 1990
Minister of State for Housing	William Waldegrave	13 June 1987
Malcolm Sinclair	25 July 1988
Michael Howard	25 July 1989
Michael Spicer	3 January 1990
Minister of State, Environment	John Ganzoni	13 June 1987 – 10 January 1988
Malcolm Sinclair	10 January 1988 – 25 July 1988
Michael Howard	25 July 1988 – 24 July 1989
David Trippier	24 July 1989 – 28 November 1990
Under-Secretary of State for Sport	Colin Moynihan	22 June 1987 – 26 July 1990
Robert Atkins	26 July 1990 – 28 November 1990
Under-Secretary of State, Environment	Christopher Chope	June 1987 – 22 July 1990
Marion Roe	13 June 1987 – 26 July 1988
David Trippier	13 June 1987 – 23 July 1989
Virginia Bottomley	25 July 1988 – 28 October 1989
Alexander Fermor-Hesketh	31 January 1989 – 2 November 1990
David Heathcoat-Amory	28 October 1989 – 28 November 1990
Patrick Nicholls	26 July 1990 – 12 October 1990
Thomas Galbraith	26 July 1990 – 7 September 1990
Emily Blatch	7 September 1990 – November 1990
Robert Key	12 October 1990 – November 1990
Secretary of State for Social Services	John Moore	13 June 1987	Reorganised into Office of Health and Office of Social Security 25 July 1988
Secretary of State for Health	Kenneth Clarke	25 July 1988
William Waldegrave	2 November 1990
Minister of State, Health	Tony Newton	June 1987
David Mellor	25 July 1988	under separate Office of Health
Anthony Trafford	29 July 1989 – September 1989
Virginia Bottomley	28 October 1989
Under-Secretary of State, Health and Social Security	Edwina Currie	June 1987 – 25 July 1988
Michael Portillo	13 June 1987 – 25 July 1988
Roger Bootle-Wilbraham	13 June 1987 – 25 July 1988
Under-Secretary of State, Health	Edwina Currie	25 July 1988 – 16 December 1988
Roger Freeman	16 December 1988 – 4 May 1990
Gloria Hooper	29 September 1989 – November 1990
Stephen Dorrell	4 May 1990 – November 1990
Secretary of State for Social Security	John Moore	25 July 1988
Tony Newton	23 July 1989
Minister of State, Social Security	Nicholas Scott	13 June 1987	under separate Office of Social Security 25 July 1988
Under-Secretary of State, Social Security	Roger Bootle-Wilbraham	25 July 1988 – 26 July 1989
Peter Lloyd	25 July 1988 – 28 July 1989
Oliver Eden	25 July 1989 – November 1990
Gillian Shephard	25 July 1989 – 28 November 1990
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster	Kenneth Clarke	13 June 1987
Tony Newton	25 July 1988
Kenneth Baker	24 July 1989	also Chairman of the Conservative Party
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland	Tom King	June 1987
Peter Brooke	24 July 1989
Minister of State, Northern Ireland	John Stanley	13 June 1987 – 25 July 1988
Ian Stewart	25 July 1988 – 25 July 1989
John Cope	25 July 1989 – 28 November 1990
Under-Secretary of State, Northern Ireland	Charles Lyell	June 1987 – 25 July 1989
Richard Needham	June 1987 – April 1992
Peter Viggers	June 1987 – 26 July 1989
Brian Mawhinney	June 1987 – 28 November 1990
Peter Bottomley	4 July 1989 – 28 July 1990
Roger Bootle-Wilbraham	24 July 1989 – 28 November 1990
Paymaster General	Peter Brooke	13 June 1987	also Chairman of the Conservative Party
Malcolm Sinclair	24 July 1989
Richard Ryder	14 July 1990
Secretary of State for Scotland	Malcolm Rifkind	June 1987
Minister of State for Scotland	Ian Lang	13 June 1987 – 28 November 1990
Charles Sanderson	13 June 1987 – 7 September 1990
Michael Forsyth	7 September 1990 – November 1990
Under-Secretary of State for Scotland	Lord James Douglas-Hamilton	13 June 1987 – 6 July 1995
Michael Forsyth	13 June 1987 – 7 September 1990
Thomas Galbraith	7 September 1990 – November 1990
Minister for Trade	Alan Clark	June 1987
David Trefgarne	25 July 1989
Tim Sainsbury	23 July 1990
Secretary of State for Trade and Industry	David Young	13 June 1987
Nicholas Ridley	24 July 1989
Peter Lilley	14 July 1990
Minister for Industry	Douglas Hogg	24 July 1989
Alexander Fermor-Hesketh	2 November 1990
Minister for Corporate Affairs	John Redwood	2 November 1990
Under-Secretary of State for Trade and Industry	John Butcher	June 1987 – 26 July 1988
Robert Atkins	13 June 1987 – 26 July 1989
Francis Maude	13 June 1987 – 26 July 1989
Eric Forth	26 July 1988 – 24 July 1990
John Redwood	26 July 1989 – 2 November 1990
Edward Leigh	2 November 1990 – November 1990
Secretary of State for Transport	Paul Channon	13 June 1987
Cecil Parkinson	24 July 1989
Minister of State, Transport	David Mitchell	June 1987 – 25 July 1988
Michael Portillo	25 July 1988 – 4 May 1990
Roger Freeman	4 May 1990 – 28 November 1990
Ivon Moore-Brabazon	23 July 1990 – November 1990
Under-Secretary of State for Transport	Peter Bottomley	June 1987 – 24 July 1989
Ivon Moore-Brabazon	June 1987 – 23 July 1989
Robert Atkins	25 July 1989 – 22 July 1990
Patrick McLoughlin	25 July 1989 – November 1990
Christopher Chope	23 July 1990 – November 1990
Secretary of State for Wales	Peter Walker	13 June 1987
David Hunt	4 May 1990
Minister of State for Wales	Wyn Roberts	15 June 1987
Under-Secretary of State for Wales	Ian Grist	15 June 1987 – 28 November 1990
Attorney General	Patrick Mayhew	11 June 1987
Solicitor General	Nicholas Lyell	13 June 1987
Lord Advocate	Kenneth Cameron	June 1987
Peter Fraser	4 January 1989
Solicitor General for Scotland	Peter Fraser	June 1987
Alan Rodger	14 January 1989	Not an MP
Treasurer of the Household	David Hunt	15 June 1987
Tristan Garel-Jones	25 July 1989
Alastair Goodlad	22 July 1990
Comptroller of the Household	Robert Boscawen	June 1987
Tristan Garel-Jones	26 July 1988
Alastair Goodlad	25 July 1989
Sir George Young	23 July 1990
Vice-Chamberlain of the Household	Tristan Garel-Jones	June 1987
Michael Neubert	26 July 1988
Tony Durant	20 December 1988
David Lightbown	25 July 1990
Captain of the Gentlemen-at-Arms	Bertram Bowyer	June 1987
Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard	Andrew Davidson	June 1987
Lords-in-Waiting	Richard Long	June 1987 – November 1990
Alexander Fermor-Hesketh	June 1987 – January 1989
Maxwell Aitken	June 1987 – 28 July 1988
Alexander Scrymgeour	June 1987 – 26 July 1989
Arthur Gore	18 June 1987 – 24 July 1989
Thomas Galbraith	12 August 1988 – 24 July 1989
Oliver Eden	13 February 1989 – 24 July 1989
Nicholas Lowther	26 July 1989 – 22 July 1990
Hugh Mackay	2 August 1989 – November 1990
Michael Bowes-Lyon	2 August 1989 – November 1990
Emily Blatch	15 January 1990 – 7 September 1990
Hugh Cavendish	14 September 1990 – November 1990
William Astor	11 October 1990 – November 1990

References

Sources

• Hennessy, Peter (2001). "A Tigress Surrounded by Hamsters: Margaret Thatcher, 1979–90". The Prime Minister: The Office and Its Holders since 1945. Penguin Group. ISBN 978-0-14-028393-8.
• "British Cabinet and Government Membership". Archived from the original on 16 January 2009. Retrieved 20 April 2012.
• "British Government 1979–2005". Archived from the original on 7 February 2012. Retrieved 20 November 2007.