Second Thatcher 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.

Main article: List of ministers under Margaret Thatcher

Second Thatcher ministry
1983–1987
Thatcher (1984)
Date formed	10 June 1983 (1983-06-10)
Date dissolved	11 June 1987 (1987-06-11)
People and organisations
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Prime Minister	Margaret Thatcher
Prime Minister's history	1979–1990
Deputy Prime Minister	[note 1]
Total no. of members	219 appointments
Member party	Conservative Party
Status in legislature	Majority
Opposition cabinet	Foot Shadow Cabinet Kinnock Shadow Cabinet
Opposition party	Labour Party
Opposition leader	Michael Foot (1983) Neil Kinnock (1983–1987)
History
Election(s)	1983 general election
Outgoing election	1987 general election
Legislature term(s)	49th UK Parliament
Predecessor	First Thatcher ministry
Successor	Third Thatcher ministry

This article details the second government Thatcher led at the invitation of Queen Elizabeth II from 1983 to 1987.

Formation

See also: Premiership of Margaret Thatcher § Second term (1983–1987)

The Conservative government was re-elected in June 1983 with a majority of 144 seats, with Labour in opposition having a mere 209 seats after its worst postwar electoral performance, seeing off a close challenge from the SDP–Liberal Alliance who came close to them on votes though not with seats.

With inflation firmly under control and union reforms contributing towards the lowest level of strikes since the early 1950s, the Tories were now faced with the challenge of reducing unemployment from a record high of 3,200,000.

March 1984 saw the beginning of a miners' strike which would last for 12 months and divide the country as Mrs Thatcher announced extensive pit closures which would ultimately cost thousands of miners their jobs as well, while the remaining pits were set to be privatised in the proposed sell-off of the National Coal Board. Privatisation of utilities and heavy industry was becoming a key symbol of Thatcherism, with the likes of British Telecom also transferring from public to private ownership.

Michael Foot had stepped down as Labour leader after the 1983 general election. The man elected by Labour with the task of getting them back into government was Neil Kinnock. He proved himself as a fierce rival to Thatcher, and more than once during the 1983–87 parliament, the opinion polls showed Labour (and very occasionally the Alliance) in the lead, although a huge swing was required at a general election if the Conservative government was to be ousted.

The challenge from the SDP–Liberal Alliance was becoming weaker, despite their brief lead of the opinion polls during 1985.

However, economic growth following recession had been re-established by the beginning of this parliament and by 1987 the economy was well on the road to recovery. However, unemployment which had peaked at nearly 3,300,000 during 1984 was barely above 3,000,000 by the turn of 1987, and with the opinion polls all showing a Tory lead, it was anticipated that Thatcher would call the next general election earlier than the deadline of June 1988.

Fate

Further information: 1987 United Kingdom general election

A general election was called for 11 June 1987, and the Tories triumphed for the third election in succession. Labour, on the other hand, achieved a better election result than it had the previous time (and also managed to reduce the Conservative majority), with more than 30% of the vote, while the SDP–Liberal Alliance floundered and was soon disbanded as the Social Democratic Party and Liberal Party merged to form the Social and Liberal Democrats (who soon became the Liberal Democrats).

Cabinet

June 1983 to June 1987

• Margaret Thatcher – Prime Minister
• The Viscount Whitelaw – Lord President of the Council
• The Lord Hailsham of St Marylebone – Lord Chancellor
• John Biffen – Lord Privy Seal
• Nigel Lawson – Chancellor of the Exchequer
• Peter Rees – Chief Secretary to the Treasury
• Sir Geoffrey Howe – Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
• Leon Brittan – Secretary of State for the Home Department
• Michael Jopling – Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
• Michael Heseltine – Secretary of State for Defence
• Sir Keith Joseph – Secretary of State for Education and Science
• Norman Tebbit – Secretary of State for Employment
• Peter Walker – Secretary of State for Energy
• Patrick Jenkin – Secretary of State for the Environment
• Norman Fowler – Secretary of State for Health
• Lord Cockfield – Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
• James Prior – Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
• George Younger – Secretary of State for Scotland
• Cecil Parkinson – Secretary of State for Trade and Industry
• Tom King – Secretary of State for Transport
• Nicholas Edwards – Secretary of State for Wales
• John Wakeham – Chief Whip

Changes

• October 1983 –
  • Tom King succeeded Norman Tebbit as Secretary of State for Employment.
  • Norman Tebbit succeeded Cecil Parkinson as Secretary of State for Trade and Industry.
  • Nicholas Ridley succeeded Tom King as Secretary of State for Transport.
• September 1984 –
  • Lord Gowrie succeeded Lord Cockfield as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.
  • Douglas Hurd succeeded James Prior as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.
  • Lord Young of Graffham enters the Cabinet as Minister without Portfolio.
• September 1985 –
  • Lord Young of Graffham succeeded Tom King as Secretary of State for Employment.
  • Kenneth Baker succeeded Patrick Jenkin as Secretary of State for the Environment.
  • Norman Tebbit succeeded Lord Gowrie as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.
  • Tom King succeeded Douglas Hurd as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.
  • Kenneth Clarke enters the Cabinet as Paymaster-General.
  • Leon Brittan succeeded Norman Tebbit as Secretary of State for Trade and Industry.
  • John MacGregor succeeded Peter Rees as Chief Secretary to the Treasury.
  • Douglas Hurd succeeded Leon Brittan as Home Secretary.
• early January 1986 – Malcolm Rifkind succeeded George Younger as Secretary of State for Scotland. Younger succeeded Michael Heseltine as Secretary of State for Defence.
• late January 1986 – Paul Channon succeeded Leon Brittan as Secretary of State for Trade and Industry.
• May 1986 –
  • Nicholas Ridley succeeded Kenneth Baker as Secretary of State for the Environment. John Moore succeeded Ridley as Secretary of State for Transport.
  • Kenneth Baker succeeded Keith Joseph as Secretary of State for Education and Science.

List of Ministers

Members of the Cabinet are in bold face.

Office	Name	Dates	Notes
Prime Minister, First Lord of the Treasury and Minister for the Civil Service	Margaret Thatcher	June 1983
Lord Chancellor	The Lord Hailsham of St Marylebone	June 1983
Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Lords	The Viscount Whitelaw	11 June 1983	also Deputy Leader of the Conservative Party
Minister of State for the Privy Council Office	The Earl of Gowrie	11 June 1983 – 11 September 1984
	Richard Luce	2 September 1985 – June 1987
Lord Privy Seal and Leader of the House of Commons	John Biffen	11 June 1983
Chancellor of the Exchequer	Nigel Lawson	11 June 1983
Chief Secretary to the Treasury	Peter Rees	11 June 1983
	John MacGregor	2 September 1985
Minister of State, Treasury	Barney Hayhoe	June 1983 – 2 September 1985
	Ian Gow	2 September 1985 – 19 November 1985
	Hon. Peter Brooke	19 November 1985 – 13 June 1987
Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury	John Wakeham	11 June 1983
Financial Secretary to the Treasury	Hon. Nicholas Ridley	13 June 1983
	John Moore	18 October 1983
	Norman Lamont	21 May 1986
Economic Secretary to the Treasury	John Moore	13 June 1983
	Ian Stewart	19 October 1983
Lords of the Treasury	Alastair Goodlad	June 1983 – 10 September 1984
	Donald Thompson	June 1983 – 10 September 1986
	David Hunt	June 1983 – 10 September 1984
	Ian Lang	11 June 1983 – 1 February 1986
	Tristan Garel-Jones	11 June 1983 – 16 October 1986
	John Major	3 October 1984 – 1 November 1985
	Hon. Archie Hamilton	3 October 1984 – 10 September 1986
	Hon. Tim Sainsbury	7 October 1985 – 23 June 1987
	Michael Neubert	10 February 1986 – June 1987
	Peter Lloyd	16 October 1986 – June 1987
	Hon. Mark Lennox-Boyd	16 October 1986 – June 1987
	Tony Durant	16 October 1986 – June 1987
Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs	Sir Geoffrey Howe	11 June 1983
Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs	Timothy Raison	June 1983 – 10 September 1986	also Minister of Overseas Development
	Richard Luce	11 June 1983 – 2 September 1985
	Malcolm Rifkind	13 June 1983 – 11 January 1986
	The Baroness Young	13 June 1983 – 13 June 1987
	Tim Renton	2 September 1985 – 13 June 1987
	Lynda Chalker	11 January 1986 – June 1987
	Chris Patten	10 September 1986 – June 1987
Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs	Ray Whitney	13 June 1983
	Tim Renton	11 September 1984
	Timothy Eggar	2 September 1985
Minister for Overseas Development	Timothy Raison	June 1983
	Chris Patten	10 September 1986	also Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
Secretary of State for the Home Department	Leon Brittan	11 June 1983
	Hon. Douglas Hurd	2 September 1985
Minister of State for Home Affairs	David Waddington	June 1983 – 13 June 1987
	The Lord Elton	11 September 1984 – 25 March 1985
	Giles Shaw	11 September 1984 – 10 September 1986
	David Mellor	10 September 1986 – 13 June 1987
	The Earl of Caithness	10 September 1986 – June 1987
Under-Secretary of State for Home Affairs	The Lord Elton	June 1983 – 11 September 1984
	David Mellor	June 1983 – 10 September 1986
	The Lord Glenarthur	27 March 1984 – 10 September 1986
	Hon. Douglas Hogg	10 September 1986 – June 1987
Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food	Michael Jopling	11 June 1983
Minister of State for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food	John MacGregor	13 June 1983 – 2 September 1985
	The Lord Belstead	13 June 1983 – 13 June 1987
	John Gummer	2 September 1985 – June 1987
Under-Secretary of State for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food	Peggy Fenner	June 1983 – 10 September 1986
	Donald Thompson	10 September 1986 – June 1987
Minister for the Arts	The Earl of Gowrie	13 June 1983
	Richard Luce	2 September 1985
Secretary of State for Defence	Michael Heseltine	June 1983
	Hon. George Younger	9 January 1986
Minister of State for the Armed Forces	John Stanley	13 June 1983
Minister of State for Defence Procurement	Geoffrey Pattie	13 June 1983
	Hon. Adam Butler	11 September 1984
	Norman Lamont	2 September 1985
	The Lord Trefgarne	21 May 1986
Minister of State for Defence Support	The Lord Trefgarne	2 September 1985 – 21 May 1986
Under-Secretary of State for the Armed Forces	The Lord Trefgarne	13 June 1983 – 1 September 1985
	Roger Freeman	21 May 1986 – June 1987
Under-Secretary of State for Defence Procurement	Ian Stewart	June 1983 – 18 October 1983
	John Lee	18 October 1983 – 10 September 1986
	Hon. Archie Hamilton	10 September 1986 – 13 June 1987
Secretary of State for Education and Science	Sir Keith Joseph, Bt	June 1983
	Kenneth Baker	21 May 1986
Minister of State, Education and Science	Chris Patten	5 September 1985 – 10 September 1986
	Angela Rumbold	10 September 1986 – June 1987
Under-Secretary of State, Education and Science	Hon. Peter Brooke	13 June 1983 – 19 November 1985
	Bob Dunn	13 June 1983 – June 1987
	George Walden	19 November 1985 – 13 June 1987
Secretary of State for Employment	Norman Tebbit	June 1983
	Tom King	16 October 1983
	The Lord Young of Graffham	2 September 1985
Minister of State, Employment	Hon. Peter Morrison	13 June 1983 – 2 September 1985
	John Gummer	18 October 1985 – 11 September ?
	Kenneth Clarke	2 September 1985 – 13 June 1987	Also Paymaster-General
Under-Secretary of State, Employment	John Gummer	June 1983 – 18 October 1983
	Alan Clark	13 June 1983 – 24 January 1986
	Peter Bottomley	11 September 1984 – 23 January 1986
	David Trippier	2 September 1985 – 13 June 1987
	Ian Lang	31 January 1986 – 10 September 1986
	John Lee	10 September 1986 – June 1987
Secretary of State for Energy	Peter Walker	11 June 1983
Minister of State, Energy	Alick Buchanan-Smith	13 June 1983
Under-Secretary of State, Energy	The Earl of Avon	June 1983 – 11 September 1984
	Giles Shaw	13 June 1983 – 11 September 1984
	David Hunt	11 September 1984 – 13 June 1987
	Alastair Goodlad	11 September 1984 – 13 June 1987
Secretary of State for the Environment	Patrick Jenkin	11 June 1983
	Kenneth Baker	23 September 1985
	Hon. Nicholas Ridley	21 May 1986
Minister of State for Local Government	The Lord Bellwin	June 1983
	Kenneth Baker	11 September 1984
	Hon. William Waldegrave	2 September 1985
	Rhodes Boyson	10 September 1986
Minister of State for Housing	Ian Gow	13 June 1983
	John Patten	2 September 1985
Minister of State, Environment	The Lord Elton	27 March 1985 – 10 September 1986
	Hon. William Waldegrave	10 September 1986 – 13 June 1987
Under-Secretary of State for Sport	Neil Macfarlane	June 1983 – 2 September 1985
	Richard Tracey	7 September 1985 – 13 June 1987
Under-Secretary of State, Environment	Sir George Young, Bt	June 1981 – 10 September 1986
	Hon. William Waldegrave	13 June 1983 – 2 September 1985
	The Earl of Avon	11 September 1984 – 27 March 1985
	Angela Rumbold	2 September 1985 – 10 September 1986
	The Lord Skelmersdale	10 September 1986 – 13 June 1987
	Christopher Chope	10 September 1986 – June 1987
Secretary of State for Social Services	Norman Fowler	June 1983
Minister of State, Health	Kenneth Clarke	June 1983
	Barney Hayhoe	2 September 1985
	Tony Newton	10 September 1986
Under-Secretary of State, Health and Social Security	Tony Newton	June 1983 – 11 September 1984
	John Patten	14 June 1983 – 2 September 1985
	The Lord Glenarthur	14 June 1983 – 26 March 1985
	Ray Whitney	11 September 1984 – 10 September 1986
	The Baroness Trumpington	30 March 1985 – 13 June 1987
	John Major	2 September 1985 – 10 September 1986
	Nicholas Lyell	10 September 1986 – 13 June 1987
	Edwina Currie	10 September 1986 – June 1987
Minister of State, Social Security	Rhodes Boyson	12 June 1983 – 11 September 1984
	Tony Newton	11 September 1984 – 10 September 1986
	John Major	10 September 1986 – 13 June 1987
Minister of State, Industry and Information Technology	Kenneth Baker	June 1983	under Office of Trade and Industry from 12 June 1983
	Geoffrey Pattie	11 September 1984	Office abolished 13 June 1987
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster	The Lord Cockfield	11 June 1983
	The Earl of Gowrie	11 September 1984
	Norman Tebbit	3 September 1985
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland	James Prior	June 1983
	Hon. Douglas Hurd	11 September 1984
	Tom King	3 September 1985
Minister of State, Northern Ireland	Hon. Adam Butler	June 1983 – 11 September 1984
	The Earl of Mansfield	13 June 1983 – 12 April 1984
	Rhodes Boyson	11 September 1984 – 10 September 1986
	Nicholas Scott	10 September 1986 – 13 June 1987
Under-Secretary of State, Northern Ireland	Nicholas Scott	June 1983 – 11 September 1986
	Chris Patten	14 June 1983 – 2 September 1985
	The Lord Lyell	12 April 1984 – June 1987
	Richard Needham	3 September 1985 – June 1987
	Peter Viggers	10 September 1986 – June 1987
	Brian Mawhinney	10 September 1986 – June 1987
Paymaster-General	Vacant	11 June 1983
	John Gummer	11 September 1984
	Kenneth Clarke	2 September 1985	also Minister of State, Employment
Minister without Portfolio	The Lord Young of Graffham	11 September 1984 – 3 September 1985
Secretary of State for Scotland	Hon. George Younger	June 1983
	Malcolm Rifkind	11 January 1986
Minister of State for Scotland	The Lord Gray of Contin	13 June 1983 – 11 September 1986
	The Lord Glenarthur	10 September 1986 – 13 June 1987
Under-Secretary of State for Scotland	Allan Stewart	June 1983 – 10 September 1986
	John MacKay	June 1983 – 14 June 1987
	Michael Ancram	13 June 1983 – 14 June 1987
	Ian Lang	10 September 1986 – 13 June 1987
Minister of State for Trade	Paul Channon	13 June 1983	under Office of Trade and Industry
	Alan Clark	24 January 1986
Secretary of State for Trade and Industry	Cecil Parkinson	12 June 1983
	Norman Tebbit	16 October 1983
	Leon Brittan	2 September 1985
	Paul Channon	24 January 1986
Minister of State for Trade and Industry	Norman Lamont	13 June 1983 – 2 September 1985
	Hon. Peter Morrison	2 September 1985 – 10 September 1986
	Giles Shaw	10 September 1986 – 13 June 1987
Under-Secretary of State for Trade and Industry	John Butcher	14 June 1983 – June 1987
	Alexander Fletcher	14 June 1983 – 2 September 1985
	David Trippier	14 June 1983 – 2 September 1985
	The Lord Lucas of Chilworth	11 September 1984 – 13 June 1987
	Michael Howard	2 September 1985 – 13 June 1987
Secretary of State for Transport	Tom King	11 June 1983
	Hon. Nicholas Ridley	16 October 1983
	John Moore	21 May 1986
Minister of State, Transport	Lynda Chalker	18 October 1983 – 10 January 1986
	David Mitchell	23 January 1986 – June 1987
Under-Secretary of State for Transport	Lynda Chalker	June 1983 – 18 October 1983
	David Mitchell	11 June 1983 – 23 January 1986
	Michael Spicer	11 September 1984 – 13 June 1987
	The Earl of Caithness	2 September 1985 – 10 September 1986
	Peter Bottomley	23 January 1986 – June 1987
	The Lord Brabazon of Tara	10 September 1986 – June 1987
Secretary of State for Wales	Nicholas Edwards	June 1983
Minister of State for Wales	John Stradling Thomas	June 1983 – 2 September 1985
Under-Secretary of State for Wales	Wyn Roberts	June 1983 – 13 June 1987
	Mark Robinson	3 October 1985 – 15 June 1987
Attorney General	Michael Havers	June 1983
Solicitor General	Sir Patrick Mayhew	13 June 1983
Lord Advocate	The Lord Mackay of Clashfern	June 1983
	The Lord Cameron of Lochbroom	16 May 1984
Solicitor General for Scotland	Peter Fraser	June 1983
Treasurer of the Household	John Cope	11 June 1983
Comptroller of the Household	Carol Mather	June 1983
	Hon. Robert Boscawen	16 October 1986
Vice-Chamberlain of the Household	Hon. Robert Boscawen	June 1983
	Tristan Garel-Jones	16 October 1986
Captain of the Gentlemen-at-Arms	The Lord Denham	June 1983
Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard	The Earl of Swinton	June 1983
	The Viscount Davidson	10 September 1986
Lords-in-Waiting	The Viscount Long	June 1983 – 2 May 1997
	The Lord Lyell	June 1983 – 12 April 1984
	The Lord Skelmersdale	June 1983 – 10 September 1986
	The Lord Lucas of Chilworth	June 1983 – 9 September 1984
	The Baroness Trumpington	11 June 1983 – 25 March 1985
	The Earl of Caithness	8 May 1984 – 2 September 1985
	The Lord Brabazon of Tara	19 September 1984 – 10 September 1986
	The Baroness Cox	3 April 1985 – 2 August 1985
	The Viscount Davidson	17 September 1985 – 10 September 1986
	The Baroness Hooper	17 September 1985 – 14 June 1987
	The Lord Hesketh	10 September 1986 – 31 January 1987
	The Lord Beaverbrook	10 September 1986 – June 1987
	The Earl of Dundee	3 October 1986 – June 1987

Notes

1. William Whitelaw did not officially hold the title of Deputy Prime Minister (Hennessy 2001, p. 405). He only served as Deputy Leader of the Conservative Party.

References

• 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

Preceded by First Thatcher ministry	Government of the United Kingdom 1983–1987	Succeeded by Third Thatcher ministry