Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher

Speaker 20:00

Hello, I'm Kirsty Young, and this is a podcast from the Desert Island Discs Archive.

Speaker 20:05

For rights reasons we've had to shorten the music. The programme was originally broadcast in 1978 and the presenter was Roy Plumley.

Presenter0:31

Our castaway this week is Britain's first prospective woman Prime Minister, the leader of Her Majesty's opposition, the Right Honourable Margaret Thatcher.

Presenter0:40

misses Thatcher, how important to you is music?

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher0:44

It's what I go to.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher0:47

when I want to take refuge in something completely different.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher0:52

When I really want to.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher0:53

Get away from worries, and go from

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher0:56

The very logical life that I've lived.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher1:00

And I've always been trained to live.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher1:03

Really to a different depth of experience.

Presenter1:06

You play the piano, don't you?

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher1:07

Yes, but I don't play any longer. I didn't get time enough to practise, and I couldn't bear.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher1:13

Hearing myself play badly.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher1:16

Or, what happens to you after a time is you never learn anything new.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher1:21

You go on playing the things which you learned as a young person, and never play anything new, so I'm afraid I just don't play at all now. One day when I've retired, I'll take it up again.

Presenter1:31

You used to sing to.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher1:33

Not solo parts. All my family were musical. My father had a lovely bass voice, and therefore we were accustomed to singing at home. We had to make our own entertainment and amusements in those days, and we did. So I used to join choirs, and I joined the Bach choir when I was at Oxford, and loved it.

Presenter1:50

Well, now to the records. What shall we hear first?

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher1:53

When I'm going to play first, the one that I always go to first, if I get to the country for the week end and I just want to get away from politics, I go straight to the record player and I put on the Emperor Concerto, Beethoven.

Presenter3:10

A closing passage of Beethoven's Emperor Concerto, Alfred Brendel as soloist with the London Philharmonic Orchestra directed by Bernard Heitink.

Presenter3:20

How well could you manage in a practical sense as a castaway? Did you ever go camping?

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher3:26

No, uh I I haven't had much experience of camping and I just am a little bit worried about how I'm going to manage, but I am pretty practical.

Presenter3:34

You could put up some kind of shelter, you think?

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher3:34

Yeah.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher3:36

Oh, I think so. I do like doing things with my hands.

Presenter3:39

Snap.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher3:39

So I think I would just about be all right. I'm quite a fast learner.

Presenter3:43

Would you try to escape?

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher3:45

I don't think so, because a desert island just all sounds very much of an island, and I'm cautious by nature.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher3:53

And I would just hope that some one would come and rescue me. My dreams would go that way.

Presenter3:57

I'm sure they will. Record number two.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher4:00

Record number two I've chosen a brass band. You know they played quite a large part in my youth. We loved them, and I thought that I would like to hear something like Going Home.

Presenter5:04

Going home from Vorshak's New World Symphony.

Presenter5:08

Played by the G O S Footwear Band.

Presenter5:11

You were born in Grantham, in Lincolnshire. That a small town, isn't it?

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher5:15

A small town. Yes, very much a community there, living in a town where everyone knew everyone else. Um, I loved it.

Presenter5:22

And you lived in a flat above your father's grocery shop, right on the Great North Road.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher5:26

Right on the Great North Road.

Presenter5:28

You weren't an only child, were you?

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher5:30

No, fortunately. I have an older sister, for which I'm eternally grateful. You know, blood is thicker than mortar. When you've got problems, there's nothing like close relatives.

Presenter5:41

You've described your upbringing as rather Puritan.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher5:44

Well, it was very strict.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher5:47

Um

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher5:48

We went to church twice on Sundays and to Sunday school twice.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher5:53

We were never allowed any amusements on Sundays.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher5:57

We did have people in and we talk.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher6:00

Uh I think wartime changed our ideas quite a lot because you had to do all sorts of different things on Sundays.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher6:07

But I can remember

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher6:09

I think the toughest thing

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher6:11

of my childhood.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher6:13

was that my father taught me very firmly indeed.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher6:18

You do not follow the crowd because you are afraid of being different. You decide what to do yourself. If necessary, you lead the crowd, but you never just follow.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher6:31

Oh, it was very hard indeed, but my goodness mate stood me in good stead.

Presenter6:35

And you went to the grammar school. Did you win a scholarship? Yes.

Presenter6:39

Which subjects interested you most?

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher6:42

I was a fairly good all-rounder.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher6:44

and had difficulty in choosing which side I went on, the sand side or the arts side and in those days, you know, you decided about the age of fifteen, soon after you'd done your matriculation.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher6:56

And you took all science subjects, or all arts subjects?

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher7:00

I can tell you what decided me, and I'm sure it's been the same with a lot of young people. We had a marvellous chemistry teacher, a wonderful teacher and a wonderful person, and I'm sure that that decided me to take chemistry, which I did.

Presenter7:14

During the holidays, did you help in the shop sometimes? Oh

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher7:16

Oh, yes.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher7:17

Yes, and this is where on

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher7:20

One learned to see and talk to so many people and talk easily. I loved it. There were always people coming in.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher7:27

And my father was a local councillor, and I'd often come in to have a word with him about something.

Presenter7:32

As you said, your your father was uh a councillor and also an alderman, and he became mayor. He called himself an independent. To which side did his politics veer?

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher7:41

Well, they were Conservative, but in those days, you know, we didn't fight local councils as party politicians. It wasn't the darned thing.

Presenter7:46

It was

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher7:48

But we always helped the Conservative candidate, and I can remember

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher7:52

My first experience of politics was the nineteen thirty five election. I was only ten, but I do remember it very vividly.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher8:01

and we used to go to the committee room and help.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher8:03

And the only way in which I could help was run between the committee room and the polling station to get the lists of the numbers of people who'd voted and go and check them off. And I remember it seems so strange to me now.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher8:16

You know, it was quite a thrill for those of us working in the committee room when the candidate Victor Warrender, then the member of Pomp, came round and talked to us, and of course it never occurred to me that I'd be in the same position.

Presenter8:29

You felt the excitement even then.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher8:31

I felt the excitement, yes.

Presenter8:33

Record number three. What next?

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher8:36

I'm going to something completely different.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher8:39

We love going to opera. It is one of my great relaxations. I can't get very often. And I love the choral work. And I love ceremonial.

Presenter9:48

The triumphal march from Verdi's Aida,

Presenter9:52

From a recording conducted by Zubin Mehta.

Presenter9:55

Now, as a schoolgirl, what were your ambitions, misses Thatcher? Why had you set your heart on going up to Oxford?

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher10:01

I had some very strange ambitions.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher10:05

In my church life I well remember missionaries coming and talking to us of their experience.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher10:10

And I remember that

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher10:12

In the early days I wanted to go into the it existed then the Indian Civil Service, because there was a tremendous desire to serve.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher10:22

And I knew that to do that you had to go to university. But quite apart from that, you know the opportunity to go to university was to us a chance almost undreamed of.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher10:34

My father had never done it, and I was lucky I was quite good at school, and so it was assumed that I would try to go to university. The subject was clearly marked out for me, and so it just seemed perfectly natural. And what was there? Oxford or Cambridge were to me worlds that I'd heard about.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher10:56

And it's always a good thing to aim for the top, and I did.

Presenter11:00

So a scholarship to Somerville College. And you read chemistry and what was your first job when you came down?

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher11:07

My first job was in a factory making plastics.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher11:13

And it was in the development section. We were developing new plastics.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher11:18

Taking them through the pilot stage and then thinking what they could be used for and where they could be sold.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher11:26

Sometimes I tease some of my

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher11:29

Labour members of Parliament, friends.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher11:31

And say you know, I've had more experience of working in a factory than you have.

Presenter11:35

He went to work for Lions afterwards.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher11:37

Afterwards, yes, that was food processing and food processing and control.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher11:42

And I also did quite a bit of research work there into what's called surface chemistry.

Presenter11:48

You had a nagging ambition to take a law degree. How does law tie up with chemistry?

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher11:54

I went about a lot with my father, as you probably know.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher11:57

and when he went to sit on the magistrate's bench, I used to go along in the school holidays with him.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher12:05

And I met the

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher12:06

A person who was a chairman of the bench, a silk, they were Caseys in those days, QCs now.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher12:14

Who was a lawyer, the chairman of the bench, had to be a lawyer.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher12:17

And I talked to him and realized that

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher12:19

Law itself was having a very great fascination for me.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher12:24

And I remember at the age of seventeen saying to him, But you see, I'm already on the science side.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher12:30

And I can't change now. And he said, But don't worry, I took a physics degree at Cambridge.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher12:37

I started that way, and he said the thing to do finish your chemistry degree

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher12:43

And then do lore.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher12:45

You won't be able to afford just to do another degree, but work at it in your own spare time.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher12:50

Because you'll find there's a whole branch of law for which you need both a science degree and a law degree, and that's the branch of law dealing with patents.

Presenter12:59

Well, a lot was to happen before you were called to the bar. Before we talk about all that, let's have another record. What's next?

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher13:06

What's next? Well, I just cannot um live without some humour there, and I love dry humour.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher13:13

Now there's a marvellous record.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher13:16

It's the imagination of what happened had Walter Raleigh been able to ring up and announce that he made a discovery of tobacco.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher13:25

It's Bob Newhart.

Speaker 413:27

Like what are some of the uses Wobb?

Speaker 413:31

Are y are you saying snuff well?

Speaker 413:35

What's what's snuff?

Speaker 413:38

You you take a pinch of tobacco.

Speaker 413:41

Ha ha ha ha.

Speaker 413:45

And you shove it up your nose And it makes you sneeze, huh?

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher13:50

Ha ha ha ha ha ha.

Presenter13:55

Uh

Presenter13:59

Bob Newhart and Natty Walt.

Presenter14:01

At the age of only twenty four, I think you agreed to contest an absolutely hopeless seat at Dartford. In fact, you contested it twice. Did you enjoy those rather hopeless hustings?

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher14:12

Yes, but you see to me they weren't hopeless.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher14:15

There'd been a tremendous

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher14:17

Political Swing in nineteen forty five.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher14:21

And nothing was impossible we hoped for a tremendous swing back.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher14:24

Um

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher14:25

I don't think we could quite have turned a twenty thousand Labour majority into a Tory seat, but one was young and full of hope.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher14:33

But I loved it. We had meetings outside factories, we went round canvassing, and, you know, in tough seats, and I'm sure both political parties find that, you get the most marvellous band of helpers, really believing fervently in the cause, and you get a tremendous bond of friendship. It taught me a lot.

Presenter14:51

One of those helpers, one of the supporters of Miss Margaret Roberts, as you were, was a Major Dennis Thatcher, who was managing director of a paint firm. Do you remember the very first time you met him?

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher15:02

Mm, I do.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher15:04

Because it was the night that I was adopted as candidate.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher15:07

and I had to get back to London, and I spoke to the meeting, and it was thought that I obviously must circulate afterwards to get to know as many people as possible, and I'd miss the last train. So he was approached. Would he like to drive me back to London? Mercifully he did like, and so eventually did I.

Presenter15:27

And how long afterwards were were you married?

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher15:29

Um oh, not until that was nineteen forty nine. Not until nineteen fifty one.

Presenter15:36

Now two years later you took your Bar Intermediate in May.

Presenter15:40

Produced twins in August and took your Bar Finals in December. That was an action-packed eight months, wasn't it?

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher15:46

This is worse, wasn't it?

Presenter15:46

This is what, wasn't it?

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher15:48

I had the children in August. I had them the day we won the Ashes. Do I remember? It was a Saturday we couldn't find my husband. They took rather a long time to arrive and he'd sort of mooched off somewhere.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher16:03

And I think within two or three days I had decided that if I didn't do something quite definite

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher16:11

that I would be in danger of never returning to work again.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher16:15

So I entered my name for the bar finals. Once I'd done that, I knew Pride would make me work.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher16:23

And that I just have to get them.

Presenter16:24

Yes. How long did you practice law?

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher16:27

Six years.

Presenter16:28

Then in nineteen fifty nine you you began your parliamentary career as member for Finchley. Was that a a fairly easy seat?

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher16:38

It was easy in the sense that one pretty well knew what the result was going to be. It had a good Conservative majority.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher16:45

But we worked jolly hard at it, and worked jolly hard to keep it that way.

Presenter16:50

Now within two years of entering Parliament you were appointed to a junior post in the Ministry of Pensions and you had other front-bent appointments. And then in 67 you were invited to join the shadow cabinet and either in government or opposition you took over power and transport, education and environment. Now out of your political life so far, out of all the battles and triumphs, which is the the coup?

Presenter17:16

or the piece of legislation, or even just a moment of verbal fencing, which you look back on with most pleasure.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher17:25

I think the time.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher17:26

No, two bits, really. I'm sorry I can't have one, but I must have two.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher17:34

The two most interesting portfolios I found to handle are Treasury, because it's absolutely central to what happens to the whole of the nation.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher17:46

And, apart from education when I was minister, fuel and power.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher17:50

I can remember one bit of verbal fencing. It was the first debate I had had to do.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher17:56

as opposition spokesman on fuel and power.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher18:00

and they were all wondering how this um woman would tackle fuel and power. And I had worked like a Trojan, I'd worked at all the facts and figures.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher18:09

And some one got up and cited a whole list of figures.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher18:14

as illustrating a certain point. And I was able to say, because I knew exactly the moment he spoke them, exactly which figures they were. Yes, those figures would have proved that point had he quoted the right year, but he had quoted the wrong year. And after that I was in on fuel. I was all right, I knew what I was talking about, as he was a person who was

Presenter18:30

It was alright. I knew

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher18:34

Supposed to be really up in these matters. It was definitely a plus.

Presenter18:39

Another record. What next?

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher18:41

Oh, I think I should go back to the um

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher18:44

Years when I was a young woman, there was some such marvellous music written then. Wonderful lyrics and wonderful music. You know, I don't think Jerome Kern or Cole Porter have ever been beaten.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher18:57

And I think the one that I love most of all is the one called Smoke Gets In Your Eyes.

Speaker 419:03

Yeah.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher19:03

They said someday you'll find

Speaker 419:18

Yeah.

Speaker 219:18

Realize slow here.

Presenter19:28

Smoke gets in your eyes, I read it done.

Presenter19:31

Now, nineteen seventy five, a feeling in some quarters of the Conservative Party that it was time for a change in leadership.

Presenter19:38

Was leader of the party a post you had ever envisaged?

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher19:41

Never.

Presenter19:43

It all happened pretty suddenly. Had you an organized group of supporters? How did you get things going?

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher19:48

No, I hadn't an organized group of supporters at all. Um some of them came to me and said, Look, if you'll stand, we'll back you.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher19:58

And that was really so I knew that I had quite a bit of backing.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher20:02

But

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher20:03

It all really happened rather suddenly.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher20:06

It was quite clear that there was going to be an election for the leadership.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher20:10

And then it looked as if

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher20:12

No one would put up for the leadership.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher20:15

And I remember very vividly, said what if no one else will do it, I will.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher20:20

And the moment I said it I never had a moment's hesitation about it. I knew it was absolutely the right thing to do. I wasn't worried that I'd said it. I wasn't worried that I'd made the decision. The decision was made.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher20:34

And then we just had to do the best we could, and take what came.

Presenter20:38

Well, you're the first woman to become leader of a major British political party. How many women are there in the House now?

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher20:45

Oh, compared to the few, we haven't got more than about twenty five or twenty six.

Presenter20:48

Is the number going up?

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher20:49

Nothing

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher20:50

No, it hasn't changed since the thirties.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher20:53

It's it's absurd when you think the number of women who have a really good training

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher20:59

So many more of them ought to come forward.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher21:01

to offer themselves as candidates.

Presenter21:05

It's time we had another record.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher21:07

Well, I'm going to to take again another record which reminds me very much of my childhood.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher21:14

In our church we performed a lot of oratorios. We had a very good choir.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher21:20

Um

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher21:21

We hadn't, of course, the lead soloists. We always had to get those down from London, and it was a great occasion.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher21:29

And I therefore have chosen an oratorial record, this time one from Elijah.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher21:35

Be not afraid thy help is near.

Presenter22:33

Be not afraid your help is near from Mendelssohn's Elijah Gwyneth Jones as soloist in a recording conducted by Frubeck de Burgas.

Presenter22:42

Now, it's occurred to me, misses Thatcher, that you must already have had to face some problems because of your sex. They must have had to bend the rules a bit when you joined the Carlton Club.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher22:51

They were very sweet about it. I didn't join the Carlton Club as a woman. They said the leader of the party has always been a member of the Carlton Club, and I don't think they recognise my sex.

Presenter23:04

The ladies in in the Carleton Club aren't allowed on the staircase, but presumably the leader of the Conservative Party is.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher23:09

I think they've relaxed that a little. It's such a beautiful staircase that we all wanted to go up it when there were receptions there. It's a lovely staircase. So we all go up it now.

Presenter23:10

That's editing.

Presenter23:20

Now, of course, you know Number ten Downing Street very well. Does it appeal to you as a place to live in?

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher23:26

It's not a home.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher23:28

It's very much um a residence.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher23:32

You know the difference.

Speaker 423:32

We know the difference.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher23:33

And I have always thought that some of the decorations there have a slightly heavy touch.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher23:40

But um one can't just redecorate it. One might make one or two changes, but they wouldn't be expensive changes.

Presenter23:46

Record number seven.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher23:48

Record number seven is one that my son introduced me to. He's very keen on uh acquiring as many records and as many tapes as possible.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher23:58

And if I go home in the evening, and I always call out any one at home, and nothing answers me but some music comes from the bathroom, well I know he's in.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher24:07

But recently, just before Christmas, he came home with this one, and I think it's one of the most haunting records I've heard.

Presenter25:17

Andante for trumpet.

Presenter25:19

Composed and directed by Saint Preux.

Presenter25:22

Now for your last record, watch that.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher25:24

Oh, we must finish, I think, on a high note and and preferably one with um

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher25:31

Something rather more than earthly qualities about it. Let's have that wonderful record, the Easter Hymn, from Cavallero Rusticana.

Presenter26:41

The Easter hymn from Cavaleria Rusticana, the chorus and orchestra of the Royal Opera House Garden Garden, conducted by Lamberto Gardelli. If you could choose only one of your eight records, which would it be?

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher26:53

Oh, it would undoubtedly be the Emperor Concerto it has so many varying moods.

Presenter26:59

And you're allowed to take one luxury with you to the island, any one thing of no practical use.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher27:04

I thought about this a lot.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher27:06

And I decided the thing I would like most of all would be a photograph album of the children.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher27:11

We had some wonderful photographs, and I

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher27:15

would only have memories and hopes to live on.

Presenter27:18

And one book apart from the Bible and Shakespeare, and we don't allow big encyclopedias.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher27:24

Oh no. Well, I think if we had the Bible and Shakespeare I'd be having enough intellectual and philosophical exercise. So I should turn to something practical. And I've found a book. It's called The Survival Handbook, Self Sufficiency for Everyone. And it even tells you how to make a boat. It tells you how to weave. It tells you how to cook all sorts of things about making long bows and arrows. Don't you think that would just be right?

Presenter27:53

It's a book that no castaway should be without. Who compiled it?

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher27:58

It's compiled by

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher27:59

a person called Michael Alleby, with a number of other people.

Presenter28:04

The Survival Handbook

Presenter28:05

And thank you, Mrs. Thatcher, for letting us hear your Desert Island Disc.

Rt Hon. Margaret Thatcher28:09

I've loved it. Thank you very much.

Presenter28:11

Goodbye, everyone.

Speaker 228:21

You've been listening to a podcast from the Desert Island Discs Archive. For more podcasts, please visit bbc.co.uk slash radio four.