In the aftermath of her interview to The World in Action in 24 January 1978,Margaret Thatcher (cynically,given that a by-election was just coming and she needed to win it) had killed the National Front as a political party by employing the first of many anti immigration speeches. 10000 letters of praise for her interview have been received in the first two weeks alone. The Conservatives rose 9% more in the polls just from that-their polls even showing that they’d win even more votes if they kept going on about immigration. And,most importanly,the Ilford by-election was won because of said anti immigration comments.
There was however one reaction that would have affected Thatcher negatively because of this.
Three days after the interview,Willie Whitelaw,enraged and shocked by her remarks,seriously considered resigning as Deputy Leader in protest after a phone call with Woy to distance himself. At the last minute he changed his mind,after being convicted by others that he only needs to distance himself from it.
But what if he didn’t change his mind? What if Whitelaw resigned? How would this affect Thatcher?
@AH Layard @Time Enough @Walpurgisnacht
There was however one reaction that would have affected Thatcher negatively because of this.
Three days after the interview,Willie Whitelaw,enraged and shocked by her remarks,seriously considered resigning as Deputy Leader in protest after a phone call with Woy to distance himself. At the last minute he changed his mind,after being convicted by others that he only needs to distance himself from it.
But what if he didn’t change his mind? What if Whitelaw resigned? How would this affect Thatcher?
@AH Layard @Time Enough @Walpurgisnacht