@PeterDJust researching life #AfterDowningStreet Research Associate, Centre for Legislative Studies Author of 'Margaret Thatcher: Life After Downing Street'
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Joined April 2023
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🧵 What do Prime Ministers do out of office?
🚨 Not always what you think.
📘 'Margaret Thatcher: Life After Downing Street' explodes the myths that have surrounded her ex-premiership.
🔍 It also provides a framework to study the Office of Former Prime Minister.
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ALT A book cover featuring an image of Margaret Thatcher. It reads, 'Margaret Thatcher: Life After Downing Street', Peter Just. There is a quote from Andrew Roberts, 'A joy to read'.
🗓️ This day, 19 October, in 1963, was Harold Macmillan's first full day as an ex-Prime Minister.
🚨 Despite what he claimed, he remained politically active.
🗣️ He made speeches, 10 in Parliament.
👨🏻🦱 Had conversations.
📺 Spoke on TV.
🌏 Travelled the world.
📚 Wrote books.
ALT Harold Macmillan.
🚨 65 years ago today, on 18 October 1961, two former Prime Ministers, Clement Attlee (Earl Attlee) and Anthony Eden (The Earl of Avon) spoke in a debate on 'The International Situation'.
🗣️It had been opened the day before by a future former Prime Minister, The Earl of Home.
ALT Clement Attlee and Anthony Eden.
🚨 Shortly before he resigned, Tony Blair was asked what he would be when out of office.
🗣️ 'A former celebrity,' he said, perhaps tellingly.
🍺 This story about Keir Starmer highlights a key fact about former Prime Ministers.
⚡️ The fame being PM gave them is inescapable.
It's BEER Starmer! Former Prime Minister Keir enjoys a pint or two at luvvies' famous Hampstead pub loved by Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, Sam Smith and Liam Gallagher trib.al/kIVwJfS
🗣️ 'Mrs Thatcher had to work on herself *for years* to reach this level.'
🚨 In addition to her luck, an important point in Margaret Thatcher's story, too often overlooked, is *how hard* she had to work to get to where she got too - and how hard she worked in and out of office.
The @Conservatives leader pays tribute to “badass teachers like Katharine Birbalsingh @Miss_Snuffy” to fervent applause. I must say, as a communicator, @KemiBadenoch is head and shoulders above all other party leaders right now. Her speech has texture, nuance, colour, and political depth. She radiates ‘badass’ sincerity. Mrs Thatcher had to work on herself *for years* to reach this level. Kemi Badenoch seems to have it all for nothing. #CPC26
🚨 Margaret Thatcher as prophet in 1994, one reason for her continuing relevance today.
🗣️ ‘The Russian people - and the Ukrainians - are good people who have suffered mightily - they deserved better than they have received from those who claim to be the guardians of liberty.’
ALT A photograph of Margaret Thatcher by Helmut Newton.
🗣️ 'The memory of this remarkable lady will last for ever.'
🚨 So said Sir David Amess, who was killed five years ago today, in his debate on Margaret Thatcher's legacy in September 2013.
🗓️ He had tabled a similar debate in December 1990 on political developments since 1979.
ALT Sir David Amess.
Peter Just retweeted
🚨 Good to see this Constitution Society blog by Mark Bennister on life after prime ministerial office.
😊 Very pleased to see it reference our 2004 article on their role in Parliament.
🧑🏻💻 Not least as I'm currently updating that.
consoc.org.uk/life-after-pm-…
🚨 Good to see this Constitution Society blog by Mark Bennister on life after prime ministerial office.
😊 Very pleased to see it reference our 2004 article on their role in Parliament.
🧑🏻💻 Not least as I'm currently updating that.
consoc.org.uk/life-after-pm-…
🎉 To mark Margaret Thatcher's 101st birthday, here's one of @Richard_Stone2's six wonderful portraits.
😍 It is my favourite painting of her, capturing so much of Lady Thatcher, including of her after Downing Street.
🔗 Read about it Richard's website:
richardstoneuk.com/portfolio…
ALT Margaret Thatcher portrait by Richard Stone.
Peter Just retweeted
📷 This image of Margaret Thatcher taken by Ian Waldie on this day, 12 October, at the 1994 Conservative Party Conference was later published as a postcard by the National Portrait Gallery as part of a series, ‘Iconic women (captured by Reuters photographers) in the press’.
ALT Margaret Thatcher sat between some men at the 1994 Conservative Party Conference.
📷 This image of Margaret Thatcher taken by Ian Waldie on this day, 12 October, at the 1994 Conservative Party Conference was later published as a postcard by the National Portrait Gallery as part of a series, ‘Iconic women (captured by Reuters photographers) in the press’.
ALT Margaret Thatcher sat between some men at the 1994 Conservative Party Conference.
Peter Just retweeted
📘 Delighted to see 'Margaret Thatcher: Life After Downing Street' for sale in the Waterstones in her county town during a visit to Lincoln today.
😍 Especially pleased to see it in the 'New History' section given it corrects how history to date has seen her life after 1990.
ALT A copy of the book 'Margaret Thatcher: Life After Downing Street' on a bookshelf.
📘 Delighted to see 'Margaret Thatcher: Life After Downing Street' for sale in the Waterstones in her county town during a visit to Lincoln today.
😍 Especially pleased to see it in the 'New History' section given it corrects how history to date has seen her life after 1990.
ALT A copy of the book 'Margaret Thatcher: Life After Downing Street' on a bookshelf.
Peter Just retweeted
❤️ I love Hansard.
🗣️ 'Ministers seem to be getting aggravated.'
🗣️ 'I am keeping calm.'
🗓️ Andrew Mackinlay commenting on a speech by Ted Heath on the European Union in 1995 and Heath's response.
ALT The Palace of Westminster from the Albert Embankment.
❤️ I love Hansard.
🗣️ In June 1991, David Steel asked if John Major had 'any proposals to extend the requirements for muzzles and leashes' to Margaret Thatcher.
🗣️ Major replied that every MP had 'the right and the duty to speak their mind, and that is entirely proper.'
ALT The Palace of Westminster from the Albert Embankment.
❤️ I love Hansard.
🗣️ 'Ministers seem to be getting aggravated.'
🗣️ 'I am keeping calm.'
🗓️ Andrew Mackinlay commenting on a speech by Ted Heath on the European Union in 1995 and Heath's response.
ALT The Palace of Westminster from the Albert Embankment.
❤️ I love Hansard.
🗣️ In June 1991, David Steel asked if John Major had 'any proposals to extend the requirements for muzzles and leashes' to Margaret Thatcher.
🗣️ Major replied that every MP had 'the right and the duty to speak their mind, and that is entirely proper.'
ALT The Palace of Westminster from the Albert Embankment.
Peter Just retweeted
🚨 When out of office, Jim Callaghan once said that he and Edward Heath were 'old shipmates'.
📜 Great @labour_history post on Heath's 1976's conference speech reflecting that: substack.com/home/post/p-219…
🗣️ Heath spoke 16 minutes more than the allotted time.
😂 Good old Ted!
ALT Daily Mirror front page from October 1976 featuring quotes from Edward Heath and James Callaghan.
🚨 As #CPC26 draws to a close, a reminder that Margaret Thatcher was neither the first nor the last former Prime Minister able to cause a stir at a party conference.
🗣 Here's Ted Heath in 1976, fifty years ago.
🗣️ 'I shall do my best to serve my country and my constituency'.
🗓️ So Margaret Thatcher said on winning Finchley in the General Election held on this day, 8 October, in 1959.
🤔 Who then could have predicted everything that would happen to her and to us in the years to come?
ALT Margaret Thatcher.
