Nigel Lawson and Geoffrey Howe squabbled over retaining ministerial cars and country homes, the files reveal.
The Chancellor, now Lord Lawson, demanded a chauffeur-driven Jaguar after losing his rightful grace-and-favour home to his predecessor Sir Geoffrey.
Meanwhile, Sir Geoffrey, who in 1989 was demoted from foreign secretary to lord president of the council and deputy prime minister, demanded to keep his Jaguar.
Nigel Lawson and Geoffrey Howe squabbled over retaining ministerial cars and country homes, the files reveal
Under Whitehall rules, only the home, foreign, Northern Ireland and defence secretaries are supposed to travel by Jaguar on security grounds.
The rest of the cabinet is forced to travel in Rovers – a fate many were keen to avoid.
One minister even provided his own Jaguar so he didn’t have to suffer the indignity of driving round in a Rover.
But the files reveal that both Lord Lawson and Sir Geoffrey demanded luxury chauffeur-driven Jaguars after moving roles.
Lord Lawson demanded an upgrade of his ageing model following press reports about him being given a Rover.
Margaret Thatcher’s aides noted that it was a ‘tricky’ decision as the upgrade from the Rover to the Jaguar would cost almost £5,000. But Mrs Thatcher defied the official advice.
She clearly felt she had to agree after gifting Dorneywood, traditionally the country home of the chancellor, to Sir Geoffrey as a consolation prize for his demotion.
Margaret Thatcher gifted Dorneywood, traditionally the country home of the chancellor, to Sir Geoffrey as a consolation prize for his demotion
Lord Lawson had argued for a Jaguar ‘primarily on grounds of comfort and status but also because he would like to avoid the “first she took away his country house and then his car” story’.
Presented with Sir Geoffrey’s demand for a Jaguar, Mrs Thatcher was reminded of her Lord Lawson decision and of other precedents for sidestepping official rules.
She was informed that she had allowed the Welsh Secretary Nicholas Edwards to use a Jaguar after taking pity on him because he was ill and had to suffer long journeys.
Her former right-hand man Willie Whitelaw was also granted a Jaguar on the ‘grounds of comfort’ when he was lord president.
The files note that the ‘standard Rover’ had been judged ‘a little too small for him, particularly on the long run to [his constituency in] Cumbria’.
So when Sir Geoffrey, who she had also appointed lord president of the council and deputy prime minister, asked for one, she agreed.
Meanwhile the wealthy trade minister Alan Clark paid for his own Jaguar– even though he was not even in the cabinet.
‘This was against advice from (cabinet secretary) Sir Robert Armstrong who felt that he should be promoting the (Austin) Montego as other ministers of state were doing,’ aides noted.
‘He was also worried about snide comments in the press. You pointed out that the minister of state for trade’s case was exceptional because he would be offering a saving to the Exchequer.’
In a humorous aside, the files note that the man responsible for overseeing the use of limousines by No 10 staff was named Mr Perks.
- c.ellicott@dailymail.co.uk