The Speech That Brought Down Margaret Thatcher & Kick-Started Brexit

On the 13th November 1990, Sir Geoffrey Howe stood up in the House of Commons to make a speech that would change the state of British politics.

His speech would imminently lead to the end of Margaret Thatcher's time as Prime Minister after eleven years.

But there could hardly have been a less likely candidate. Not only was Howe a long-term ally of Thatcher, but he was also so boring that he had been referred to as a "dead sheep."

Playwright Jonathan Maitland explains why his resignation statement was so important, how it has impacted the current world of politics and why Howe decided to take down one of his former allies.

Chapters:

Introduction: 0:00 - 1:31
Thatcher & Howe: 1:31 - 3:30
Why It Changed History: 3:30 - 5:49
THAT Cricket Metaphor: 5:49 - 7:59
The Conflict Of Loyalty: 7:59 - 10:25
Howe's Legacy: 10:28 - 12:10

Produced and edited by Robbie Hawken
Filmed by Max Tobin

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#politics #ukpolitics #thatcher

[megamediker]

When I wana listen to a speech, I don't wana listen to a piano.

[bryansmith]

As someone that suffers from Tinnitus, STOP putting music levels Over and above Voice levels, Please,

[JaniceLDN]

I remember it well. This was a riveting speech. Geoffrey Howe giving his reasons for his resignation. It was clear, though Thatcher looked stoic, her era was coming to an end. Everyone present knew it, she knew it. It was just a matter of time. For a mild mannered man, this speech was devastating.

[adamhinchliffe]

He was educated, polite and sincere in his criticism of his former boss. How sad we don't hear politicians like him today.

[MarkW]

' If you want to be heard, speak softly ' . I bow my head down to Geoffrey for saying what had to be said .

[frglee]

It was Dennis Healey in 1985 that described debating with Howe as 'like being savaged by a dead sheep'.

[Socratic]

40 years old and already my memories have become history. Such a small amount of time, and yet.. So much since.

[SiVlog]

I wouldn't say it kick started Brexit, rather, it foreshadowed it:

"If we detached ourselves completely, as a party or as a country, the effects will be incalculable and very hard ever to correct, "

[alanmacmillan]

one of the most intelligent, cleverly crafted, diplomatic yet scathing speeches of all time.

[Deepthought-]

Howe’s legacy is that he initiated the demise of Thatcher not that it initiated Brexit.
Others who put self interest over National interest did that later.

[thomascarlin]

Brings to mind again that spitting image scene when at the dinner table Maggie is asked by the server, what about the vegetables and she answered “ They’l have the same as me”

[ABO-Destiny]

Never underestimate a soft spoken thinking person of any kind.

Remember, most important problems are most easily solved while most other problems are not, but fought over for a proper solution.

[kinngrimm]

Still pains me when i think about it. I had been working with british people and called them my friends for decades only to find out that many seem not to like to live together with us here in europe. It was a betrayl of anything our and your forfathers tried to achiev after WWII. Establising a peacefull union aiming for greater things together. The EU is by far not perfect, which again was a good reason for you to be in there, to share your point of views and make it better over time that way. For the EU at least the Brexit may have turned out to be a good thing, as it was a wake up call, that not anything should only be done on behalf of corporations, but the peoples needs and interests needed to be included more into the EU thinking. I hope you may find your way back one day.

greetings from germany

[ganrimmonim]

I was twelve when this speech happened, and yet I still remember it. I was a very nebbish twelve year old very interested in politics. But her face during it. And the style with which it was delivered.

[HolyHolyHoly-ce]

Listening to Geoffrey Howe, if you listen closely, is also very humorous, very much a wonderful wordsmith. .

[charlesvanderhoog]

I can still hear the speech in the background. The piano music is not loud enough.

[stevebbuk]

Had Margaret Thatcher not sidelined Howe for John Major there might not have been such a speech at all.

[poppasmurf]

Although the Howe speech undoubtedly pushed her over the edge of the cliff, Mrs Thatcher was already in the last days of her leadership. Many in her party had watched in dismay as she lost the instinct which had helped her so much in previous challenging periods. I myself knew she was finished when she decided to take on the War Widows and Vera Lynn. Nobody in their right mind would think they could do this and win, but she did.

[josephthomasjr.]

For anyone even remotely interested in British politics, Sir Geoffrey Howe's autobiography is WELL worth your time. That man was anything but boring! REST IN PEACE GEOFF!!!

[glyn]

I'd never noticed that Nigel Lawson was sitting next to Sir Geoffery Howe until now. That says a huge amount.