Britain Awake

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Thatcher in 1975

"Britain Awake" (also known as the Iron Lady speech)

British Labour government's defence cuts and the state of the NATO defences in parts of Europe. Thatcher stated that a Conservative government would align its foreign policy with the United States and increase defence spending. She also congratulated Malcolm Fraser and Robert Muldoon for their recent election as prime minister of Australia and New Zealand, respectively, but warned of the risks of a potential communist victory in the upcoming 1976 Italian general election
. Thatcher urged the British public to wake from "a long sleep" and make a choice that "will determine the life or death of our kind of society".

The speech was reported on in the

anti-communist
stance, and she approved of its use.

Background

Thatcher had been a

Edward Heath's government. After Heath lost the February and October 1974 general elections, Thatcher challenged him for the leadership of the party. Her policy positions, including her support for economic liberalism, won her the backing of the party's right wing. She was elected party leader in February 1975, becoming Leader of the Opposition.[2]

its allies. By 1975 détente, a period of supposedly more friendly relations between the superpowers, was the principal position. At the time, some considered that détente could lead to the end of the Cold War.[1] Thatcher had made few speeches on foreign policy by 1975. However, it was known that she was sceptical of Soviet intentions to keep the terms of the 1975 Helsinki Accords, a move towards more extensive détente.[3]

In September 1975, Thatcher carried out a tour of the United States and Canada, meeting with senior figures such as UN secretary-general

socialism in Britain and rejuvenate the country through economic liberalism.[4] She mentioned her views on détente and cautioned about the risks of such a strategy. Still, the main focus was on her proposed domestic reforms and Britain's continuing relationship with the US.[5]

Thatcher's appearances in this period were managed by her public relations adviser Gordon Reece.[4] On 19 January 1976 she was due to make a speech at Kensington Town Hall in London, one of her first major speeches as party leader.[6]

Speech

Brutalist-style town hall.[7]

Thatcher made the speech on the evening of 19 January 1976. The address had been written beforehand, and a copy given to the press with an embargo of 8 pm. A comparison between the press release and the speech as made reveals few differences, and those of a mainly stylistic nature.[8]

Thatcher opened the speech by stating that the first duty of any government was to defend its people from external threats and asked rhetorically if the

Soviet politburo don't have to worry about the ebb and flow of public opinion. They put guns before butter, while we put just about everything before guns".[8]

Thatcher stated that as the Soviet Union had failed in economic and human terms, its only recourse to become a superpower was military means. She stated that she had warned the world before Helskini that the USSR was outspending the US in

sea trade routes. She lamented the loss of British naval bases overseas when the USSR was constructing new bases.[8]

Thatcher referred to the writings of Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn (pictured in 1974)

Thatcher criticised détente as providing only an illusion of safety and noted that it had not prevented Soviet intervention in the

countries turning to socialism. Thatcher referred to contemporary writings by Soviet political writer Konstantin Zarodov and general secretary Leonid Brezhnev advocating bringing about a proletarian revolution across the world. Thatcher stated that if it did not act, Britain might find itself upon "the scrap heap of history".[8]

Thatcher warned that all

per head per year, unfavourably with that of West Germany (£130), France (£115), the US (£215) and neutral Sweden (£160). She urged that this be increased, even though "we are poorer than most of our NATO allies. This is part of the disastrous economic legacy of Socialism".[8]

Thatcher noted that Britain's reputation abroad had declined, stating that "as I travel the world, I find people asking again and again, 'What has happened to Britain?' They want to know why we are hiding our heads in the sand, why with all our experience, we are not giving a lead". She warned that the Soviet-backed

black nationalists)[9] and South African apartheid.[8]

Thatcher and prime minister Robert Muldoon met in Wellington, New Zealand, in September 1976

Thatcher committed her party to follow a foreign policy closely aligned with the US and called for closer ties with European states and the

US ambassador to the UN, Daniel Patrick Moynihan.[8]

Thatcher referred to Britain's position in the

Provisional IRA campaign and the capture of four IRA members in the 1975 Balcombe Street siege).[11][8] At this point Thatcher skipped several pages of her written speech, at the moment she had designated for the purpose in case time was short. The omitted text noted that Britain's economic and military strength had been weakened under Labour's policies and noted that "Soviet military power will not disappear just because we refuse to look at it".[8]

Thatcher concluded her speech by stating that the Conservatives believed Britain was a great country and had the "vital task of shaking the British public out of a long sleep". Her closing sentences were: "There are moments in our history when we have to make a fundamental choice. This is one such moment – a moment when our choice will determine the life or death of our kind of society, – and the future of our children. Let's ensure that our children will have cause to rejoice that we did not forsake their freedom".[8] Part of the speech was broadcast on BBC Radio at 10 pm that night.[8]

Impact

In his biography of Thatcher,

terrorism in Northern Ireland and need more troops in order to win it". British government policy, and the policy adopted by the Conservative Party when they entered government in 1979, was to consider the Northern Ireland situation as a police matter, with the army only deployed (as Operation Banner) to assist the civilian authorities. This would be the last time Thatcher would use such terminology concerning the Troubles, but it may indicate her personal thoughts on the matter.[6] The Soviet ambassador to the United Kingdom, Nikolai Lunkov [ru], lodged an official protest about the tone of the speech.[3]

The

imperial Germany.[1] Gavrilov later noted that the speech marked a turning point in the Soviet Union's approach to the United Kingdom; he recalled that before the speech, Soviet cartoons portrayed Britain as a toothless lion, but afterwards they showed more respect for the nation's power.[1] Komsomolskaya Pravda also reported on the speech and described Thatcher as a "militant amazon".[3] Soviet news agency TASS also used the "Iron Lady" moniker.[13]

Reuters Russian reporter Robert Evans wrote a story on the Soviet press coverage, including Gavrilov's use of the term "Iron Lady", picked up on by Western media outlets. The British press quickly adopted the term and used it as a descriptor of her tough

anti-communist stance.[12] Thatcher regarded the nickname with amusement and pride.[14] In a speech to her constituency Conservative Association on 6 February, Thatcher adopted the nickname, stating: "Yes I am an iron lady, after all it wasn't a bad thing to be an iron duke, yes if that's how they wish to interpret my defence of values and freedoms fundamental to our way of life".[12][15]

Thatcher later became prime minister of the United Kingdom after winning a decisive victory in the

independent nuclear deterrent stood in contrast to Labour's policies during this period. Her premiership also saw the resolution of the Rhodesia question with the formation of an independent Zimbabwe. However, she faced criticism for her refusal to support sanctions on the apartheid regime in South Africa. Thatcher resigned in 1990 after internal party conflicts over her Euroscepticism and the failed implementation of the "poll tax".[2]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Gardiner & Thompson 2013, p. 10.
  2. ^ a b Margaret Thatcher at the Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 7 May 2021.
  3. ^ a b c Byrd 1988, p. 60.
  4. ^ a b "Margaret Thatcher at the National Press Club, September 19, 1975" (PDF). Library of Congress. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  5. ^ "Speech to the National Press Club". Margaret Thatcher Foundation. 19 September 1975. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  6. ^ a b Campbell 2008, p. 419.
  7. ^ Kensington Town Hall on the High Street, 1905. Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Retrieved 8 May 2021.[dead link]
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "Speech at Kensington Town Hall ("Britain Awake") (The Iron Lady)". Margaret Thatcher Foundation. 19 January 1976. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
  9. S2CID 55410556
    .
  10. ^ Gardiner & Thompson 2013, p. 11.
  11. ^ "London Hilton bombing: anatomy of the 1975 IRA attack". The Week UK. 4 September 2015. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  12. ^ a b c Fisher, Max (8 April 2013). "'Irony Lady': How a Moscow propagandist gave Margaret Thatcher her famous nickname". The Washington Post. Retrieved 7 May 2021.
  13. ^ Miller Center Journal 1995, p. 146.
  14. ^ Gardiner & Thompson 2013, p. 12.
  15. ^ "Speech to Finchley Conservatives (admits to being an "Iron Lady")". Margaret Thatcher Foundation. 31 January 1976. Retrieved 10 May 2021.

Works cited

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