 |
| Heseltine walks out of
the Cabinet over Westland |
| 1986: Heseltine quits over
Westland |
England have
The Defence Secretary, Michael Heseltine, has resigned from his Cabinet
job in a row with Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher over the Westland
affair.
Mr Heseltine stormed out of a meeting a Number 10 today saying his
views on the future of the Westland helicopter company were being ignored.
He said the final straw came when Mrs Thatcher insisted all his public
comments on Westland would have to be vetted by officials before being
released.
In a statement to reporters later this afternoon, Mr Heseltine said:
"If the basis of trust between the Prime Minister and her Defence
Secretary no longer exists, there is no place for me with honour in such a
Cabinet."
The row over the company's future has split the Cabinet.
Mr Heseltine was alone among ministers backing a European consortium's
rescue package - while Mrs Thatcher favoured the deal being proposed by
the American Sikorski Fiat group.
Mr Heseltine - with the backing of the Defence committee - claimed the
European deal, which was initially worth more financially, could form the
basis of a strong arms industry to rival the Americans.
Critics claimed the orders were based on aircraft still in the design
stage.
Westland's directors are urging shareholders to back the Sikorski
package.
The American group has now offered to match the European offer.
Its orders are also seen as more secure, because they are linked to
aircraft already in production.
Mrs Thatcher has appointed George Younger to replace Mr Heseltine as
Defence Secretary. Malcolm Rifkind will take over the vacant role of
Secretary of State for Scotland.
Mr Heseltine's sensational departure from his Cabinet role is bound to
fuel rumours that he is aiming for the top job, as Conservative party
leader.
