Yahoo News Margaret Thatcher's famous Bruges speech was to have been much more critical before it was toned down
Margaret Thatcher's famous Bruges speech on the future of Europe was actually toned down and would have been much more critical, her private papers have shown for the first time.
The 1988 speech, credited as a turning point towards Euroscepticism, had never been intended as the attack it was received as and personal references to Jacques Delors, then President of the European Commission, and “Euro waffle” were removed, drafts show.
Furthermore, it has emerged that it was largely written by a Europhile, Hugh Thomas, who was “disappointed” with the reaction as it was seen as an an attack by Mrs Thatcher on the European project.
The prime minister was in a fact an ardent supporter of the single market and the speech was “not anti Europe it is anti-Federal”, historian Chris Collins or the Margaret Thatcher foundation said.
Delivered in September 1988 to the College of Europe, it was received as an attack on the EEC threat that Britain would not cede any power to its institutions.
I think that she was trying to avoid a head on collision, a personalising of the issue
historian Chris Collins
"I think it is still true, as a historical fact, that this begins the trend towards a more Eurosceptical outcome," Mr Collins said. "It was the beginning of that trend in Conservative thinking, it is a new turn in the road.”
Mrs Thatcher’s personal papers, released by the Margaret Thatcher Archive Trust under the 30 years rule and held at the Churchill Archives Centre, show how the speech developed.
One draft shows she removed a paragraph referring to "Euro waffle", which it was feared would upset Mr Delors who was due to be in the audience and giving a speech ten minutes after her.
His name, which had appeared in the first draft, was removed completely as were direct references to the Commission which are changed to the Community
Mr Collins said: “I think that she was trying to avoid a head on collision, a personalising of the issue.”
Despite her attempt to appease her audience, Mr Delors was given a copy in advance and refused to attend while several European Commissioners gave critical responses in public.
After the speech, she met Denis Thatcher and drove to Brussels and had a brief audience with the King, followed by dinner with the Belgian Prime Minister and assorted cabinet members. There was a row with the veteran Belgian Foreign Minister who made a federalist comment, letters show.
Mr Collins said: “Margaret Thatcher was always punctilious about thank you letters. Careful study of her files suggests she did not send one to the Belgian Prime Minister after the dinner he gave her in Brussels.”
A selection of the documents can be read at www.margaretthatcher.org.
