Home Secretary of Great Britain
Appointed Home Secretary
Role range: 1979-1992 – 1985-1989
Historical biography archive · Updated 2026-11-03
Douglas Richard Hurd Biography and Timeline
Follow Douglas Richard Hurd through 17 dated historical records for Great Britain.
Douglas Richard Hurd, historical timeline
A chronological timeline drawn from matching World History Database records.
17Distinct records
1 of 1Page
1985–1993Years on this page
1985
1989
Foreign Secretary of Great Britain
Appointed Foreign Minister
Role range: 1979-1990 – 1989-1995
Economy of Great Britain
Major & Hurd convince the Cabinet to sign Britain up to the European Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM) effectively guaranteeing that the British Government would follow a policy preventing the pound and other member currencies from fluctuating by more than 6%
Role range: 1979-1990 – 1989-1995
European Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM)
Major & Hurd convince the Cabinet to sign Britain up to the European Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM) effectively guaranteeing that the British Government would follow a policy preventing the pound and other member currencies from fluctuating by more than 6%
Role range: 1979-1990 – 1989-1995
Election
Announces intention to stand in the 2nd round of the Conservative Party leadership
Role range: 1979-1990 – 1989-1995
Election
Heseltine & Hurd stand down from the party leadership contest. 2nd round leadership ballot, Major wins 185 votes, Heseltine 131 & Hurd 56
Role range: 1979-1990 – 1989-1995
1990
Treaty of Moscow
Britain joins the Allies & east & West Germany in a final settlement with Germany
Role range: 1979-1990 – 1989-1995
Election
In the second leadership ballot John Major receives 185 votes, Michael Heseltine 131 and Douglas Hurd 56; Heseltine and Hurd subsequently withdraw.
Role range: 1979-1990 – 1989-1995
Foreign Secretary of Great Britain
Appointed Foreign Secretary
Role range: 1990-1997 – 1989-1995
Channel Tunnel
The 2 halves of the Channel tunnel are joined
Role range: 1979-1990 – 1989-1995
1991
Treaty of Maastricht
Supports Britain's intergovernmental approach to foreign-policy cooperation during the Luxembourg talks.
Role range: 1991-1993 – 1989-1995
Treaty of Maastricht
Hurd represents British foreign-policy interests as the final Maastricht negotiations open.
Role range: 1991-1993 – 1989-1995
Treaty of Maastricht
Hurd helps finalise Britain's intergovernmental safeguards in foreign and security policy.
Role range: 1991-1993 – 1989-1995
1992
British Treaty Signature
Confirms the negotiated British position including treaty opt-outs.
Role range: 1991-1993 – 1989-1995
Treaty of Maastricht
Signs the Treaty on European Union for Great Britain as Foreign Secretary.
Role range: 1991-1993 – 1989-1995
Treaty of Maastricht
Hurd helps defend Britain's Maastricht opt-outs while the Edinburgh European Council concludes.
Role range: 1991-1993 – 1989-1995
1993
Treaty of Maastricht
Serves as Foreign Secretary when Maastricht takes effect and Britain enters the new European Union framework.
Role range: 1991-1993 – 1989-1995
Records, sources and methodology
These dates and descriptions come from the historical_events database. Exact duplicate records have been collapsed. Names are grouped by the country, Name 2 and Name 1 fields; records with missing Name 2 cannot be reliably assigned to an individual biography. Check the underlying sources before formal citation.