Labour Scheme
Abolition of the National Dock Labour Scheme announced
Role range: 1979-1990 – 1979-1990
Historical biography archive · Updated 2026-11-03
Margaret Hilda Thatcher Biography and Timeline — Page 13
Follow Margaret Hilda Thatcher through 580 dated historical records for Great Britain.
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, historical timeline
A chronological timeline drawn from matching World History Database records.
580Distinct records
13 of 15Page
1989–1990Years on this page
1989
Anniversary
Celebrates 10 yrs as Prime Minister
Role range: 1979-1990 – 1979-1990
Election
Labour win the Vale of Glamorgan by-election
Role range: 1979-1990 – 1979-1990
Prime Minister of Great Britain
Appointed Economic Adviser to Maragaret Thatcher
Role range: 1979-1989 – 1979-1990
Conference of Madrid
Britain agrees to enter the European Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM) when the 3 convergence conditions are met
Role range: 1979-1990 – 1979-1990
Economy of Great Britain
Britain agrees to enter the European Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM) when the 3 convergence conditions are met
Role range: 1979-1990 – 1979-1990
Conference of Madrid
Lawson & Howe force Thatcher into joining the ERM
Role range: 1979-1990 – 1979-1990
Reform of Government
The Government proposes to legalize the legal profession
Role range: 1979-1990 – 1979-1990
Cabinet
John Major becomes Foreign Secretary. Howe becomes Lord President of the Council, Leader of the Commons & Deputy PM
Role range: 1979-1990 – 1979-1990
Visit to Japan
Thatcher visits Japan
Role range: 1979-1990 – 1979-1990
Economy of Great Britain
Interest rates rise to 15%
Role range: 1979-1990 – 1979-1990
Commonwealth
Thatcher refuses to join Commonwealth sanctions against South Africa
Role range: 1979-1990 – 1979-1990
Sanctions
Thatcher refuses to join Commonwealth sanctions against South Africa
Role range: 1979-1990 – 1979-1990
Resignation of Alan Arthur Walters
Resigns as personal Adviser to Maragaret Thatcher
Role range: 1979-1989 – 1979-1990
Resignation of Nigel Lawson
Lawson resigns as Chabcellor
Role range: 1979-1990 – 1979-1990
Conference of CHOGM
Thatcher delivers her Commons statement on the Kuala Lumpur conference
Role range: 1979-1990 – 1979-1990
Resignation of Nigel Lawson
Thatcher informs Major in private that Lawson is going to resign
Role range: 1979-1990 – 1979-1990
Economy of Great Britain
Major and 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 – 1979-1990
Economy of Great Britain
With UK inflation at three times the rate of Germany's, interest rates at 15% and the "Lawson Boom" about to bust, the conditions for joining the European Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM) were not favourable at that time.
Role range: 1979-1990 – 1979-1990
European Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM)
Major and 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 – 1979-1990
European Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM)
With UK inflation at three times the rate of Germany's, interest rates at 15% and the "Lawson Boom" about to bust, the conditions for joining the European Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM) were not favourable at that time.
Role range: 1979-1990 – 1979-1990
Inflation
With UK inflation at three times the rate of Germany's, interest rates at 15% and the "Lawson Boom" about to bust, the conditions for joining the European Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM) were not favourable at that time
Role range: 1979-1990 – 1979-1990
Commonwealth
The Commonwealth supports sanctions against South Africa, only Britain is opposed
Role range: 1979-1990 – 1979-1990
Conference of CHOGM
The Commonwealth supports sanctions against South Africa, only Britain is opposed
Role range: 1979-1990 – 1979-1990
Election
Defeats Anthony Meyer in the Conservative Party leadersip contest, 313 votes to 33
Role range: 1979-1990 – 1979-1990
Reform of Government
The Broadcasting Bill is published
Role range: 1979-1990 – 1979-1990
Trial
The Commons votes to prosecute war criminals
Role range: 1979-1990 – 1979-1990
Reform of Government
Banks refuse to continue Government plans for student loans
Role range: 1979-1990 – 1979-1990
Foreign Policy Statement at Hong Kong
The Government announces it will grant UK citizenship to 225,000 from Hong Kong
Role range: 1979-1990 – 1979-1990
Economy of Great Britain
There is a clash between Lawson and Alan Walters when the latter claims the ERM is "half baked", Lawson resigns and is replaced by John Major
Role range: 1979-1990 – 1983-1989
European Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM)
Matters come to a head in a clash between Lawson and Thatchers economic adviser Alan Walters, when Walters claims that the European Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM) is "half baked", Lawson resigns as Chancellor to be replaced by John Major
Role range: 1979-1990 – 1983-1989
Health Reform
A White Paper proposes an internal market of self-governing NHS trusts
Role range: 1979-1990 – 1979-1990
Privatization
The Regional Water Companies are sold for 5,110 million pounds
Role range: 1979-1990 – 1979-1990
Reform of Government
A White Paper proposes an internal market of self-governing NHS trusts
Role range: 1979-1990 – 1979-1990
Companies Act
Companies Act 1989 amends company law, audit, and financial reporting rules
Role range: 1979-1990 – 1979-1990
Electricity Act
Electricity Act 1989 restructures and privatises the electricity industry
Role range: 1979-1990 – 1979-1990
Official Secrets Act
Official Secrets Act 1989 replaces parts of earlier secrecy law with specific disclosure offences
Role range: 1979-1990 – 1979-1990
Water Act
Water Act 1989 restructures the water industry and enables water privatisation
Role range: 1979-1990 – 1979-1990
1990
Reform of Local Taxation
The Department of the Environment estimates the Community Charge will average 340 pounds. Dept of the Environment estimates for the Charge are double original estimates
Role range: 1979-1990 – 1979-1990
Strike
The ambulance dispute is settled
Role range: 1979-1990 – 1979-1990
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.