'Neutralising the Tories': premiers emeritus and Kosovo

Amongst the documents released by The National Archives yesterday was one on the former Yugoslavia: PREM 49/785. It is devoted to the situation in Kosovo and includes material covering two days: 27th and 28th April 1999. 

Within the files is an email from Jonathan Powell, Tony Blair's Chief of Staff, to John Sawers, Blair's Foreign Affairs Adviser. Dated 27 April, headed, 'Major: Kosovo', the email says that Blair asked whether he should see John Major about Kosovo and asks Sawers what he thinks.

Sawers replied, suggesting that Blair ring Major rather than have a meeting with him. Sawers went on, 'The fact is he won't add anything useful, and it is merely a damage limitation exercise - show he is taking counsel from his predecessors and neutralising the Tories. But better done now before it becomes an issue.'

Another premier emeritus was involved in this 'damage limitation exercise', Lady Thatcher. She herself helped with 'neutralising the Tories', or at least those Tories and those on the right who criticised the Kosovo campaign. In her final book Statecraft, Lady Thatcher both praised Blair for his actions and said when some on the right criticised the campaign, she considered it necessary to express publicly the support she had given Blair privately. She did this in a speech to mark the 20th anniversary of entering Downing Street.

Privately, she had visited Blair in Downing Street. She had also written to him and spoken to him over the telephone. The Prime Minister was said to be 'extremely grateful' for Lady Thatcher's 'unstinting support'.

This represented what be might be termed an 'Indian summer' for Lady Thatcher's involvement in the Balkans. Her interventions on the issue had started in 1991. They were to be one of the most important areas of her work after Downing Street.