ABSTRACT
Ian Gow acted as Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to Margaret Thatcher during her fi rst term as UK Prime Minister and in that capacity he became a close confi dante, but following the 1983 General Election he was made Minister of Housing and was replaced as PPS by Michael Alison. However he missed life at Downing Street and Thatcher missed their intimate and informal discussions on matters of moment, so a pattern developed whereby he would call at No. 10 for a drink and a chat once the business of the day was done. Stealthily, through these conversations, Gow planted the idea that a Prime Minister’s Department (PMD) should be created with him (naturally) as her ministerial assistant in Cabinet.
