ABSTRACT
Despite the mandate given to Mrs Thatcher with her massive 144 majority in the 1983 general election, she was unable to ensure that her second administration began with the conviction and energy she hoped for, as a series of embarrassments was to buffet the government. The United States claimed a special interest in the problem and on 25 October American soldiers invaded Grenada, capturing the coup leaders and ending the Communist regime. Grenada was a member of the Commonwealth and the Queen was the Head of State, but Britain’s supposed closest ally had made no serious attempt to take the views of the British government into account before deciding to invade. Mrs Thatcher felt uneasy about Tebbit’s growing popularity and independence, and therefore appointed David Young, to Central Office to keep an eye on him. Through continued disagreement, Tebbit and Young earned the name of ’Margaret’s squabbling seconds’, and they even employed rival advertising agencies to produce election material.
