PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Westland. End of the line for British helicopters?
Old 18th May 2004 | 23:38
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Flying Lawyer
 
Joined: Jul 2000
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From: London
No.

Heseltine resigned as Defence Secretary (and from the Cabinet) as a matter of principle over the Westland affair.
He fought hard backing a rescue package by a European consortium; Thatcher and the majority of the Cabinet backed a Sikorsky deal.
Thatcher ordered that anything he proposed saying about Westland had to be checked/approved by officials first.
Heseltine thought that was unacceptable given that he was Secretary of State for Defence, felt he couldn't comply with the instruction with honour, and resigned.

People resigning as a matter of honour and principle?
Remember those days?
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