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expremiers.bsky.social
Peter Just
@expremiers.bsky.social
110 followers 190 following 410 posts
Peter Just posting about UK former prime ministers.

Author of 'Margaret Thatcher: Life after Downing Street' - coming via @bitebackpublishing.bsky.social in July 2025.

#ThatcherAfterDowningStreet #ExPremiers #AfterDowningStreet
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expremiers.bsky.social
Peter Just @expremiers.bsky.social · Oct 5
🧵 What do Prime Ministers do once out of office?

🚨 It's often not what you think.

📘 'Margaret Thatcher: Life After Downing Street' explodes the myths that have surrounded her ex-premiership.

🔍 It also provides a framework in which to study the Office of Former Prime Minister.

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A book cover featuring an image of Margaret Thatcher. It reads, 'Margaret Thatcher: Life After Downing Street', Peter Just. There is a quote from Andrew Roberts, 'A joy to read'.
expremiers.bsky.social
🚨 Charles Moore's magisterial official biography was an invaluable resource when I was writing 'Margaret Thatcher: Life After Downing Street'.

😍 So I was delighted to see this on Amazon recently.

📘 If you don't have it, you can get my book here:
www.bitebackpublishing.com/books/margar...
Screenshot of an Amazon webpage highlighting that 'Margaret Thatcher: Life After Downing Street' and Charles Moore's single volume biography of Margaret Thatcher are frequently bought together.
November 14, 2025 at 7:23 AM
expremiers.bsky.social
🗓️ #OTD in 1997, Margaret Thatcher spoke at Sir James Goldsmith's memorial service:
www.margaretthatcher.org/document/108...

📘 'Margaret Thatcher: Life After Downing Street' has more on her attendance at such services:
www.bitebackpublishing.com/books/margar...

#Thatcher #Thatcher100
Extract from Margaret Thatcher's speech at Sir James Goldsmith's memorial service on 13 November 1997.
November 13, 2025 at 7:27 AM
expremiers.bsky.social
🗓️ 'Margaret envisages herself as Laurence Olivier playing the part of Henry V before the Battle of Agincourt,' so said Lord Cockfield #OTD in 1992.

📘 'Margaret Thatcher: Life After Downing Street' has more on this actressy side of her character:
www.bitebackpublishing.com/books/margar...
Lord (Arthur) Cockfield on Margaret Thatcher in 1992: 'I have always said that Margaret envisages herself as Laurence Olivier playing the part of Henry V before the Battle of Agincourt.'
November 12, 2025 at 6:01 AM
expremiers.bsky.social
🚨 On Remembrance Day, some words of Ed Miliband's about Margaret Thatcher from 2013.

🗣️ 'I will always remember seeing her at the Cenotaph in frail health but determined to pay her respect to our troops and do her duty by the country.'

#Thatcher #Thatcher100 #MargaretThatcher #RemembranceDay
An extract from Ed Miliband's tribute to Margaret Thatcher in the House of Commons on 10 April 2013.
November 11, 2025 at 6:58 AM
expremiers.bsky.social
💥 Publication alert!

😊 Delighted to have a chapter in this @lordnortonlouth.bsky.social and Matt Beech edited volume.

📘 'The Elgar Companion to Margaret Thatcher' inspired 'Margaret Thatcher: Life After Downing Street'.

🛒 Order a copy here:
www.e-elgar.com/shop/gbp/elg...

#Thatcher #Thatcher100
Cover of 'Elgar Companion to Margaret Thatcher' edited by Philip Norton and Matt Beech.
November 10, 2025 at 7:03 AM
expremiers.bsky.social
🚨 On Remembrance Sunday, a reminder of something 'a little delicate' from 1975, featuring the placings of Margaret Thatcher and Edward Heath at the Cenotaph.

#RemembranceDay #RemembranceSunday #RembranceDay2025 #Cenotaph #MargaretThatcher #EdwardHeath

premiersemeritus.blogspot.com/2024/11/a-li...
‘A little delicate’: the 1975 Cenotaph Service
One of the most arresting images of former prime ministers is the annual National Service of Remembrance at the Cenotaph. This year’s was no...
premiersemeritus.blogspot.com
November 9, 2025 at 8:18 AM
expremiers.bsky.social
🗣️ 'I had a budget deficit. I was very tough on expenditure. I knew the art of saying “no.”'

🗓️ Margaret Thatcher #OTD in 1993:
www.margaretthatcher.org/document/108...

📘 'Margaret Thatcher: Life After Downing Street' covers her speeches:
www.bitebackpublishing.com/books/margar...
Extract from a speech by Margaret Thatcher to the Fraser Institute on 8 November 1993. Finally, one little postscript. (They say a woman's postscript is always the most important thing.) I have to tell you that if your task is to get your expenditure down, because you've got too big a budget deficit, it is quite possible, provided you have politicians with conviction at the head. I had a budget deficit. I was very tough on expenditure. I knew the art of saying “no.” And whatever the demands for increased expenditure, I said if you want to do this, then someone else must yield up some other expenditure because I'm sure some of you in your departments have got quite a bit that we don't need to have. The result was that in my last four years, we had a budget surplus in each year, and therefore, redeemed some of the debt that our forebears had built up. I commend this course of action to you.
November 8, 2025 at 7:27 AM
expremiers.bsky.social
🗣️ 'She'll be like Margaret Thatcher, she'll be brilliant.'

🗓️ So said Sir Geoffrey Boycott about Theresa May on this day in 2016.

📘 'Margaret Thatcher: Life After Downing Street' has more on the Thatcher/May comparisons:
www.bitebackpublishing.com/books/margar...

news.sky.com/story/theres...
Theresa May is 'like Thatcher' says ex-cricketer Geoffrey Boycott
The former England captain says the Prime Minister has "integrity and principles" and will be "brilliant" like Margaret Thatcher.
news.sky.com
November 7, 2025 at 8:30 AM
expremiers.bsky.social
🚨 ‘I count myself as America’s most devoted friend.’

✍🏻 So wrote Margaret Thatcher to President Elect Bill Clinton on this day in 1992.

📘You can read more about her in America in 'Margaret Thatcher: Life After Downing Street':
www.bitebackpublishing.com/books/margar...

#Thatcher #Thatcher100
Letter from Margaret Thatcher to President Elect Bill Clinton dated 6 November 1992. Letter from Margaret Thatcher to President Elect Bill Clinton dated 6 November 1992.
November 6, 2025 at 7:02 AM
expremiers.bsky.social
📢 'A fascinating and illuminating read'.

😊 Delighted to see John Whittingdale's @politicshome.bsky.social review of 'Margaret Thatcher: Life After Downing Street'.

✅ 'thoroughly researched'
✅ 'both enjoyable and illuminating'
✅ 'generally balanced and fair'

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www.politicshome.com/opinion/arti...
'Fails to capture the woman I knew': Review of 'Margaret Thatcher: Life After Downing Street'
Although a fascinating and illuminating read, Peter Just’s book is a missed opportunity
www.politicshome.com
November 5, 2025 at 6:49 AM
expremiers.bsky.social
😊 Pleased to attend University of Buckingham, @iealondon.bsky.social & Thatcher Centre No Turning Back Group event.

😱 When Margaret Thatcher accepted a Group position in 1991 it caused angst.

📘 'Margaret Thatcher: Life After Downing Street' has more
www.bitebackpublishing.com/books/margar...
Cover of Dr Tim Aker's pamphlet 'Popular Individualism An Introduction to the No Turning Back Group, 1985-90'. Cover of Dr Tim Aker's pamphlet 'Popular Individualism An Introduction to the No Turning Back Group, 1985-90'.
November 4, 2025 at 7:15 AM
expremiers.bsky.social
📷 John Boyd-Carpenter, Margaret Thatcher's first ministerial boss.

🗓️ On this day in 1998 she spoke at his memorial service:
www.margaretthatcher.org/document/109...

📘 She went to 100+ after 1990 as noted in 'Margaret Thatcher: Life After Downing Street':
www.bitebackpublishing.com/books/margar...
Margaret Thatcher and John-Boyd Carpenter sat next to each other in the early 1960s.
November 3, 2025 at 6:56 AM
expremiers.bsky.social
💥 #ParliamentAfterDowningStreet research news flash!

🗣️ In just one year Rishi Sunak has intervened in Parliament more than 6 other ex-PMs since 1955.

🚨 Incredibly, his 22 average interventions per session (to date) are beaten only by Jim Callaghan (26) & Theresa May (25).
A table by Peter Just (@exPremiers) highlighting the number of times former UK prime ministers have intervened in Parliament after Downing Street since 1955.
November 2, 2025 at 12:31 PM
expremiers.bsky.social
🌟 'The Iron Lady returns home'

📰 On this day in 2010, the headlines about Margaret Thatcher leaving hospital played up to her iconography.

📘 For more on this 'iconography of illness', get your copy of 'Margaret Thatcher: Life After Downing Street':
www.bitebackpublishing.com/books/margar...
A Daily Mirror headline from 2 December 2010 reading, 'Maggie, Maggie...out, out...out' next to a photograph of Margaret Thatcher. A Daily Telegraph headlined from 2 December 2010 reading, The Iron Lady returns home'.
November 2, 2025 at 8:10 AM
expremiers.bsky.social
😂 Absolutely ❤️ the editorial warning on this Margaret Thatcher Foundation #Thatcher100 webpage:
www.margaretthatcher.org/node/244287

📢 'Editorial warning: This selection is designed for dipping. Anyone tempted to work through the entire list at a single sitting should seek medical advice.'
Screenshot of a page from the Margaret Thatcher Foundation website marking her 100th birthday. https://www.margaretthatcher.org/node/244287
November 1, 2025 at 6:18 PM
expremiers.bsky.social
🗓️ #OTD in 2010, Gordon Brown made his first Commons speech as an ex-PM and Margaret Thatcher left hospital.

📰 But which of the ex-PMs was the most newsworthy?

📘 'Margaret Thatcher: Life After Downing Street' has the answer:
www.bitebackpublishing.com/books/margar...

#Thatcher100 #Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher and Gordon Brown stood outside 10 Downing Street in 2007.
November 1, 2025 at 7:18 AM
expremiers.bsky.social
📢 'She achieved a career first - by saying nothing controversial,' so wrote Nicholas Watt about Margaret Thatcher #OTD in 2002.

📘 Find out more in 'Margaret Thatcher: Life After Downing Street':
www.bitebackpublishing.com/books/margar...

#Thatcher100 #Thatcher
www.theguardian.com/politics/200...
Mummy returns ... again
Brief public speech from Thatcher.
www.theguardian.com
October 31, 2025 at 7:09 AM
expremiers.bsky.social
📰 'John Major tells Tories alliance with Reform would be "beyond stupid"'.

🚨 Another intervention from John Major.

#JohnMajor #ExPremiers #AfterDowningStreet

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
John Major tells Tories alliance with Reform would be ‘beyond stupid’
Former PM says a pact would destroy the Conservatives for good and urges them not to desert centre ground
www.theguardian.com
October 29, 2025 at 8:34 AM
expremiers.bsky.social
🥳 'Margaret Thatcher: Life After Downing Street' was published 3 months ago today!

🛒 If you don't have a copy yet, you can get one at your local bookshop or online:
www.bitebackpublishing.com/books/margar...

🫵🏻🫵🏾🫵🏿 If you do have a copy, we hope you enjoy it!

#Thatcher #Thatcher100 #MargaretThatcher
A book cover featuring an image of Margaret Thatcher. It reads, 'Margaret Thatcher: Life After Downing Street', Peter Just. There is a quote from Andrew Roberts, 'A joy to read'.
October 29, 2025 at 7:13 AM
expremiers.bsky.social
🚨 ‘The Prime Minister advised him not to tell Lady Thatcher that': John Major to Li Peng.

🇨🇳 With China in the news 'Margaret Thatcher: Life After Downing Street' has the low-down on how Margaret Thatcher dealt with Chinese leaders after 1990:
www.bitebackpublishing.com/books/margar...

#Thatcher
Extract from 'Margaret Thatcher: Life After Downing Street': From some of the contemporary and later commentary on Lady Thatcher’s dealings with Li Peng, there is a sense of her toying with him, with Li being unsure how to respond to her. In February 1996, he even received advice from John Major on how to handle her, or rather on how to not handle her. In their bilateral meeting on 29 February, Li told Major that he was limited to two terms of office of five years each and that he thought that this was more democratic than the British system. ‘The Prime Minister advised him not to tell Lady Thatcher that,’ the Foreign Office telegram about the meeting records.
October 28, 2025 at 6:52 AM
expremiers.bsky.social
⭐️ 'She always looked fantastic'.

🎧 Brilliant Daily T Podcast with Carol Thatcher.

📘 'Margaret Thatcher: Life After Downing Street' covers Lady Thatcher's post-prime ministerial wardrobe:
www.bitebackpublishing.com/books/margar...

#Thatcher100 #Thatcher

www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYBv...
October 27, 2025 at 7:19 AM
expremiers.bsky.social
🚨 'Occupational hazard' was how Edward Heath was described by someone close to Margaret Thatcher in 1991.

📰 Does Rishi Sunak have the same view about Liz Truss?

📘 The Thatcher-Heath 'feud' is covered in 'Margaret Thatcher: Life After Downing Street':
www.bitebackpublishing.com/books/margar...
Screenshot of a tweet by Liz Truss. Over a headline of an article by Rishi Sunak, which reads 'If you want growth, don't put up taxes', Truss has written, 'Should have taken his own advice'.
October 26, 2025 at 8:27 AM
expremiers.bsky.social
💥 Margaret Thatcher news flash!

📘 'Margaret Thatcher: Life After Downing Street' and @iaindale.bsky.social's 'Memories of Maggie' are currently on offer!

🛍️ Get both for £20 and enjoy some myth-busting, rip-roaring tales of one extraordinary woman:
www.bitebackpublishing.com/books/margar...
The 'Margaret Thatcher: Life After Downing Street' and 'Memories of Maggie' books next to one another under the banner 'Buy 1 Get 1 Free'.
October 25, 2025 at 6:21 AM
expremiers.bsky.social
🌎 #ThatcherAfterDowningStreetOnTour update!

📘 'Margaret Thatcher: Life After Downing Street' has recently been spotted in:
🇬🇧 Hastings
🇬🇧 Clapham
🇬🇧 Selby
🇬🇧 Leeds

🗺️ Check out the map for more details:
www.google.com/maps/d/viewe...

#Thatcher #Thatcher100 #MargaretThatcher #ExPremiers

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A copy of 'Margaret Thatcher: Life After Downing Street' on a bookshelf. A copy of 'Margaret Thatcher: Life After Downing Street'. A copy of 'Margaret Thatcher: Life After Downing Street' next to a dog. A copy of 'Margaret Thatcher: Life After Downing Street' on a bookshelf.
October 24, 2025 at 8:22 AM
expremiers.bsky.social
🗓️ #OTD in 1993 @privateeyenews.bsky.social renamed itself 'Private Hype' in honour of Margaret Thatcher's memoirs.

📘 For more on the memoirs, including revelations from The National Archives, get your copy of 'Margaret Thatcher: Life After Downing Street':
www.bitebackpublishing.com/books/margar...
Cover of Private Eye from 22 October 1993. It has been titled 'Private Hype' and features four photographs of Margaret Thatcher making comments about her memoirs.
October 22, 2025 at 6:14 AM