Bernard & Maggie.

FORTY years ago come Saturday my fascinating life became very interesting indeed. Margaret Thatcher became our first woman Prime Minister. You could have knocked me down with a ballot paper when five months later I was installed as her Chief Press Secretary.

While I had worked successfully for Tory ministers Robert Carr, Maurice Macmillan and Lord Carrington. in between Labour’s Barbara Castle and Tony Benn, I never expected to be sent to No 10 to work for her.

Bernard Ingham: Brexit is the inevitable consequence of ignoring Margaret Thatcher’s speech at Bruges 30 years ago.