* Courtesy of the author and Wiley *
INTRO
Speeches are made around the world every day, however some speeches resonate with us long after they were made and have brought about great social change. Today I’m pleased to bring you an extract from What She Said – The Art of Inspiring Action Through Speech by Monica Lunin.
I’ve chosen to share ‘the lady’s not for turning’ speech made by former UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher when addressing the Conservative Party in Brighton, UK in 1980. There’s no denying Thatcher was quite the orator, no matter your politics.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sydney-based author Monica Lunin is a communications expert, speaker and writer. She is the co-owner of MOJOLOGIC, a consultancy that specialises in developing the skills of communication, influence and leadership. Monica Lunin has curated and analysed 40 of the greatest speeches made by a diverse group of strong and empowering women throughout history to create What She Said – The Art of Inspiring Action Through Speech.
EXTRACT
In October 1980, Margaret Thatcher delivered a lengthy (40-minute) speech to the Conservative Party Conference in Brighton, UK. She had a lot to say to her fellow party members and provided much to analyse, but this phrase lives on in infamy: ‘the lady’s not for turning’. A twist on The Lady’s Not for Burning, a 1948 play by Christopher Fry about a witchcraft trial, perhaps this phrase is so memorable because it is rather enigmatic and, therefore, interesting.
The mention of former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher’s name will provoke a reaction from most people who have even a little bit of political awareness. This was certainly true in the time she was in power but seems to have evolved into an even deeper legacy of divisiveness. Ideology notwithstanding, Thatcher’s attainment of the top job and the years she held her position were unprecedented, and they remain a standout achievement for a woman in leadership.
Thatcher was known as a committed conservative. Her policies were almost always polarising, but we all knew, and still know, what she stood for. The ‘Iron Lady’ rarely indulged concepts of the left and remained steadfast in her convictions throughout her tenure and her lifetime.
When Thatcher delivered the speech extracted here, she had been in power for about a year and, in that time, unemployment had risen from 1.5 to 2 million people. In addition to facing opposition from the Labour Party and the public, she was also fending off criticism from within her own party. Some conservatives opposed Thatcher’s radical free-market policies. She was under fire.
In this speech – particularly her declaration of strength – Thatcher signals her commitment to the policy she has set in motion. Indeed, most of the speech is about arguing for and defending her strategy. These are words intended to demand the respect she deserves, and encourage her allies to hold the line.
WHAT SHE SAID
“Most of my Cabinet colleagues have started their speeches of reply by paying very well deserved tributes to their junior ministers. Now at Number 10, I have no junior ministers – there’s just Denis [Thatcher] and me, and I could not do without him. I am, however, very fortunate in having a marvellous deputy who is wonderful in all places at all times in all things – Willie Whitelaw.
… When I am asked for a detailed forecast of what will happen in the coming months or years, I remember Sam Goldwyn’s advice: ‘Never prophesy, especially about the future.’ Nevertheless — Nevertheless —
[Heckler interjects.]
Never mind – it’s wet outside. I expect they wanted to come in. You cannot blame them; it is always better where the Tories are. And you – and perhaps they – will be looking to me this afternoon for an indication of how the Government sees the task before us and why we are tackling it the way we are.
… It was Anthony Eden who chose for us the goal of a ‘property- owning democracy’. But for all the time that I’ve been in public affairs that has been beyond the reach of so many who were denied the right to the most basic ownership of all – the homes in which they live. They wanted to buy. Many could afford to buy. But they happened to live under the jurisdiction of a Socialist council, which would not sell and did not believe in the independence that comes with ownership. Now Michael Heseltine has given them the chance to turn a dream into reality. And all this, Mr Chairman, and a lot more, in seventeen months. The Left continues to refer with relish to the death of capitalism. Well, if this is the death of capitalism, I must say it is quite a way to go.
But all this will avail us little unless we achieve our prime economic objective: the defeat of inflation. Inflation destroys nations and societies as surely as invading armies do. Inflation is the parent of unemployment. It is the unseen robber of those who have saved. No policy which puts at risk the defeat of inflation – however great its short-term attraction – can be right. Our policy for the defeat of inflation is, in fact, traditional. It existed long before Sterling M3 embellished the Bank of England Quarterly Bulletin, or ‘monetarism’ became a convenient term of political invective.
… If I could press a button and genuinely solve the unemployment problem, do you think that I would not press that button this instant? Does anyone imagine that there is the smallest political gain in letting this unemployment continue, or that there is some obscure economic religion which demands this level of unemployment as part of its ritual?
… So what can stop us from achieving this? What then stands in our way? The prospect of another winter of discontent? I suppose it might.
But I prefer to believe that certain lessons have been learnt from experience, that we are coming slowly, painfully, to an autumn of understanding. And I hope that it will be followed by a winter of commonsense. If it is not, we shall not be diverted from our course.
To those waiting with bated breath for that favourite media catchphrase the ‘U’ turn, I have only one thing to say. ‘You turn if you want to. The lady’s not for turning.’ I say that not only to you but to our friends overseas, and also to those who are not our friends.
… I have always known that that task was vital. Since last week it has become even more vital than ever. We close our Conference in the aftermath of that sinister Utopia unveiled at Blackpool. Let Labour’s Orwellian nightmare of the Left be the spur for us to dedicate with a new urgency our every ounce of energy and moral strength to rebuild the fortunes of this free nation.
If we were to fail, that freedom could be imperilled. So let us resist the blandishments of the faint hearts; let us ignore the howls and threats of the extremists; let us stand together and do our duty. And we shall not fail.
HOW SHE DID THAT
Handle the hecklers
Early in Margaret Thatcher’s speech, she faced an interruption from the floor. This came from a protester who had breached security and entered the hall, shouting ‘Power to the workers. Tories out!’
Thatcher used this as an opportunity to ad lib a retort:
Never mind – it’s wet outside. I expect they wanted to come in. You cannot blame them; it is always better where the Tories are. And you – and perhaps they – will be looking to me this afternoon for an indication of how the Government sees the task before us and why we are tackling it the way we are.
Her response shows a certain level of comfort in her position at the podium. While her speech was no doubt fully prepared, such off-the-cuff refutations are a sign of oratorical skill.
Thatcher was no comedian but this technique of pausing midstream to directly engage with a heckler is something you might see in a comedy club. Sometimes you can gain more ground by facing off than by raising your voice over the dissenters and refusing to be interrupted. Thatcher saw an opening for a joke and she took it.
Choose your moment. If interruptions persist, you may need to take them on directly. Look out for opportunities to win support and release the tension with a touch of humour.
Use metaphor
Typically, Margaret Thatcher is light on the use of metaphor. And this speech is no exception. Her persona is pragmatic and her rhetoric is generally aligned to that identity. However, Thatcher indulges sparingly in this particularly effective rhetorical flourish, which certainly enhances the speech.
She refers to the potential for ‘another winter of discontent’ but then disputes this metaphor, going on to say,
But I prefer to believe that certain lessons have been learnt from experience, that we are coming slowly, painfully, to an autumn of understanding. And I hope that it will be followed by a winter of commonsense. If it is not, we shall not be diverted from our course.
In highlighting the successes of the party, Margaret Thatcher is diligent in mentioning those involved by name. She begins by thanking her husband, Denis Thatcher, and mentions her deputy, Willie Whitelaw. In the full version of the speech (see Sources), she also mentions the budget created by Geoffrey Howe, and then goes on to share the limelight with multiple players, including Jim Prior, Keith Joseph, David Howell, John Nott and Norman Fowler. She also acknowledges Michael Heseltine, Anthony Eden, Lord Carrington – and the list goes on.This speech is just one example of hundreds delivered by Thatcher in her many years in politics. It is a good example of her ‘speechcraft’ – in which she uses the podium, as all politicians must, to reiterate and reinforce her platform, to whip up support among her own party and knock back her opponents.Observing the arc of Thatcher’s poise and presence is also interesting. If you were to watch the speeches from her early years in politics, you would see a very different style. A similar commitment to learning and practising the craft will benefit you and what you seek to achieve, now and in the long term.
Edited extract from What She Said: The Art of Inspiring Action Through Speech (Wiley $29.95) by Monica Lunin.
CONCLUSION
I hope you were inspired by this speech and managed to gain some insight into the force that was Former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. Is there a speech from history that has inspired you?
Monica Lunin is a communications expert, speaker and writer based in Sydney Australia. She is the co-owner of MOJOLOGIC, a consultancy that specialises in developing the skills of communication, influence and leadership.
Her fascination with communication can be traced back to school and university when she was an avid debater and public speaker. Her academic pursuits in political science and international relations gave way to a career in business – and the power of persuasion has always permeated her view of the world.