Uk Confidential

Martha Kearney reviews today's release of secret government files from the mid 1980s.

The year long miners' strike came to an end in 1985, but social unrest continued with riots in London leaving a policeman dead in Tottenham. Football hooliganism burgeoned, resulting in horrific scenes at the European Cup Final in Heysel when 39 people died during violent riots before the Liverpool/Juventus match.

Mikhail Gorbachev became Soviet leader and Oleg Gordievsky was one of a number of high profile Russian defectors to Britain. As nuclear arms talks between the Soviet Union and the United States made a tentative start, a catastrophic accident at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine released radioactive particles over much of the Western USSR.

A row in Cabinet over the future of Westland helicopters resulted in Michael Heseltine's resignation as Defence Secretary in early 1986. A Cabinet Committee considered government policy on AIDS for the first time, and several Whitehall departments collaborated to develop what became the 'Poll Tax'.

As the official Cabinet papers of the mid-80s are opened to the public for the first time, Martha Kearney discovers how these events were viewed in Government. With access to the Prime Minister's personal correspondence, minutes of top secret meetings and telephone calls, and confidential policy advice, UK Confidential offers fresh insights into history.

Martha is joined in the studio by key political players from the time - Defence Secretary Lord (Michael) Heseltine, Shadow Chancellor Lord (Roy) Hattersley, Margaret Thatcher's private secretary Lord (Charles) Powell, and Channel 4 Political Correspondent Elinor Goodman.

Produced by Deborah Dudgeon
A Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4.

Martha Kearney reviews the release of secret government files from the mid 1980s.

Martha Kearney and guests reveal the truth behind previously secret government files

On the 70th anniversary of the NHS, Martha Kearney offers a fresh perspective on its creation as she opens up the files held at The National Archives and delves into the secret government papers of the time.

Home Intelligence reports were compiled from the censorship of the post, letters to the BBC and conversations in pubs as reported by regional intelligence officers. They urged ministers to reflect public fears of any "shilly-shallying" over the implementation of the Beveridge Report in 1942.

Verbatim notes from cabinet discussions divulge the tension within the war time Conservative dominated coalition government over its public stance on the report: "We didn't come into this Government on the basis only of dealing with War."

In 1945, after a Labour landslide at the first post-war General Election, the new left-wing firebrand health minister Aneurin Bevan ushers in major changes, while pushing back against cautious cabinet colleagues. "Here is our chance to do something big," he says, "Are we to sacrifice that chance for fear of the parish pump?"

After a very public spat between Bevan and the British Medical Association, the NHS is born on 5th July 1948. However, funding challenges immediately befell the service and the cabinet's attempts to deal with it are revealed: "We did stop one Dane from getting an artificial leg for nothing."

Producer: Kate Dixon
A Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4.

Martha Kearney looks at the arguments over creating the NHS in wartime government papers.

Martha Kearney and guests reveal the truth behind previously secret government files

On the 70th anniversary of the NHS, Martha Kearney offers a fresh perspective on its creation as she opens up the files held at The National Archives and delves into the secret government papers of the time.

Home Intelligence reports were compiled from the censorship of the post, letters to the BBC and conversations in pubs as reported by regional intelligence officers. They urged ministers to reflect public fears of any "shilly-shallying" over the implementation of the Beveridge Report in 1942.

Verbatim notes from cabinet discussions divulge the tension within the war time Conservative dominated coalition government over its public stance on the report: "We didn't come into this Government on the basis only of dealing with War."

In 1945, after a Labour landslide at the first post-war General Election, the new left-wing firebrand health minister Aneurin Bevan ushers in major changes, while pushing back against cautious cabinet colleagues. "Here is our chance to do something big," he says, "Are we to sacrifice that chance for fear of the parish pump?"

After a very public spat between Bevan and the British Medical Association, the NHS is born on 5th July 1948. However, funding challenges immediately befell the service and the cabinet's attempts to deal with it are revealed: "We did stop one Dane from getting an artificial leg for nothing."

Producer: Kate Dixon
A Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4.

Martha Kearney looks at the arguments over creating the NHS in wartime government papers.

Martha Kearney and guests reveal the truth behind previously secret government files

Martha Kearney with the newly declassified documents telling the stories of Britons persecuted by Nazi Germany.

In 1964, the UK and West Germany signed an agreement that enabled British victims of Nazi oppression to seek compensation. The total fund was limited to just £1,000,000, and the criteria were strict - only those who had spent time in "concentration camps or similar institutions", and who could prove it, would be awarded cash sums.

A special unit was set up within the Foreign Office to process claims. Soon, they were dealing with thousands of applications, some seeking redress for their own ordeals, others hoping to gain acknowledgment of the suffering of their deceased loved ones. There were applications from prisoners of war, from Jews - both British-born and those who had become naturalised Britons since the end of the war - and from ordinary men and women who had become caught up in the wave of Nazi oppression that engulfed Europe more than 20 years before.

The documents these applicants submitted in support of their claims have lain unseen in Foreign Office archives for 50 years.

Now, as the files are finally released, Martha Kearney and expert guests review them, and we hear the reaction of family and friends on seeing them for the first time.

Graphic accounts of torture and maltreatment mix with tales of great courage and fortitude. Those who survived years in concentration camps provide unflinching evidence of systematic Nazi brutality. There are stories of families tragically divided, and of acts of remarkable heroism, some already well-known, others that have remained unheralded.

A Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4.

Newly declassified documents tell the stories of Britons persecuted by Nazi Germany.

Martha Kearney and guests reveal the truth behind previously secret government files

Stories will include the Lib Lab pact, the question of when to go for a general election, the rise of Margaret Thatcher, back bench rebellions, nuclear power to Iran and the Silver Jubilee.

~Uk Confidential includes extracts from papers read by actors, discussion with studio guests, and reports compiled by correspondents. With contributions from Michael Foot, Lord Steel, Baroness Williams and Lord Donoghue, an economic overview of the year by Newsnight's Economics Editor Stephanie Flanders and the Today programme's Jon Manel presents a special report. Studio guests include Lord Owen and Anthony Howard.

A Whistledown Production for BBC Radio 4, in association with Takeaway Media.

Producer: Emily Williams.

Martha Kearney and guests revisit 1977 through previously classified government documents.

Martha Kearney and guests reveal the truth behind previously secret government files

Martha Kearney presents a look at the political events of 1977, as told through the Cabinet minutes, Foreign Office documents and other Government papers that are released under the thirty year rule at the end of the year.

Stories will include the Lib Lab pact, the question of when to go for a general election, the rise of Margaret Thatcher, back bench rebellions, nuclear power to Iran and the Silver Jubilee.

~Uk Confidential includes extracts from papers read by actors, discussion with studio guests, and reports compiled by correspondents. With contributions from Michael Foot, Lord Steel, Baroness Williams and Lord Donoghue, an economic overview of the year by Newsnight's Economics Editor Stephanie Flanders and the Today programme's Jon Manel presents a special report. Studio guests include Lord Owen and Anthony Howard.

A Whistledown Production for BBC Radio 4, in association with Takeaway Media.

Producer: Emily Williams.

Martha Kearney and guests revisit 1977 through previously classified government documents.

Martha Kearney and guests reveal the truth behind previously secret government files

The secret government files from 1978 have been transferred to the National Archives in Kew, West London and opened to the public. UK CONFIDENTIAL is granted advance access and the team have been sifting through the files, full of phone transcripts, secret minutes and hand written notes.

Joining Martha Kearney is Roy Hattersley (the then Labour secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection), David Owen (the then Foreign Secretary), Tom McNally who was Senior Adviser to Jim Callaghan, Leon Brittan (the then Conservative front-bencher) and Matthew Parris who was working in Margaret Thatcher's Research Unit.

A Whistledown Production for BBC Radio 4, in association with Takeaway Media.

Producer: Emily Williams.

Martha Kearney and guests revisit 1978 through previously classified government documents.

Martha Kearney and guests reveal the truth behind previously secret government files

Domestic stories include the growing crisis of confidence in the Labour government, the handling of backbench rebellions, the winter of discontent and the handover of power to Margaret Thatcher following the Conservative victory in the 1979 General election.

We discover the government's first response to the Ayatollah's return to Iran and the diplomatic standoff about finding a permanent home for the exiled Shah. Why arms sales to the RUC were chipping away at Anglo-American diplomatic relations and how cabinet ministers fell out over the question of what to do with refuges from Vietnam.

~Uk Confidential weaves together dramatised extracts from the papers, news footage material, discussion with studio guests (including former cabinet ministers and top level civil servants), and special reports compiled by correspondents.

Studio Guests: Lord Michael Heseltine, Lord Roy Hattersley, Elinor Goodman, Michael Dobbs

Producer: Emily Williams

A Whistledown Production for BBC Radio 4, in association with Takeaway Media.

Martha Kearney and guests revisit 1979 through previously classified government documents.

Martha Kearney and guests reveal the truth behind previously secret government files

With unique access to Secret government papers, Martha Kearney presents a look at the political events of 1979 as told through the Cabinet minutes, Prime Ministerial papers and Foreign and Commonwealth Office Documents that are being released to the public at the end of the year.

Domestic stories include the growing crisis of confidence in the Labour government, the handling of backbench rebellions, the winter of discontent and the handover of power to Margaret Thatcher following the Conservative victory in the 1979 General election.

We discover the government's first response to the Ayatollah's return to Iran and the diplomatic standoff about finding a permanent home for the exiled Shah. Why arms sales to the RUC were chipping away at Anglo-American diplomatic relations and how cabinet ministers fell out over the question of what to do with refuges from Vietnam.

~Uk Confidential weaves together dramatised extracts from the papers, news footage material, discussion with studio guests (including former cabinet ministers and top level civil servants), and special reports compiled by correspondents.

Studio Guests: Lord Michael Heseltine, Lord Roy Hattersley, Elinor Goodman, Michael Dobbs

Producer: Emily Williams

A Whistledown Production for BBC Radio 4, in association with Takeaway Media.

Martha Kearney and guests revisit 1979 through previously classified government documents.

Martha Kearney and guests reveal the truth behind previously secret government files

It was a year of government cutbacks, high unemployment and economic gloom. The newly-released papers highlight the astonishing resonance with today.

Martha and guests will examine the Prime Minister's personal papers, complete with handwritten notes in the margins, and memos from trusted aides; transcripts of conversations between Margaret Thatcher and other world leaders; and vivid accounts of arguments in cabinet that show what individual Ministers were really thinking.

As well as shedding light on what we know happened, the papers also reveal what didn't happen, as we hear accounts of policies or actions that were considered but later abandoned.

It was the year that Polish workers won trade union rights, while in the UK steel workers went on strike. The government failed to secure a boycott of the Olympic games in Moscow, and Zimbabwe elected a new leader: Robert Mugabe.

War broke out between Iran and Iraq and a group of American hostages in Tehran remained in captivity. President Jimmy Carter lost out to Ronald Reagan in the American elections and Michael Foot became leader of the Labour Party.

These are just some of the stories that dominated 1980. This programme will reveal the issues that dominated the minds of Ministers at the time.

Producer: Deborah Dudgeon

A Whistledown Production for BBC Radio 4.

Martha Kearney and guests revisit 1980 through previously classified government documents.

Martha Kearney and guests reveal the truth behind previously secret government files

Martha Kearney reviews newly-released government papers from 1981 with guests including former Ministers, government advisers and leading opponents. There are fascinating insights to be gleaned from Margaret Thatcher's personal files, containing secret memos, letters from Ministers and foreign leaders, often furiously annotated with her immediate response. Minutes of Cabinet meetings reveal divisions between departments over the government's handling of key policies.

This was the year in which Mrs Thatcher visited the newly instated Ronald Reagan, ten IRA prisoners died on hunger strike in Northern Ireland, and trouble flared in British cities, with looting and rioting in Brixton, Moss Side and Toxteth. Martha and guests will look beyond the headlines to see how key government decisions were made, and where tensions between Ministers lay.

Producer: Deborah Dudgeon

A Wingspan and Whistledown co-production for BBC Radio 4.

Martha Kearney's guests review secret government papers from 1981.

Martha Kearney and guests reveal the truth behind previously secret government files

It was the year of the Royal Wedding, urban riots and soaring unemployment. Leading economists despaired of the government's handling of the economy, while spending cuts were considered too deep, and relations with European allies fragile. This was 1981.

Martha Kearney reviews newly-released government papers from 1981 with guests including former Ministers, government advisers and leading opponents. There are fascinating insights to be gleaned from Margaret Thatcher's personal files, containing secret memos, letters from Ministers and foreign leaders, often furiously annotated with her immediate response. Minutes of Cabinet meetings reveal divisions between departments over the government's handling of key policies.

This was the year in which Mrs Thatcher visited the newly instated Ronald Reagan, ten IRA prisoners died on hunger strike in Northern Ireland, and trouble flared in British cities, with looting and rioting in Brixton, Moss Side and Toxteth. Martha and guests will look beyond the headlines to see how key government decisions were made, and where tensions between Ministers lay.

Producer: Deborah Dudgeon

A Wingspan and Whistledown co-production for BBC Radio 4.

Martha Kearney's guests review secret government papers from 1981.

Martha Kearney and guests reveal the truth behind previously secret government files

Close to 30,000 Government papers containing top secret memos, notes and briefings are included in the release, and the Radio 4 team have been given special access over the last few weeks.

In a dramatic year, 1982 saw Britain at war with Argentina over the Falklands, which is expected to dominate much of the papers released under the thirty year rule.

We anticipate discovering details of the talks to avert conflict, of events such as the loss of HMS Sheffield and the Battle of Goose Green, and of the controversial sinking of the Argentine Navy cruiser General Belgrano.

In addition we may well find out details of how the Franks Inquiry into the Falklands War put politicians and civil servants under the spotlight and how those around Margaret Thatcher sought to capitalise on her renewed popularity in the wake of the victory in the South Atlantic.

Producer: Deborah Dudgeon

A Whistledown Production for BBC Radio 4, in association with Takeaway Media.

Martha Kearney looks at the events of 1982 through newly-released government papers.

Martha Kearney and guests reveal the truth behind previously secret government files

It was the year that Compact Discs and £1 coins were first sold in Britain. The country was introduced to the joys of wheel clamps and breakfast television, and Shergar - the most valuable racehorse in the world - was stolen, never to be seen again.

It was an election year, and Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher was riding high on the Falklands victory of the year before. Peace campaigners were demonstrating outside Greenham Common as the American nuclear missiles arrived, and Britain entered talks with China over the future of Hong Kong.

As the official Cabinet papers of 1983 are opened to the public for the first time, Martha Kearney discovers what the big stories were inside Government that year. With access to the Prime Minister's personal correspondence, minutes of top secret meetings and telephone calls, and confidential policy advice, Martha can now offer fresh insights into history.

There are the secret messages between Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan, the Prime Minister's highly colourful comments on points of view she disagreed with, and entertaining messages between staff at Number 10. Martha is joined by key insiders from the time to help her interpret the papers and give their own impressions of the revelations within them.

Producer: Deborah Dudgeon

A Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4.

Martha Kearney reveals the secrets in the cabinet and prime minister papers of 1983.

Martha Kearney and guests reveal the truth behind previously secret government files

Margaret Thatcher's government faced some formidable adversaries. The long-anticipated battle with the National Union of Mineworkers and its leader, Arthur Scargill, finally erupted, dominating the political scene well into 1985. The charismatic Ken Livingstone, leader of the Greater London Council, was winning the costly PR war against abolition of the GLC. And terror hit home with the shooting of policewoman Yvonne Fletcher outside the Libyan Embassy and the IRA bombing of the Conservative Party Conference in Brighton.

On the world stage, the Cold War reached a crucial turning point. The cost of the nuclear arms race was rocketing and the world needed a new approach to East-West relations. Rising star of the Soviet Politburo, Mikhail Gorbachev, was invited to Britain and spent five hours at Chequers in a now famous meeting with the Prime Minister.

As the official Cabinet papers of 1984 are opened to the public for the first time, Martha Kearney discovers how these events were viewed in Government. With access to the Prime Minister's personal correspondence, minutes of top secret meetings and telephone calls, and confidential policy advice, Martha can now offer fresh insights into history.

Former Ministers and other key insiders from the time join Martha in the studio to help her interpret the papers and give their own impressions of the revelations within them.

Producer: Deborah Dudgeon

A Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4.

Martha Kearney reveals the secrets within the prime minister's newly-opened files of 1984.

Martha Kearney and guests reveal the truth behind previously secret government files

Martha Kearney uncovers the secrets within the Government files of 1984.

Margaret Thatcher's government faced some formidable adversaries. The long-anticipated battle with the National Union of Mineworkers and its leader, Arthur Scargill, finally erupted, dominating the political scene well into 1985. The charismatic Ken Livingstone, leader of the Greater London Council, was winning the costly PR war against abolition of the GLC. And terror hit home with the shooting of policewoman Yvonne Fletcher outside the Libyan Embassy and the IRA bombing of the Conservative Party Conference in Brighton.

On the world stage, the Cold War reached a crucial turning point. The cost of the nuclear arms race was rocketing and the world needed a new approach to East-West relations. Rising star of the Soviet Politburo, Mikhail Gorbachev, was invited to Britain and spent five hours at Chequers in a now famous meeting with the Prime Minister.

As the official Cabinet papers of 1984 are opened to the public for the first time, Martha Kearney discovers how these events were viewed in Government. With access to the Prime Minister's personal correspondence, minutes of top secret meetings and telephone calls, and confidential policy advice, Martha can now offer fresh insights into history.

Former Ministers and other key insiders from the time join Martha in the studio to help her interpret the papers and give their own impressions of the revelations within them.

Producer: Deborah Dudgeon

A Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4.

Martha Kearney reveals the secrets within the prime minister's newly-opened files of 1984.

Martha Kearney and guests reveal the truth behind previously secret government files

Early 1986 saw the Westland helicopter crisis and the resignation of two Senior Ministers, Michael Heseltine and Leon Brittan. On the opposition benches, Labour was engaged in a struggle with the Militant left wing of the party, but the popularity of the new SDP / Liberal Alliance failed to materialise into votes in the 1987 election.

Meanwhile Britain was gripped by a fear of AIDS, and arms talks between the USSR and the United States faltered at Reykjavik, but led ultimately to a treaty between the superpowers just a year later, marking a significant thaw in Cold War relations.

Producer: Deborah Dudgeon

A Whistledown production in association with Takeaway Media for BBC Radio 4.

Martha Kearney reviews the release of secret government files from 1986.

Martha Kearney and guests reveal the truth behind previously secret government files

John Major was still a relatively new fixture in Downing Street - but was already juggling the demands of an election campaign with deep divides in his own party over Europe. His papers from 1992 - including secret correspondence, minutes of top secret meetings and telephone calls, confidential policy advice, and the Prime Minister's own handwritten notes - reveal a story full of resonance with our current political climate.

Joining Martha to look through the papers are then Chancellor of the Exchequer Norman Lamont, former Labour Lord Chancellor Charlie Falconer and the journalist John Sergeant.

Producer: Robert Nicholson

A Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4.

Martha Kearney looks at secret government papers from 1992.

Martha Kearney and guests reveal the truth behind previously secret government files