PM’s dismay over Chernobyl chaos

WHITEHALL gave the ‘ appearance of disarray’ after the 1986 Chernobyl disaster, Margaret Thatcher complained.

She was on an official visit to Japan when radioactive fallout from an explosion at the Soviet nuclear reactor began arriving in the UK as officials were leaving for the May bank holiday weekend.

With the prime minister away there was chaos. Phone lines were overwhelmed, advice to calm the public caused panic and there was no contingency plan.