PM swotted up on Sex Pistols
MARGARET Thatcher’s knowledge of punk rock was Pretty Vacant – so aides had to brief her on the Sex Pistols before a pop magazine interview.
A Downing Street memo for her meeting with Smash Hits journalist Tom Hibbert warned “you may not enjoy this”, private papers reveal.
A history of punk was attached to the note, which read: “The era between 1976 and 1978 was a very basic musical style featuring a strange bunch of anti-establishment acts.
“Most famous were the Sex Pistols with songs such as God Save the Queen and Anarchy in the UK.
“Other punk acts such as The Clash and The Damned were popular for a while but when the Sex Pistols split up in 1978, the style died out, to be replaced by the current technological musical era featuring computers, synthesizers and videos.”
Preparations for the PM’s March 1987 Smash Hits interview surfaced in the latest release of her personal files.
She was warned: “Mr Hibbert may ask superficial questions which betray a lack of understanding.
“The challenge will be for you to demonstrate that just because you are not part of the pop scene, you are still in touch with youngsters and
ANDREW GREGORY
understand their needs.”
Referencing Thatcher’s earlier appearance on children’s TV show Saturday Superstore, it went on: “Show you are confident and relaxed. The way you handled Superstore is still the subject of praise from youngsters.”
Margaret Thatcher Foundation historian Chris Collins said the PM must have known about the Sex Pistols.
He added: “But No10 probably prudently estimated her knowledge of these things as zero and they wouldn’t therefore get it wrong.”
She was also briefed on Bob Marley for a 1987 Jamaica visit, according to the files released by the Margaret Thatcher Archive Trust.
Private secretary Charles Powell gave her lyrics to the reggae legend’s Get Up, Stand Up, adding “a reference could go down very well”.