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3. Battling Maggie's blues

Mark Mardell follows Margaret Thatcher's fight to reduce Britain's bill to the EEC

It's 1979, Margaret Thatcher and her Conservative government have been voted into power in Britain, and one of her first tasks is to reduce the contribution the UK pays to the European Economic Community.

Mark Mardell follows the new Prime Minsiter through negotiations with the other EEC member states - from the 1979 Dublin summit to Fontainbleau 5 years later - discovering how difficult relationships were formed, tears were shed and the controversial rebate was agreed.

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18 minutes

Podcast