Geoffrey Howe: The resignation that toppled Thatcher

Former Chancellor Lord Geoffrey Howe has died after suffering a suspected heart attack, his family has announced.

His resignation speech in 1990 is widely seen as a central factor in Lady Thatcher's downfall as prime minister.

They had disagreed over the EU and he broke ranks after the prime minister had declared at a European Council meeting that Britain would never join the euro.

He described Mrs Thatcher's attitude to British negotiations in Europe as, "rather like sending your opening batsmen to the crease, only to find... their bats have been broken before the game by the team captain."

The speech encouraged Michael Heseltine to challenge Mrs Thatcher's leadership and within weeks she left Number 10.