Mrs Thatcher's former chief press secretary Sir Bernard Ingham said he was completely unaware of any negotiations involving the prime minister.

BBC: Margaret Thatcher 'negotiated with IRA'

The wind power lobby points out that prominent nuclear power advocate, Sir Bernard Ingham is a supporter of the views of Country Guardian.

BBC: Blowing in the wind

It transpired that the scarcely believable message was not, in fact, to be believed: The sketch was written by her press secretary, Bernard Ingham.

CNN: Margaret Thatcher hijacked my TV show

Mrs Thatcher's press spokesman Bernard Ingham - in a note of the meeting - claimed that she did nothing more than "wish him well in his bid" and noted the need to improve Fleet Street staffing levels and to introduce new technology.

BBC: How Margaret Thatcher helped change media landscape