James Anderton has declared that AIDS patients are ‘swirling in a cesspool of their own making’. Days later, he makes cryptic remarks that he might be a prophet ‘being used by God’. Margaret Thatcher’s Conservative government scrambles to deal with the fallout. In this episode, we discuss how civil servants and fellow police chiefs were openly questioning his sanity - and the documents that show how Mrs Thatcher directly intervened in his case. We also explore the background of prejudice and fear which existed in 80s Britain - and how controversial Section 28 laws, coupled with Anderton’s incendiary remarks, saw Manchester stage one of the largest LGBTQ+ rallies ever seen in Britain. In this final episode, Chris, Dean and Yakub also discuss the legacy of James Anderton’s tenure - and whether his hardline policies inspired Manchester bands, artists and social movements in opposition.
Special thanks: Manchester BIPC; Image: Hardman Creative; Our podcast music was provided by The Podcast Host and Alitu: The Podcast Maker app.
Popular Podcasts
United States of Kennedy
United States of Kennedy is a podcast about our cultural fascination with the Kennedy dynasty. Every week, hosts Lyra Smith and George Civeris go into one aspect of the Kennedy story.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com