Only a month ago, the fate of Westland, a financially troubled helicopter manufacturer, seemed a relatively minor matter, principally of interest to British businessmen. Now it has mushroomed into the most damaging political scandal to face Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher since she took office in 1979. Three weeks ago, Michael Heseltine, Thatcher's Defense Minister, stormed out of a Cabinet meeting at 10 Downing Street and quit over the government's handling of what has become known as "the Westland affair." Last week the controversy claimed another victim: Trade and Industry Minister Leon Brittan, a friend and political ally of Thatcher's, who was...
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