▁at ▁the ▁time ▁she ▁became ▁Prime ▁Minister . ▁While ▁serving ▁in ▁this ▁capacity ▁between ▁ 1 9 7 9 ▁and ▁ 1 9 8 3 , ▁G ow ▁became ▁a ▁close ▁friend ▁and ▁conf id ant ▁of ▁the ▁Prime ▁Minister . ▁He ▁was ▁deeply ▁involved ▁in ▁the ▁work ings ▁of ▁Th atch er ' s ▁private ▁office ▁until ▁his ▁departure ▁in ▁June ▁ 1 9 8 3 . ▁Though ▁elev ated ▁to ▁junior ▁minister ial ▁office ▁as ▁Minister ▁for ▁H ous ing ▁and ▁Const ruction ▁before ▁moving ▁later ▁to ▁the ▁Tre as ury , ▁G ow ▁was ▁known ▁to ▁be ▁disappoint ed ▁by ▁his ▁loss ▁of ▁influence ▁with ▁the ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁in ▁his ▁new ▁role . ▁In ▁late ▁ 1 9 8 3 ▁he ▁developed ▁plans ▁with ▁Alan ▁Clark ▁to ▁re inv ig or ate ▁Th atch er ' s ▁private ▁office ▁by ▁expand ing ▁it ▁and ▁its ▁influence ▁over ▁policy , ▁thereby ▁creating ▁a ▁new ▁role ▁for ▁himself , ▁but ▁these ▁came ▁to ▁nothing . ▁ ▁Although ▁later ▁identified ▁with ▁the ▁right - wing ▁of ▁the ▁Party , ▁he ▁took ▁a ▁liberal ▁position ▁on ▁some ▁issues . ▁He ▁visited ▁Rh odes ia ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁its ▁Un il ater al ▁Dec laration ▁of ▁Independ ence ▁and ▁was ▁subsequently ▁critical ▁of ▁the ▁country ' s ▁white ▁minor ity ▁regime . ▁As ▁an ▁MP , ▁G ow ▁consist ently ▁voted ▁against ▁the ▁rest oration ▁of ▁the ▁death ▁penalty . ▁As ▁Minister ▁of ▁State ▁for ▁H ous ing ▁and ▁Const ruction ▁( from ▁