Michael Heseltine was left off the guest list today when David Cameron threw a party at No 10 to celebrate Lady Thatcher's 85th birthday.
A Who's Who of friends and former Cabinet stars from the Iron Lady's 11 years in power were returning to Downing Street to honour the first woman Prime Minister.
But Lord Heseltine, the man whose leadership challenge finally brought her down in 1990, was emphatically snubbed.
"It is entirely a matter for the Prime Minister whom he invites to his party," Lord Heseltine told the Evening Standard this morning, confirming that he had not been invited.
Among those who accepted invitations were former Deputy Prime Minister Lord [Geoffrey] Howe, whose resignation speech played a big part in toppling Lady Thatcher but who long since made friends again.
John Major, her successor, was invited but was unable to attend. Former Tory leaders Iain Duncan Smith and Michael Howard will also be there.
Among stars from Baroness Thatcher's heyday in the 1980s are her press secretary Sir Bernard Ingham, Lord Carrington, who quit over the Falklands invasion, former Defence Secretary Lord Nott, and former Cabinet "wet" Lord Prior.
A large number of serving Conservative MPs have also been invited, particularly form the Right wing, making tonight's party the biggest gathering of Thatcherites at No 10 since she herself left office with tears in her eyes.
