The American option prevailed , and the affair led to Heseltine 's resignation .
Cuckney , with Thatcher , favoured a merger with the American company Sikorsky , while the Secretary of State for Defence Michael Heseltine favoured a European merger .
The American option prevailed , and the affair led to Michael Heseltine 's resignation .
Cuckney , with Thatcher , favoured a merger with the American company Sikorsky , while the Secretary of State for Defence Michael Heseltine favoured a European merger .