sentences:  Thatcher thought Heseltine too powerful and popular a figure to sack.After a period in early January 1986 in which Heseltine and the Thatcher/Brittan camp leaked material damaging to each other's case to the press, Cabinet agreed (9 January) that all statements on the matter, including repetitions of those already made, must be cleared through the Cabinet Office.Heseltine resigned and walked out of the meeting in protest, claiming that Thatcher had broken the conventions of Cabinet government.