Morning clearing mail and meeting Export IT to arrange to Chair their Conference in February, afternoon in Executive Review meetings and late home to hear news of 3,500 planned redundancies at British Rail workshops and 2,000 more at Fords in Dagenham as Thatcher dismantles the manufacturing industry and the Foreign Secretary is in Syriafor Middle east talks
On time to the office and first to draft urgent correspondence and clear the mail. Then to meet Ian and review a number of personnel issues before the arrival of Mr Cooke of Export IT. A long morning discussing industry policy and the role of government and finally ordering the proceedings for the conference session I am due to chair on February 14th next. An interesting morning that ended with his departure for Huntingdon. Lunch of sandwiches and water and after a series of review meetings with David Fear, Carlton Lowe, Derek Morgan, Ian Nickson and Derek Weatherby, to obtain an update on the working priorities and achievements.
Steady progress on all fronts but no spectacular breakthroughs to this point. A little late at the office preparing papers against tomorrows hectic and long schedule which is due to begin with an early drive and end with an evening meeting. News today of plans by the government to cut 3500 jobs from British Railway workshops which is greeted as a disastrous decision by the unions. A singularly bleak picture at Ford’s Dagenham foundries where a further 2000 jobs are going. The pound sterling has fallen and closed just under the $1.40 mark for the first time which I think is good news. The Americans are preoccupied with Central America and prospect of economic aid to effect political change and disadvantage Nicaragua. The British Foreign Secretary is in Syria on a Middle East initiative. Strong winds tonight as damage occurs in Northern England and Scotland and the weather moves south.