A pleasant breakfast at The Dorchester before an Export IT Council meeting and drive back home on a mild and sunny day, reaching 13degC after some organisational phone calls before some time with the family as Sterling falls despite US helpful measures and the NCB are still trying to undermine the miners’ moral and resolve
Awake at 7.30am and a good night’s sleep after an initial period of uncomfortable heat. Whilst listening to the radio news I wash, dress and shave. Last night the Tory rebellion on Rate Capping lacked courage and just a few abstentions marked the simmering discontent of a ludicrous policy. Dressed and down to the Dorchester Grill for breakfast at 8.00am. A full English breakfast, toast and coffee and then up to pack my bags before leaving at 9.00am. I check out (£130!), collect my car and drive off via Buckingham Palace, Parliament Square and the Embankment towards the City. I find an underground car park at the Old Bailey and walk to the Export IT offices for a Council Meeting. A good meeting where I get every chance from the Chairman to push the schools educational market moves and need for common course with the ECCD (Educational Council for Computing Development) and the British Council. Good sessions also on the need to lobby government on the overseas barriers to exporting and lastly the damaging effects of the extension of Export Security controls. A nice buffet lunch, more conversations, and then to use their phones to check my office for messages and return a few calls.
A meeting fixed up with Cahners, instructions given to Nicholas de Zoete and nothing much else. After farewells to the staff, off to the car and, through the City, homewards bound. A very nice afternoon – mild and sunny – and a joy to drive home with window down and air conditioning off. Home by 4.00pm and a chance to survey the riverside gardens and change the dove’s water. The architect drops round with the local planning officer and can see no problem in the prospect of connecting the two houses together. Then to the summer house and I assemble our Alibert garden bench before dusk and then feed the hungry ducks and put them away. In to Daniel, Debbie and the family. Daniel is still ill and I phone the doctor to arrange an appointment for tomorrow. Debbie has been to ballet and was badly argumentative with Emma afterwards and Daniella is gradually managing to edge around on all fours. A funny coal smell in the lounge and we think to have isolated it to the emptied coal scuttle by teatime. Sausage rolls for the kids and sausages for us for tea. An evening watching England lose to India in the Australian World Cup cricket matches, then catching up on two days journal before the news. Stories of the US authorities finally moving to sell dollars and talk down its value. Even so the pound is lower on the day. The ‘Fox’ rapist was today sentenced to several life prison sentences and described as a decadent person by the trial judge. The NCB said that 1500 returned today, but the NUM still dispute the figures. Ian McGregor speaks at the Institute of Directors and tries to drive a wedge between the miners and their union. The Coal Board are pressuring the railwaymen to end their embargo on coal movements. In Nottingham, police are accused of using bail conditions to prevent picketing after charges are dropped against a large number of Yorkshire miners. Today, the teacher’s unions started their industrial action in support of a 12% pay increase. ‘Radioactive’ mud was dumped by Green Peace outside the offices of the Department of the Environment. The weather report detailed temperatures of 13degC this afternoon and, after fog patches tonight, tomorrow should be fine again with rain coming in by Friday.