By train today to Kings Cross and the Financial Times buildings for an interview with their technical page editor and lunch afterwards as I stay sober and return to St Neots in later afternoon for a trustees meeting about family investments as prison officers complain of their buildings ‘bursting at the seams’ as a result of draconian arrests and the Special Branch is criticised for snooping on citizens but I end the day tending The Lady’s batteries for our weekend trip
Awake to a cooler morning after yesterday’s humidity. The girls led their merry jig this morning and Debbie brought her tape recorder and insisted on playing me a tape. Despite this, read The Financial Times before and after a breakfast of (rather well) boiled egg. Up eventually, hair washed, and out to the birds. The doves are gradually getting used to the new large-capacity drinking vessel and the ducks laid 9 eggs. To the office and to sort out a few papers and read today’s mail. More gilt edged and dividend cheques, which are welcome. Also to stock up with my BMMG/LAN papers for today’s interview and my trust papers for this afternoon’s meeting. Off quickly to St Neots to pay in my cheques to the Abbey cheque account and post some letters and then off to Stevenage by car in time for the 11.20 train to Kings Cross under the new time table. I read a few computer journals on the way and then take a taxi to The Financial Times buildings and wait for Martin Isherwood to arrive. We are joined by Geoff Chalish of the FT technical page and walk to a local restaurant, where I treat them to lunch. Between the distractions of a very sexily dressed waitress and Martin getting steadily pissed on the wine, I manage to get across a fair amount about the BMMG and cut the lunch short at 2.30pm for a taxi back to Kings Cross.
Just in time to buy a couple of Antique Collector and Modern History magazines and then catch the 3.07pm back to Stevenage. By car to St Neots and ten minutes late for my 4.00pm appointment. A two hour session with Roger Brittain, my accountant, and Gerard Chadwick, my solicitor and we finalise arrangements for my will and family trust. The existing children’s moneys will be kept outside the trusts in the joint nomineeship of Roger and I; maintenance and accumulation trusts will be set up for Debbie and Della and index-linked funds paid in to top them up to a £125,000 inheritance at age 25 and the balance of my estate, on my death, will be paid into a Discretionary Trust for family beneficiaries, with my direction that it be passed to Daniel to be kept intact as a family inheritance for my grandson etc. We will review the arrangements every 5 years and, when sure of Daniel’s ability, create a fixed interest trust for the estate in his favour. The house will be for either of us (Diana and I) until death and then, with its collections and associations, for Daniel or the eldest child that wishes to live in it. In time we will also list a number of other beneficiaries in modest amounts and focus the provisions to reflect the situation then. Home to a tea of grilled trout and then to help Daniel with his prep again. News tonight of possible increased payments for the teachers, as a result of the pay dispute, two days before the Burnham’s Committee are due to reopen talks. A Green Paper today warns that some universities and polytechnics will have to close, which is a scandal in my view, as we educate many less graduates than our overseas competitors. Thatcher met the 1922 backbench conservative committee, but indicated no change in views on the present policies and brushed aside the election setbacks. The Home Secretary has been warned by prison officers that there will be a total breakdown of the prison service as “it explodes at the seams” before this year is out, if money is not spent straight away. It was his second hostile reception this week after that of the police officers. More criticism of the Special Branch today for its surveillance of political groups and infringement of civil liberties, as a parliamentary committee issues conflicting majority and minority reports. President Gandhi of India meets Gorbachev in Moscow and fighting continues in the Lebanon in the aftermath of the Israeli withdrawal. After a recent and horrific attack by 25 Cambridge men on visiting Chelsea football supporters, the gang leader is sentenced today to 5 years imprisonment. The weather forecast to be cloudy, rainy, with a few sunny intervals for the next 2/3 days. I finished charging The Lady’s batteries tonight and we set off this Friday.