Deeply involved today in making sure the preparations for tomorrow’s BMMG LAN meeting are successful and also trying to avoid press comment which is anticipating the outcome as the Tory’s appoint the controversial Jeffrey Archer as their Chairman, Neil Kinnock is beset with union disputes and extreme Muslims throw hand grenades in a Greek resort. Peter King and Derek Weatherby have departed Kode and John Lamb is busy fighting fires and moving.
Slept well after some initial difficulty getting off and then awake to my morning tea and the paper on a day that starts bright, but soon looks dull with showers to come. Out to the birds and I see that one pigeon is remaining in the vicinity of my doves and may be a hen. Only one egg from the ducks, who are now in variable states of moult. To the office and the start of a productive day on BMMG affairs. I contact Bill Barrett and we review action items and outstanding matters, dividing the tasks between us. First priority is to ensure the attendance of ICL and ACT Apricot at our LAN meeting, which we achieved by the end of the day. I have used all of my personal relationship and influence with the top management of both companies, which is the only reason they are coming.
I do not see much prospect of getting them to participate in the LAN initiative, even if we helpfully change the proposals to accommodate them. Then to call Chris Shelton, our host for tomorrow’s meeting, so as to brief him on their attendance and get him to ensure we have some proper service of coffee and crockery, which is always an embarrassment at Shelton Systems. Several calls from journalists trying to anticipate the outcome of tomorrow’s meeting and the calls are difficult to handle given the constraints on publicising the company’s participation and positions. I call Nigel Smith and John Lamb as the day progresses and both have been beset with company and house moving problems. John fills me in on the story behind the departures of Peter King and Derek Weatherby and we agree to meet when he is next up this way. Nigel will hopefully be OK for tomorrow’s meeting and will join me on an early train from St Neots station. Worked all day on BMMG business, taking only an hour and a half for lunch and even then getting up to date with industry journals. Lunch with Daniel’s friends as they enjoy the day tripper, then tea with Debbie’s. A haircut, hair wash and bath before the TV. Main news tonight is of the escalating conflict at the TUC conference between the TUC’s insistence on outright opposition to the government’s union legislation and the AGEW executive equally insistent on continuing to accept government cash for union ballots. Also Arthur Scargill and the NUM win a vote on the motion to ask the Labour Party to back reinstatement of sacked miners and restitution of lost funds, but Neil Kinnock, interviewed later, will not be moved. The Tories announce their new Vice Chairman – fiction novelist Jeffrey Archer, who had to leave politics a while ago when on the verge of bankruptcy. 19 British holidaymakers are injured by hand grenades at a Greek resort hotel. It seems anti-British extreme Muslims are claiming credit. On the 1st anniversary of the South African’s new constitution, observers are counting the cost – at least 700 have been killed since, all but 4 black. More changeable weather forecast.