Derek Hatton, Deputy-leader of Labour in Liverpool
Derek Hatton, Deputy-leader of Labour in Liverpool

Ill in bed with my splitting headache and urinary tract infection in cold weather that is killing others but still eating and keeping company with the children even though I could not work very effectively as Labour start rejecting David Hatton’s Militant Tendency in Liverpool and South African security forces prevent journalists from reporting their repression

Another splitting headache on waking this morning and I still feel quite groggy. I get Diana to renew my hot water bottles and then sit up in bed for some cereal and Disprin. Di has to drive Daniel to Kimbolton as he misses his school bus, but I get up and sit in front of the blazing log fire and catch up on yesterday’s journal. I always get a sore back when trying to sit up in bed. Back to bed for lunch of sausage, carrots and potatoes, which I manage to eat satisfactorily and then a long and lazy afternoon. Neither a chair nor a bed was comfortable enough.

My temperature had fallen back to normal, but I was still stinging from the infection. More hot water bottles and some relief until tea time, where I am served a tantalising array of tid-bits that were left over from yesterday’s entertainment. I manage to eat a fair number, as at least my appetite has not been affected by the trouble. An evening in bed watching the colour portable TV with some boredom. I do manage to check Daniel’s homework and also read another chapter of Debbie’s story. Oh yes, and I did spend quite some time with Daniella today, whilst we both did some drawing. I tried to use my convalescence productively today by getting out my family history wallet and sorting through the information. I was trying to shed light on the latter life of John Broad Snr, but my mind was too groggy to make any headway and had to give up. News today is of speculation about the results of the Labour Party enquiry into the militant tendency’s hold over Liverpool. Although the Labour Party is maintaining that no decisions are yet made, it is clear that the Liverpool Labour Party will be disbanded and the membership purged of a dozen militant members, including Liverpool’s ‘Deputy’ leader, Derek Hatton. A multi-million pound fraud investigation has turned up the best forgeries ever and it took a single under-cover detective to bring the culprits to book. Some of the worst riots for two years in South Africa, but TV censorship still keeps journalists from effectively reporting the details. There was another row in the Commons this afternoon over government plans to sell Leyland Vehicles (including Land Rover) to American General Motors. As well as the opposition, several Tory MPs pressed the government to try to find UK buyers instead, but they do not seem inclined to listen. The cold weather continues and many old people are suffering from hypothermia, because of lack of money for food and power. A group of Argentinian parliamentarians are visiting Britain and will meet the junior Foreign Office minister in the first such contact since the Falklands War.