A very busy and eventful day, personally and elsewhere whilst I interleave work in my office, with opportunistic forays into security wiring and also spending time with Daniel on his homework and with Della reading her Country Companion. This as the Westland affair goes ballistic with the DTI found to have leaked the letter which makes Leon Brittan culpable, Rupert Murdoch bullies his way to moving Fleet Street to Wapping, there are futile attempts to start talks in The Middle East and Group Lotus is lost to US owners
A good night’s sleep and then a chance to have a quick look at the newspaper headlines before breakfast. A meal of cereal and top of the milk for a change and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Then to the shower room, where for once I had taken the toothpaste and my brush and so could complete my ablutions in one effort. Strange that I should be both fastidious and yet resentful at the time and effort taken to achieve it. Dressed and across to the office, where I start clearing up my tools from the floor and then turn to the task of reconnecting my computer. Some trouble with the latter, but eventually traced it to my having the VDU screen intensity set too low. The morning updating my investment file and then lunch with Diana of meat pie, carrots etc.
This afternoon to continue my computer input, but broke off to do some more work on the alarm cables. As they had removed the window frame to the outside toilet, it was my chance to run the cable ready for the door to follow. The builders were going to try and transfer the frame today, but the new gap was a few inches too narrow and the attentions of the carpenter will be needed tomorrow to alter the frame. They also did a bit more plastering to fill in. Back to my computer and then updated the income file so as to be ready to print out both sections tomorrow. Daniel arrives home and we share a prepared tea of rolls and doughnuts/cream cakes. Then to catch up on the early evening news on the Westland affair, before supervising Daniel’s homework and then reading another Country Companion about Canals to Debbie. Time to roast the remainder of my sweet chestnuts on the open log fire that I had lit before watching the evening news on TV. After a few days lull, the Westland affair breaks out again in the House of Commons, as it is alleged that the DTI Information Director, Miss Colette Bowe, leaked the Attorney General’s letter. It is speculated that she would not have done this without his political encouragement, as she is responsible for all DTI press and public relations. There was increasing pressure for a Thatcher statement, but it seems that she will obdurately resist calls for Brittan’s resignation, in spite of this being the only honourable course. She correctly realises that, with Brittan gone, she will be the next target. More evacuees from Aden are united with their families back in Britain, with reported praise over the actions of several brave organisers and also the Britannia crew. Tonight, Rupert Murdoch turns down any further talks with the unions over the planned move to Wapping, and TUC talks call on the Electricians to avoid breaking ranks with the other unions. The Bank of England held out today against mounting pressure from the money markets, but interest rate increases of 1-1 ½ % are seen as inevitable soon. Israeli Prime Minister, Shimon Peres, visiting Thatcher in Downing Street today, calls upon King Hussain of Jordan to join him in talks about the West Bank and he meets the US Middle East envoy in London at midnight, after a celebration banquet tonight. US motor company, General Motors, has taken over Group Lotus in what is described as a good rescue operation – but I see it as yet another weakening of our indigenous industrial base. The stiff westerly winds are forecast to turn northerly, with colder weather on the way.