A good start to this cold and windy day updating my financial summaries and ordering my security safes before Di’s parents visit in the wake of their Menorca villa sale and then a late evening doing more work on my alarms whilst listening to the fascinating radio coverage of Thatcher’s statement to Parliament where she admits that Leon Brittan made the leak on her own authority!
Slept well and started my day as usual and with toast again this morning. To the office fairly early and made a good start with the computer. Typed in the rest of my income and investment summary and then typed them out in three copies. As lunch approached, I also quickly knocked up a letter to Tann Security to order my security safes and accessories on an urgent basis. Lunch with Mr and Mrs Jackson, fresh from completing the sale of their Menorca villa and pleased to be visiting again. They want to buy each of their children (including Diana) a £100 present with some of their proceeds, but Di is trying to decline.
After, I take Charles round the latest house improvements and he sits in my office a while and we chat about investment affairs. It transpires that they would have liked our old cooker, but it is too late now we have exchanged it for the transport job. Back to it this afternoon, but before long mesmerised by the live FM Radio report of the Prime Minister’s statement in the House of Commons. She reports on the leak enquiry (which she first refused to hold, then refused to publicise) and the results are that Leon Brittan, the Trade and Industry Secretary, was responsible and was authorised by her own office so to do! The opposition and some of her own back benchers were savage in their attacks and particularly in her support of Brittan and his unethical and selective leaking of a controversial and confidential law officer’s letter. It is a misjudgment that she will have cause to regret. By now, tea-time, and pork chops for the family, which we all enjoy. Then to help Daniel with his homework, Debbie with settling down to sleep and some time fascinated with studying each TV channel’s response to the Thatcher statement. They are all critical and a key meeting of Conservative back benchers, the 1922 Committee, also has a large contingent still in favour of Brittan’s resignation. An evening hard at work on my alarms. The builders and carpenter had put the door frame in at the rear of the house and it was my chance to lay in the alarm contacts and bypass switch. Also to put in all of the internal wires and circuits, so that I am ready for the under stairs paneling and security safes. In the end, I could not finish and get to bed until 2.00am, which was very tiring and my journal had to wait until the next day. John the builder, and also Mr King our tenant, both approached me today and mentioned the cash that they owe me, but neither has paid it, even though Mr King said he would be back tonight. The weather turning colder and windier today and colder weather is forecast as on the way. Oil prices fell to below $20 today and sterling is sliding. Thatcher is under attack from all sides.