Forwent the normal Tuesday outing to Cambridge to carry on transcribing the Little Paxton Scrapbook but Diana still goes and sees her parents there. Two more directors of Morgan Grenfell resign over Guinness irregularities, a further radioactivity leak at Sellafield have exposed 12 workers, GCHQ have lost their human rights case for union representation and the BT dispute has 30,000 engineers suspended and 60,000 more on strike
A while before we slept last night, due to a few exertions, and then slept the sleep of the just. Awoke to a slightly milder day – rain was falling lightly and a slight thaw is in progress. Had breakfast on my own again, the family having already eaten theirs, and then went straight to my office to continue the transcription of the Little Paxton scrap book. First I had to organise my diskettes and made back-up copies of the work I had done so far, for safety. Then the morning typing in descriptions and details of the contents of the scrap book, working on until 1.00pm, before making myself lunch. No sign of Diana before then and so I made a salmon salad and cup of tea to drink.
Di had been to Cambridge to see her Mum & Dad and do some shopping. Back to my tasks this afternoon, before Daniel came home from school. We had a chat and then we went through his school work to see what prep there was to do. Out to the ducks and doves and then teatime. Della is still a bit of a problem, but Di is taking a firmer hand now and trying to get her in order. The evening again at the scrap book and, perhaps, a quarter done. Surprise news today is of the BTR group calling off their planned takeover of Pilkington. This follows widespread criticism of an asset-stripper attacking a research-orientated company and the Industry Minister had to defend their action in the Commons today. Two more directors of Morgan Grenfell, the bank that advised Guinness during their takeover of Distillers, have resigned following, ‘breaches of established procedure and policies’. They are Chief Executive, Christopher Reeves, and Finance Director, Graham Walsh. The govt. climbed down further over cold weather payments today, reducing the trigger temperatures from -1.5degC to 0degC and authorising a second £5 payment anyway. A nuclear radio activity leak at Sellafield’s reprocessing plant may have contaminated 12 workers and tests have already established that they had been exposed to radiation levels in excess of normal working limits. GCHQ unions have lost their European Rights appeal to obtain union rights. The growing dispute between British Telecom and its engineers has already seen 30,000 suspended and 60,000 more on strike. They are going to concentrate on Government Offices and the City tomorrow and it should cause widespread disruption