Groggy start on another cold and frosty day detailing my objection to the Paxton Hall development and then working on my history project before spending time with the children and their school work later. More regulations in the aftermath of the ferry disaster and tales of heroism and tragedy. Labour’s Callaghan speaks out against unilateralism; banks have cut their base rates from 11% to 10.5%, as sterling soared and South African journalists resign over government pressure on reporting
A sound night’s sleep, but still awoke to a groggy start to the day. This state of mind continued all day and I think that I have a cold coming on. Della came up this morning and lay in bed with me for a while, as we both listened to the radio news. Once she had gone downstairs, I showered, shaved and dressed ready for breakfast and again had to pull up the children on the tidiness of their rooms. Daniel was well behind schedule and only just got time to have breakfast before he set off for school. Di then took Debbie to school across the road and I settled down in my office. A slow and reluctant return to my work and spent just about all of the morning writing and sorting out my objections to the Paxton Hall planning application.
Lunch of salad and then, this afternoon early, I typed out the letters and hand delivered them to the Little Paxton Chairman and Secretary of the Parish Council. The one to the Planning Director at Huntingdon was posted and I now await a response. The rest of the afternoon, I updated my Little Paxton scrap book and house details folder, until Daniel came in from school. He was in a bad mood, after an assessed practical interview in his English lesson, but I insisted on cheering him up. He had actually got a good grade for his responses to the questions. Also looked after Della and read her a story, then sat with Daniel to watch a TV film after tea. Soon it was time to read Debbie a Country Companion magazine, which she thoroughly enjoyed. Ended the evening with Diana in front of the TV, writing my journal, but had not achieved very much for today’s efforts. Another cold & frosty night tonight. The government used the statement of Transport Secretary, John Moore, in the House of Commons today, to announce new interim safety rules for the operation of cross-channel ferries. All doors to be closed prior to the ship leaving port and inspections to be made on the serviceability of all closing mechanisms and adherence to safety procedures. £1M is donated from public funds to add to the £1/4M from Townsend Thorensen for the initial relief of suffering relatives. Martin Hartley, aged 8, has lost his parents, grand-parents and a close friend of the family and is alone in the world. He is in the care of a social worker from Derbyshire and his step-brother. One man saved 20 people by forming a ‘human-bridge’ across a water-filled gap, to allow the passengers to go to safety. The process of compensation will now go to the courts and the limitation of liability under the Athens convention will be tested on the grounds of ‘reckless’ behaviour by the ferry company. James Callaghan, the former Labour Prime Minister, has spoken out again in the Commons against his party’s policy of unilateral nuclear disarmament. The banks have cut their base rates from 11% to 10.5%, after the Bank of England had to give way to market pressures, as the pound sterling soared. The government had hoped to hold out until the budget, for political impact. After Saturday’s appalling violence in the England vs Wales rugby union international, the English team coach has been instructed by the Rugby Union to clean up his act. In South Africa, a TV journalist and newspaper editor have both resigned, after being subjected to pressure to favour the government party in their election reporting.