Paddy Ashdown in 1988
Paddy Ashdown in 1988

Unsettled, like the showery and breezy weather, after yesterday’s Council meeting and the forthcoming Planning meeting for which I was reading the papers. I took Debbie horse-riding and there met Cllr Smith (Fiona’s dad) laying concrete in the yard and then home when Debbie had an early night but Daniel had Steve and Gary round swimming. Paddy Ashdown wins the SLD leadership contest by a landslide, Winnie Mandela’s wife’s home is destroyed by an arson attack, the Commons Social Services Committee has warned against radical change for the NHS and Kode International has a 40% profits downturn reported today

A difficult time getting to sleep last night, mind still full of the Council meeting that I had yesterday afternoon. I realised that I was too hot and so opened the curtains to let the breeze come in. Then, this morning, I awoke because I was too cold! We laid in late and I came to the breakfast table in my dressing gown and then went back to bed afterwards. In fact, I was reading the Planning Papers for Monday’s meeting, an interesting distraction, but one that takes a couple of hours. Washed and shaved between 10 and 10.30am, then sat down with a morning coffee with Di and we swapped dates and commitments from our diaries, as life is getting a bit hectic at the moment. The morning paper and then phone calls to progress my Rolls Royce repairs, the conservatory construction, my forestry taxation and other things. Relieved when lunchtime came and then back to my desk to try and tidy it up and sort more things out. I have created and ‘action list’ and it is depressingly long.

Later, I took a bundle of envelopes for delivery and Debbie horse riding in Offord. On the way we went to St Neots and I bought a year’s further Road Fund License for my Reliant for £40. The counter assistant had seen Percy at the Motor Rally earlier this year and recognised the license application. At Offord, I saw Cllr Smith, the proprietor of the Fitzpatrick Riding School, levelling out a new load of ready mixed concrete that had arrived at short notice. This evening, Daniel had Steve and Gary round to go swimming and Debbie had an early night. She had stayed with a friend last night and hardly got any sleep as a result. Her friends Amy and Catherine Law have returned from holiday and so Della and Debbie will have their playmates back. The main news tonight is of Paddy Ashdown’s runaway success in the leadership ballot for the SLD by 41, 401 to 16,202. In the post-election press conference, he was acidic about Dr David Owen, calling him irrelevant. He has added excitement to the leadership, being once a speed boat Squadron Commander, a Diplomat, before being an employee in the public and private sector. Ian Wigglesworth becomes the SLD President. Fire has destroyed the home of Nelson Mandela’s wife, Winnie, and arson is expected. No fire engine arrived until the house was destroyed after half an hour. Nigel Lawson, the Chancellor, has warned that inflation would be rising due to higher interest rates for mortgages. Sterling rose today and breached the 3 Deutschmark barrier convincingly. The Commons Social Services Committee has warned against radical change for the NHS, as these committees continually stray from the Government’s party line, despite their Tory majorities. Tomorrow is the last day for unmarried couples to each claim £30,000 tax relief for joint mortgages. Kode International has a 40% profits downturn reported today, which was a background to their closure of Comart at Eaton Socon. Showers today and a strong breeze – and sunshine and showers forecast for tomorrow.