The day that Thatcher resigned as Prime Minister after 11 years after which Douglas Hurd and John Major announced their candidature so that there are now three candidates including Michael Heseltine for the second ballot.
It started for me with writing and delivering my consultant’s report on ONSITE which was bad news for the executives. Then some time sweeping leaves before a late arrival of Percy and Pat Meyer for Focus work interrupted my dinner after which I had a good Parish meeting which approved my Village Hall finance plans.
A remarkable day in every respect but it started calmly enough as I was not aware of the decisions that the prime minister had made overnight. I was up very early indeed and, after making myself a pot of tea, I settled down in my office to write my consultant’s report on ONSITE based on the recent events there. I tried to be constructive and positive whilst not shirking the need to tell the James's exactly where they stood. The report took a couple of hours to write and I had it finished in time for Diana to take it round to Grove House by 9.00am. Then out to the garden to resume the task of sweeping up the leaves and I did this for a while and came in to have my morning coffee.
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The news that greeted me from the television was of the shock resignation of Margaret Thatcher which came after 11 years of office as Prime Minister and after repeated and insistent denials that she would ever give way. There then followed the deepening of the plot as first Douglas Hurd and then John Major announced their candidature so that there are now three candidates including Michael Heseltine for the second ballot. We watched TV as Thatcher was driven to Buckingham Palace to see the Queen and then, later, as she answered Prime Minister's Questions and then led off for the government in defence to a motion of "no-confidence".
This was a remarkable day in political history and one to remember. This afternoon, I was expecting Pat and Percy Meyer to come over and use my computer system but they did not arrive until after 3.00pm and then stayed late so as to disrupt my meal and my interest in the House of Commons events which was rather unfortunate. I also got back out in the garden for some of the time and I finished the job of sweeping the leaves into piles but still had the task of moving them on to the compost heap. After tea, I updated this last couple of days' journal and then got ready to attend a Parish Council committee meeting on parish finance at the Chairman's house. I do not normally attend meetings of that committee but was doing so this time to head off a developing argument over the amount that should be spent in the forthcoming year on improvements to village amenities.
In the end, whether it be due to my presence and that of the Amenities Committee chairman or no, the plans were satisfactorily agreed, and all ended in harmony and good order. The news broadcasts were re-playing the events of the day and broadcasting excepts of the speeches. It was a sad moment for Thatcher, which the opposition did not quite manage to rise to and it was a pity that she did not choose to go earlier and at the height of her powers when she could have avoided the very great damage done to her party. In a way, the "no-confidence" motion gave the Tories something to unite about and let them off the hook, particularly as the Scottish Nationalists chose to use the debate to try and disrupt the speech of the Leader of the Opposition. Today was cold but fine again and the lawns looked a lot better for losing their coat of wet leaves.