The Post Thatcher Era began with a decidedly wintry feel to the weather today as US President Bush seemed somewhat pole-axed by the news and European countries were duly respectful but glad to see the back of her. All three successor candidates for her position will reconsider the Poll Tax but Major is the most Thatcherite and Heseltine the most radical.
I was involved in a long series of telephone calls not only about the provision of FOCUS copy for the forthcoming issue but were also about local and national affairs. This evening, I collected some colleagues and drove to visit the Chritchley family in Ramsey to try and establish a Liberal Democrat presence there and missed Daniel arriving with his new girlfriend.
The nation was in a state of delayed shock and surprise today over the demise of Margaret Thatcher yesterday with the world awakening to the news and struggling to understand how it could have come about. It seems always the case that other nations overlook the domestic status of world leaders; and then have no knowledge of foreign domestic policies nor recognition of other political personalities. US President Bush was somewhat pole-axed by the news and European countries respectful but glad to see the back of her. She had always sought to keep Britain on the fringes of EEC development rather than at the centre of them and tried to keep Britain closer to the older "special relationship" with America.
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It was announced yesterday that the British forces in the Gulf were being doubled to please America when the other EEC countries were supportive by less direct means. Britain will henceforth be more a European country and less of a warrior nation and this is the end of the Thatcher era in that respect. The three candidates for taking over are being very civilised to one another, but policy differences are emerging. All are willing to consider changes to the Poll Tax, but in the case of Hurd and Major it would be tinkering rather than fundamental reform. Major is the most Thatcherite and Heseltine the most radical. After my normal routine, I spent most of the morning out in the riverside garden clearing leaves which was a tiresome chore. At least it gives me exercise. Lunch of salad and then, this afternoon, I was involved in a long series of telephone calls on local affairs and politics which were not only about the provision of FOCUS copy for the forthcoming issue, but were also about local and national affairs. After tea, I had to go to a meeting in Ramsey. I collected Percy from Offord, Carole Crompton from Bury and then visited the Chritchley family in Ramsey. We are trying to establish a Liberal Democrat presence there and, whilst John Critchley himself might not be persuaded to stand, we were discussing Ramsey issues and personalities and John and Jane Critchley undertook to try and find us a good local candidate. The meeting went on until quite late and I dropped everybody off afterwards and came home. Daniel had been and gone at the Hayling View. He had arrived with his girl friend and then gone out for the evening and was not due back until we were all asleep. It was a cold, windy and wet end to the day and, with most of the leaves down from the trees already, the weather has a decidedly wintry feel to it.