Our new Blue Peter sailing dinghy
Our new Blue Peter sailing dinghy

To the London Boat show with Daniel to look at a range of boats and to buy our Blue Peter dinghy and then me on to the Cambridge SDP meeting this evening to experience the difficult birth of SDP/Liberal Alliance politics

Up early as Deborah returns to school today. Tea and the FT, but rather too tired to enjoy them before down to my normal breakfast. Daniel and I got ready as we take turns in the bathroom and I manage to read the FT. Kode down yesterday to a new low of £170/share – a £1/4M loss for us since the summer – as the exchange hits a new but, in my view, precarious high. Eventually Daniel and I out by car and we drive down to Earls Court, London for the International Boat Show. A fair journey but, between 8.30 and 10.00am not too much traffic until we get to Olympia itself. In fact we managed to park in the exhibition car park and walk in. A helpful exhibitor gave us one ticket and so, with Daniel as an additional child for £1.50, I entered free! A long mornings walk around the main hall, seeing dinghies and runabouts and the occasional cruiser. At 12.00am we saw the Marines Flag Ceremony at 6 bells, and also the display to ‘Man the Mast’ with the Button Boy or top man sliding down afterwards to the Admiral to receive an inscribed tankard and tot of rum. Then downstairs to the Canal Boat restaurant and after to the Skipper stand to order our new ‘Blue Peter’ dinghy.

It can be used as a row boat, outboard powered craft, or as a first time stable sailing dinghy. We order a blue version with the accessories for all three pursuits! Then upstairs to the chandlers and small displays, where I am attracted to the hand and traditional build clinker day boats and some fibreglass runabouts that are much more practicable. After refreshment we set off at 3.00pm and, after some confusion over directions, cleared London before the rush hour. At Hatfield they are progressing well with the road widening and tunnel underpass that will be open next Spring. The ice and snow is now clearing in a slow thaw, but night frosts still make the paths tricky. Home just before 5.00pm and Diana has already put 11 of the 13 ducks away. I manage a 12th before spending a bit of time at my desk and using Prestel. I take home a bunch of computer journals and read them until tea. I finish most of them and, washing my hair in the meantime, set off for Cambridge and the SDP meeting. I find the hall reasonably well and sit with what proves to be the Liberal observer delegation. I am disappointed to find that Bill Rogers is not coming, having had to  take a Robin Day ‘Question Time’ appearance over from a sick Roy Jenkins. Also the hall is without heating and there would be no coffee served as well. A lively meeting with the Area National Committee Representative putting the case for adhering to national rules against joint open selection of the Cambridge areas three Alliance parliamentary candidates. Also the Chairman and Secretary of the Area Committee urging a rejection of this line and a separate deal with the Liberals, which would be a virtual rebellion. The meeting’s delegates then spoke and were in obvious support of the JOS, but were increasingly worried about plans for an immediate postal ballot before further negotiations could take place. The effect would be to fuel a public row that could affect Alliance credibility. I too wanted to speak, but couldn’t, and the meeting ended in dis-humour as the Chairman ruled out any motions or delay on the ballot. Home late and to bed later after scanning the Prestel news and drinking Bournvita. The stock exchange slightly down today. Many die in a Putney gas explosion.