Michael Heseltine gained over 150 votes and 16 more abstentions in the Tory leadership campaign to doom Thatcher
Michael Heseltine gained over 150 votes and 16 more abstentions in the Tory leadership campaign to doom Thatcher

An historic day following the Tory election unfold in Committee Room 12 at the House of Commons, where Michael Heseltine gained over 150 votes and 16 more abstentions to keep Thatcher down to just over 200, 4 short of an overall victory; after which both the protagonists publicly committed to continuing the dog-fight. Thank goodness that Thatcherism is on the way out.

For the rest of the time, on a significantly colder day than of late, I was sat at my desk working away on paying bills, preparing in-payments of received cheques etc, servicing book orders and generally catching up on paperwork. I also took Diana to St Neots to help her with some chores and then on to lunch at the Little Chef to cheer her up after we had heard from Kimbolton School about the interview and tests that Della has to take to get into the 7's entry next February.

Other news today is of British Rail being prosecuted for safety violations by the inspectorate for the Clapham Junction crash

I had a very busy day concentrating on my accounts and paperwork which was unexciting as an activity but very necessary. The excitement was all coming from the Conservative Party where the vote was taking place in Committee Room 12 at the House of Commons for the leadership of the party. However, this was to come to a climax later in the day. For the rest of the time I was sat at my desk working away on paying bills, preparing in-payments of received cheques etc, servicing book orders and generally catching up on paperwork. I also made and took telephone calls and matched up donors of firewood with unemployed and pensioner recipients.

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To make the confinement more tolerable, I lit a log fire in my office and this was good company. I was not there all of the time, as I first had to fill up the log baskets and tend the fish, doves and plants before I could get going. I was awake early and managed to do all this before breakfast. Then later, I took Diana to St Neots to help her with some chores and then on to lunch at the Little Chef to cheer her up. We had heard from Kimbolton School today about the interview and tests that Della has to take to get into the 7's entry next February and Diana was very apprehensive about it (as she once was for Daniel and Debbie). Also this afternoon, I went out into the garden and spent a couple of hours sweeping up leaves from the front lawn but only managed to clear a fraction of it whilst topping up the compost heap with two bulging sacks of wet leaves. I noticed that the weather was significantly colder today than of late.

I was back in my office and listening to the radio when the result of the Tory election was announced. Michael Heseltine had gained over 150 votes and 16 more abstentions to keep Thatcher down to just over 200, some 4 short of an overall victory in the first ballot which required a simple majority plus 15%. Thus a sizeable 45% of her parliamentary party refused to support her and her premiership has been badly damaged. I rushed to the television to see the drama unfold and she came strutting out of her European embassy in the middle of a live BBC TV news report to announce her entry into the second round ballot when most had expected her to consult with her senior colleagues. Then Michael Heseltine came in front of the TV cameras a few minutes later to announce his entry and the two protagonists were thus publicly committed to continuing the dog-fight to the evident distress of the rest of their party.

Neil Kinnock, as leader of the Labour opposition put down a motion of no confidence in the government and, together with Paddy Ashdown of the Liberal Democrats, called for a General Election to settle the issue of who leads the country. What a performance this was as the Tories all criticise their own leadership election rules, even though it is their own party that formulated and adopted them! I updated today's historic journal and then turned in to bed at the end of a remarkable day. From their point of view, it was a pity that the Tory leadership contenders had not slept on the matter before rushing into their next battle; but from the point of view of all else, thank goodness that Thatcherism is on the way out. Other news today is of British Rail being prosecuted for safety violations by the inspectorate for the Clapham Junction crash.