PORTRAIT OF THE WEEK
The case for a coalition was again advanced by The Times and the Daily Mirror. Nobody in the world of politics seemed much interested, except Mr Duncan Sandys. Rumours swept through the City on Friday: there had been a major row between Mr Wilson and his Chancel- lor, both were going to resign, a new devalua- tion was imminent. Mr Crossman claimed that the City was inhabited by gnomes, and Mr Hefter, the left-wing backbencher, suggested that speculators should be arrested. Signor Rumor began to form a government in Italy.
Mr Powell suggested that Rhodesia had achieved de facto independence and should be recognised as a foreign country. Sir Alec Douglas-Home took the opposing view, and the Conservatives refused to distribute Mr Powell's speech. The Nigerian government pro- tested to Britain against Thursday's debate on foreign affairs, at which it was thought Biafra might be mentioned. The Archbishop of Can- terbury, Cardinal Heenan, the Moderator of the Free Church Federation and Prof A. I Ayer, President of the Humanists, all signed a letter pleading for an end to Britain's arms supply. Lord Shepherd went to Lagos, Mr Foley to Addis Ababa.
The Queen was said to be cutting down on her expenses, but London shops reported a record Christmas spending spree. Biggest sellers were toys, lingerie, scents and imported cuckoo clocks. In Belfast, Capt Terence O'Neill, the Ulster Prime Minister, appealed for demon- strators to keep off the streets, and was widely praised for his wisdom. Later, he sacked Mr Craig, his Home Affairs Minister, who imme- diately paraded the streets with a thousand Protestant supporters. Two girls, aged thirteen and eleven were accused of murdering two little boys, aged four and three, in Newcastle. A RSPCA leaflet criticising the Jewish Orthodox method of slaughtering animals was threatened with prosecution under the Race Relations Act, The MCC decided to continue playing cricket against South Africa. Dr Karl .Barth, the Swi theologian, died aged eighty-two. George For rest, Unionist MP for Mid-Ulster, died ag forty-six. His seat had always been a Sinn Fe' stronghold.
Mr Dubcek met Mr Brezhnev under cord' tions of the greatest secrecy in Kiev. Ill atmcisphere between them was later said to hat been cordial. Two Anterican destroyers steam around the Black Sea in protest against Russia naval activity in the Mediterranean. Amen' also announced troop exercises, involvi 15,500 men, near the Czechoslovak borde Mr Stewart rejected the Russian Note v‘hi accused Britain of aggravating relations tween the two countries after 'the invasion Czechoslovakia. The personnel department the West German foreign ministry announc that there were forty people on the staff needi psychiatric treatment: figures for our 0 Foreign and Commonwealth Office were available.
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