The Week
8Y what some found an interesting coincidence, the Bullock Report was published in the week that saw the highest unemployment figures since the War: an overall total of 1,448 million. The Bullock Committee recommended that there should be an equal number of trade union representatives and of shareholders' representatives on the hoards of public companies.
It was greeted with a storm of criticism and predictions that its implementation would mean further unemployment (except, Presumably, among trade union representatives). More to the point, there seemed little Possibility of the Government enacting the Proposals in the near future.
There was better financial news: a $1,500 Million 'Euroloan' to Britain was cleared, the stock market held its recent gains, and Minimum lending rate was cut threequarters of a point to 13f per cent. The clearing banks followed suit and lowered their interest rate a point to 13 per cent. Fleet Street had its own narcissistic topic of the moment with the tabloid re-launch of the putty Express. The Sun and the Daily Alirror both warned their readers to beware of imitations, but the Express claimed substantially increased sales. Sir Max Aitken was ordered by his doctors to take a long
rest.
The seemingly interminable negotiations. P. ver Rhodesia seemed at last to have definitively broken down. Mr Ivor Richard Continued to carry, if not throw, his considerable weight around. He made a broadast on Rhodesian radio which caused great Irritation, and not long after Mr Ian Smith rejected the latest British proposals.
Mr Anthony Crosland was much upset by this 'tragic decision' and darkly hinted that • would lead to a Cuban takeover in
Khodesia. In South Africa things were rtjereifully quieter, but the prospect of a Au/turkanip./. loomed as both the Catholic and Anglican churches announced that they were going to desegregate their schools. L . Mr Crosland also had European affairs on cnts hands. Herr Schmidt, the West German aneellor, visited London. According to 'le Times, it was a sign of his increasingly tnLtiMate friendship with Mr Crosland that ne two had taken a midnight swim together. th Mr Mondale, the new Vice-President of CE United States, arrived on his first visit to cittr°Pe, beginning with long talks at russels where he promised European co?Peration. President Giscard of France finished his visit to Saudi Arabia with loud sMutual protestations of esteem after a day Pent watching dromedary races. i After Mr Enoch Powell's latest speech on rnrnigration Mr John Ryman MP predict
ably called for him to 'be prosecuted. Much more surprisingly, the left-wing Labour MP and feminist Mrs Maureen Colquhoun said that people should start listening to Mr Powell, and that talk of prosecuting him was 'absolute rubbish.'
The `extreme moderate' Labour MP Mr Neville Sandelson beat off the Left within his constituency: his management committee voted 24-21 not to eject him. Mrs Shirley Williams started her cuts in earnest by announcing the closure of twenty-eight teacher training colleges. Mr Kenneth Robinson, a former Labour Minister of Transport, was appointed to be head of the Arts Council.
In Madrid severe rioting resulted in the death of one man and many injuries; General Quinlis was kidnapped and the trade unions called a strike in protest at 'rightist' violence. President Andreotti said that political violence had doubled in Italy over the course of a year.
The McKinsey 'management consultants' pronounced that the reorganisation of the National Health Service for which they had been largely responsible had proved a failure. Mr James Prior promised that the Tories would not outlaw the closed shop. The Post Office announced higher postal charges frdm April.
A report discovered that most British sixteen-year-olds were politically ignorant. A schoolteacher was sacked in Hertfordshire for teaching the literal truth of Genesis. Members of ASTMS--the union of Mr Clive Jenkins, a prominent member of the Bullock Committee—went on strike in Germany, closing Naafi clubs. Lunatics desecrated the grave ofJohn Peel in Cumberland. And in response to complaints from Muslims the King of Sweden changed his dog's name from Ali to Charlie.
Previous page
