Corridors . . .
PUZZLE SENDS HIS CONGRATULATIONS to Neil Marten, who has just been readopted as Tory candidate for Banbury. It seems there was a move among members of the local executive to dump Marten because of his antiMarket views. If that happened, said the redoubtable Neil, he would stand as an independent Tory. The executive met the day after the Lincoln by-election: only two members voted against him. MORE NEWS FROM the stately homes of England, and again from the good old Duke of Devonshire. Really, the lad's views get stranger and stranger. The Monday Club, whose views on Ulster were at the time perfectly in harmony with those of the Government, especially in regard to maintaining Ulster as a part of the UK sent him a circular setting out its views. He replied to one J. Walker, chairman of the Club's Ulster group, "In order that you may not waste your energy any further, I write to let you know that I am totally out of sympathy with the Mohday Club's attitude towards Ulster." Well, it's nice to know that the Duke will be able to retire when he wants to to Lismore Castle, his splendid property in the Republic of Ireland.
SAD, SAD, SAD for Reggie Maudling, who is, Puzzle hears, now deeply regretting his departure from the Government, especially when the Prime Minister had wanted him to stay on. Occasion of his expression of regret? The Lords debate on the Errol Report on licensing hours, the conclusion of which has now certainly killed the proposals made by Erroll for longer drinking hours. It had been Reggie's favourite Home Office reform.
SOMEBODY NOTICED THE other day that elegant and beautiful Mrs Sally Oppenheim, Tory member for Gloucester, was looking a trifle peaky. "She has been for sometime," said somebody else. "She's never been the same since Peggy Fenner was made a minister."
Tom Puzzle.
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