Another Spectator's Notebook
David Windlesham's elevation to the leadership of the House of Lords, while not entirely unexpected, still seemed unlikely. I thought he was the ideal man, but I have never been frightfully good at guessing what the Prime Minister is going to do in the way of new appointments. Windlesham is a man of exceptional charm, and considerable force of character. The odd thing about him is that, in spite of these gifts, he doesn't make a very deep public impression. Friends in Ulster are united in praise of his ability, but one said, nonetheless, that he was" the most self-effacing of Whitelaw's team." This may be because he has that most gracious and appealing of aristocratic gifts, the capacity to appear surprised at his good fortune, and amazed when he is valued at his true worth. He was an unexpected appointment in 1970, and when I first met him, shortly after the election, he said, "I really don't know why it should be me. I don't know anything about race relations and immigration" (his then charge). I handed him a huge file and, in a couple of days he had totally mastered it and was looking for more. Now that he is in the Cabinet he can be expected to range widely as well as, in his role as author of that remarkable book Communication and Political Power, offering Ted Heath some good advice on how to put one's political message across.
Elder statesman
I went to a dinner given the other night by Keith Raffan and the young men and women of PEST (Pressure for Economic and Social Toryism) for Harold Macmillan. At first I thought the former Prime Minister looked a trifle feeble, and he was using a heavy and handsome gnarled stick. But appearances were deceptive: he talked with all his old wit, and more than, a fair share of his old vision, obviously tremendously enjoying the youthful company, and striving to raise their eyes above the day-to-day sordidities of politics to look at the tremendous horizons he could see ahead.. Perhaps the nicest thing about the group was the way in which they appreciated and understood Macmillan, and joined in friendly if strenuous give and take with him. I have once or twice, admittedly in ignorance, made unkind remarks about PEST: I take them all back. The Tory Party is fortunate to have such an intellectually active group at their service, totally lacking that cant which characterises so many of modern youth, and effectively athletic in debate. These remarks may cause some displeasure among Bow Groupers, but that cannot be helped.
Labour unease
Things are less happy on the Labour side of the House.With Jim Callaghan now certain to depart for the International Monetary Fund, his place on the NEC !as Treasurer) must be filled. Through aol the difficulties of recent years, Big Jim has solidly held on to that post which gives him such weight and influence, now opposing, now supporting Harold Wilson — against the steadily rising conference vote of Norman Atkinson, the left-wing member for Tottenham. Hardly anyone can now l)e found who is confident that Atkinson can be beaten next time round; and that, in last week's computation of votes
on the economic policy document, would have meantone more supporter for the left, and one less for Wilson. Denis Healey, the Shadow Chancellor, seems highly unlikely to stand, knowing perfectly well that he has no chance of getting in. Tony Crosland, on the other hand, is clearly read to pick up the gauntlet, despite his own sorry record. of never having managed toget elected to the NEC. It looks like a very tricky situation, for any front-. bencher mauled by Atkinson could have his career prospects very seriously dented; and no Labour Shadow Chancellor or Chancellor could relish the prospect of a Party Treasurer like Norman Atkinson breathing down his beck.
Thought readers
Once upon a time, in the good old days before trendiness hit early morning radio, I used to enjoy listening to the 7.45 a.m. Godspot, ' Thought for the Day,' in which some cleric (it didn't matter much oft what doctrinal hue) spoke for a few minutes on some uplifting religious theme. It was a straightforward affair, gentle, appropriate to the time of the morning. Then the special effects boys got going, and we began to have an Easter Parade made out of this simple little thing. First, whoever is presenting the Today programme tells us solemnly that 'X' will he the reader, that the music will be 'Y', and that 'Z' will present the thought. 'Z' then does so; the music starts, the reader reads, 'Z' thinks, the reader reads again, and then more music. No wonder that that caustic pair Robert Robinson and John Timpson have taken to observing sarcastically that "Those taking part in 'Thought for the Day' are so-and-so and soand-so," thus implying by their inflections a cast of thousands, Soon, no doubt, it will be a
major production in glorious Technicolor, and the thought itself can be conveniently forgotten.
Economists talking
I went last week to a small party given by the Institute of Economic Affairs for Professor F. A. von Hayek, the great' philosopher of capitalism and freedom. Like Harold Macmillan, he was astonishingly energetic and full of vivacity for a man of his age. We sat round in a. circle and Ralph Harris, the Director of the. Institute, denied us drink until the questionand-answer session was over, thus ensuring that nobody would ramble (well, at least not too much). Though Hayek (and, by extension, the IEA) is regularly accused by the pseudointellectual left, in whose eyes he is a very devil, of espousing the harshest and most brutal form of right-wing economic doctrines, he is in fact exceptionally gentle and compassionate in his doctrines as well as in his personality. Too much so, I thought: for, discussing unemployment he and his LEA supporters seemed unwilling to (as is the sensible thing) blame its high incidence on trade union monopoly power; and they were also, in my brash view, far too anxious that any introduction of monetarist economic policy should be very gradual, for fear of its possibly evil social effects. It was refreshing to hear intelligent economists speak with a measure of caution about the prescriptions they wanted to offer for our ills.
It is gratifying to see that Hayek is appreciated among at least some of the young people in this country. The younger graduates of St Andrew's University have nominated him to succeed the late Duke of Hamilton as Chancellor. The establishment candidate is Lord Kilbrandon. Due to happy coincidence, Hayek is actually in Scotland this week for an orgy of' Adam Smith double centenary celebrations. I, at least, hope he wins the election, which takes place on June 30.
Palace and press
Poor old Ronald Allison, the Queen's ex-BBC Press Secretary, was pretty red in the face the other day when Princess Anne whisked Mark Phillip off in her little motor car during a trip to Germany, in spite of a stern Palace announcement that they were not going to meet, released to the press last Saturday. It seems more than likely that the Princess merely acted in her usual headstrong fashion, and forgot about the sweaty brows and shaking hands of the Queen's press staff. The incident would be amusing were it not for the fact that, over the whole question of this engagement, the press has learned, or is learning, simply that the Palace cannot be believed. The major lie, was, of course, that over, the romance itself, and whether it was on or not. It may be, of course, that the press brought the lies upon itself — as William Hardcastle suggested on TV on Sunday — bY. the way they harried the Princess and the lieutenant; but, one way or another, the whole business needs looking into, and some reasonable code of practice agreed by both sides.
p.C.
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