First Among Equals (15 page)

On one subject
they found themselves in total accord. Ever since August 1969, when troops had
first been sent into Northern Ireland, Parliament had been having another of
its periodic bouts of trouble with the Irish question. In February of ‘71 the
House devoted a full day’s business to listen to members’ opinions in the
neverending effort to find a solution to the growing clash between Protestant
extremists and the IRA. The motion before the House was to allow emergency
powers to be renewed in the province.

Simon rose from
his seat on the front bench to deliver the opening speech for the Government,
and having completed his contribution, surprised members by leaving the
chamber.

It is
considered tactful for front-bench spokesmen on both sides of the House to
remain in their places when backbenchers make their contribution to a debate.
Several members began to comment when Simon hadn’t returned an hour later. When
he eventually came back, he only remained in his place for twenty minutes
before slipping out again. He even failed to be present for the beginning of
Jamie Sinclair’s windup speech, to which be was expected to make a rebuttal.

When Simon
eventually returned to the chamber and took his place on the front bench, an
elderly Labourite rose from his seat.

“On a point of order, Mr. Speaker.”

Jamie sat down
immediately and turned his head to listen to the point his colleague wanted to
make.

“Is it not a
tradition of this house, sir,” began the elder statesman rather ponderously,
“for a Minister of the Crown to have the courtesy to remain in his seat during
the debate in order that he may ascertain views other than his own?”

“That is not
strictly a point of order,” replied the Speaker above the cries of “Hear, hear”
from the Labour benches. Simon scribbled a quick note and hurriedly passed it
over the opposite bench to Jamie. On it was written a single sentence.

“I accept the
point my Right Honorable friend 123

makes,”
Sinclair began, “and would have complained myself had I not known that the
Honorable Gentleman, the member for Coventry Central, has spent most of the
afternoon in the hospital”-Sinclair paused to let the effect set in...”
where
his wife was in labor. I am rarely overwhelmed by the
argument of someone who hasn’t even heard my speech. But today may be the only
time this child is in labor”-the House began to laugh...”as I suspect the
Honorable Gentleman spent most of his afternoon converting his innocent infant
to the Conservative cause.”

Sinclair waited
for the laughter to subside. “For those members of the House who thrive on
statistics and data, it’s a girl, and she weighs seven pounds three ounces.”

Simon returned
to press his nose against the glass and to stare at his daughter once again.

He waved at her
but she took no notice. On each side of her crib were howling boys. Simon
smiled at the effect young Lucy was already having on the opposite sex.

T
HE CHIEF WHIP LOOKED AROUND at his colleagues, wondering which of
them would volunteer for such a thankless task,
A
hand
went up, and he was pleasantly surprised.

“Thank you,
Charles.”

Charles had
already warned Fiona that he was going to volunteer to be the whip responsible
for the issue that had most dominated the last election-Britain’s entry into
the Common Market. Everyone in the Chief Whip’s office real i7ed that it would
be the most demanding marathon of the entire Parliament, and there was an
audible sigh of relief when Charles volunteered.

“Not a job for
anyone with a rocky marriage,” he heard one whip whisper.

At least that’s
something I don’t have to worry about, thought Charles, but he made a note to
take home some flowers that night.

“Why is it the bill
everyone wanted to avoid?” asked Fiona as.ihe arranged the daffodils.

“Because many
of our side don’t necessarily back Edward Heath in his lifelong ambition to
take Britain into the Common Market,” said Charles, accepting a large brandy.

“Added to that
we have the problem of presenting a bill to curb the trade unions at the same
time, which may well prevent those in the Labour Party who support us from
voting with us on Europe. Because of this, the Prime Minister requires a
regular ‘state of play’ assessment on Europe even though legislation may not be
presented on the floor of the Commons for at least another year. He’ll want to
know periodically how many of our side are still against entry, and how many
from the Opposition we can rely on to break ranks when the crucial vote is
taken.”

“Perhaps I
should become a
member
of Parliament, and then at
least I could spent a little more time with YOU.”

“Especially if
on the Common Market issue you were a ‘don’t know.”‘

Although the
“Great Debate” was discussed by the media to the point of boredom, members were
nevertheless conscious that they were playing a part in history. And, because
of the unusual spectacle of the Whips’ not being in absolute control of the
voting procedure, the Commons sprang to life, an excitement building up over
the weeks and months of debate.

Charles
retained his usual task of watching over fifty members on all normal Government
bills, but because of the priority given to the issue of entry into Europe he
had been released from all other duties. He knew that this was his chance to
atone for his disastrous windingup speech on the economy, which he sensed his
colleagues had still not completely forgotten.

Not that it was
without risk. “I’m gambling everything on this one,” he told Fiona. “If we lose
the final vote I will be sentenced to the back benches for life.”

“And if we
win?”

“It will be
impossible to keep me off the front bench,” replied Charles.

“At last-I
think I’ve found it.”

After Raymond
heard the news, he took the train up to Leeds the following Friday. Joyce had
selected four houses for him to consider, but he had to agree with her that the
one in the Chapel Allerton area was exactly what they were looking for. It was
also by far the most expensive.

“Can we afford
it?” asked Joyce anxiously.

“Probably not.”

“I could go on
looking.”

“No, you’ve
found the fight house; now I’ll have to work out how we can pay for it, and I
think I may have come up with an idea.”

Joyce said
nothing, waiting for him to continue.

“We could sell
our place in Lansdowne Road.”

“But where
would we live when you’re in London?”

“I could rent a
small flat somewhere between the law courts and the Commons while you set up
our real home in Leeds.”

“But won’t you
get lonely?”

“Of course I
will,” said Raymond, trying to sound convincing. “But almost every member north
of Birmingham is parted from his wife during the week.

In any case,
you’ve always wanted to settle in Yorkshire, and this might be our best chance.
If my practice continues to grow, we can buy a second house in London at a
later date.”

Joyce looked
apprehensive.

“One added
bonus,” said Raymond.
“Your being here in Leeds will insure
that I never lose the seat.”

Joyce smiled.
She always felt reassured whenever Raymond showed the slightest need of her.

On Monday
morning Raymond put in a bid for the house in Chapel Aflerton before returning
to London. After a little bargaining over the phone during the week, he and the
owner settled on a price. By Thursday Raymond had put his Lansdowne Road house
on the market and was surprised by the amount the real estate agent thought it
would fetch.

All Raymond had
to do now was find
himself
a flat.

Simon sent a
note to Ronnie expressing his thanks for keeping him so well informed about what
was happening at Nethercote and Company. It had been eight months since he had
resigned from the board because of his appointment as a Minister, but Ronnie
still saw that the minutes of each meeting were mailed to him to study in his
free time. “Free time.” Simon had to laugh at the thought.

His overdraft
at the bank now stood at a little over seventy-two thousand pounds, but as
Ronnie intended the shares should be offered at five pounds each when they went
public, Simon felt there was still a fair leeway, as his personal holding
should realize some three hundred thousand pounds.

Elizabeth
warned him not to spend a penny of the profits until the money was safely in
the bank. He was thankful that she didn’t know the full extent of his
borrowing.

Over one of
their occasional lunches at the Ritz, Ronnie spelled out to Simon his plans for
the future of the company.

“Even though
the Tories are in, I think I’ll postpone going public for at least eighteen
months. This year’s profits are up again and next year’s look even more
promising. Nineteen seventy-three looks perfect.”

Simon looked
apprehensive and Ronnie responded quickly.

“If you have
any problems, Simon, I’ll be happy to take the shares off your hands at market
value. At least that way you would show a small profit.”

“No, no,” said
Simon. “I’ll hang in there now that I’ve waited this long.”

“Suit
yourself
,” said Ronnie. “Now, tell me, how are you enjoying
the Home Office?”

Simon put down
his knife and fork. “It’s the ministry most involved with people, so there’s a
new challenge at a personal level every day, although it can be depressing too.
Locking people up in prisons, banning immigrants and deporting harmless aliens
isn’t my idea of fun. Still, it is a privilege to work in one of the three
great offices of state.”

“I bet you do
Foreign Affairs and Exchequer before you’re through,” said Ronnie.
“And what about Ireland?”

“What about
Ireland?” said Simon, shrug-ging his shoulders.

“I would give
the North back to Eire,” said Ronnie, “or let them go independent and give them
a large cash incentive to do so. At the moment the whole exercise is money down
the drain.”

“We’re
discussing people,” said Simon, “not money.

“Ninety percent
of the voters would back me,” said Ronnie, lighting a cigar.

“Everyone
imagines ninety percent of the people support their views, until they stand for
election. The issue of Ireland is far too important to be glib about,” said
Simon. “As I said, we’re discussing people, eight million people, all of whom
have the same right to justice as you and 1. And as long as I work in the Home
Office, I intend to see that they get it.”

Ronnie remained
silent.

“I’m sorry,
Ronnie,” continued Simon.

“Too many
people have an easy solution to Ireland. If there was an easy solution, the
problem wouldn’t have lasted two hundred years.”

“Don’t be
sorry,” said Ronnie. “I’m so stupid, I’ve only just realized for the first time
why you’re in public office.”

“You’re a
typical self-made fascist,” said Simon, teasing his companion once again.

“Well, one
thing’s for sure. You won’t change my views on hanging. Your lot should bring
back the rope; the streets aren’t safe any longer.”

“For property developers like you, hoping for a quick killing?”

“How do you
feel about rape?” asked Raymond.

“I can’t see
that it’s relevant,” Stephanie Arnold replied.

“I think
they’ll go for me on it,” said Raymond.

“But why?”

“They’ll be
able to pin me in a corner, damage my character.”

“But where does
it get them? They can’t prove lack of consent.”

“Maybe, but they’ll
use it as background to prove the rest of the case.”

“Because a
person raped someone doesn’t prove he murdered her.”

Raymond and
Stephanie Arnold, who was new to chambers, continued discussing their first
case together on the way to the Old Bailey, and she left Raymond in no doubt
that she was delighted to be led by him. They were to appear together to defend
a laborer accused of the rape and murder of his stepdaughter.

“Open-and-shut
case, unfortunately,” said Raymond, “but we’re going to make the Crown prove
their argument beyond anyone’s doubt.”

When the case
stretched into a second week Raymond began to believe that thejury was so
gullible that he and Stephanie might even get their client off. Stephanie was
sure they would.

The day before
the judge’s instructions to the jury, Raymond invited Stephanie to dinner at
the House of Commons. That will make them turn their heads, he thought to
himself. They won’t have seen anything in a white shirt and black stockings
that looks like Stephanie for some time.

Stephanie
seemed flattered by the invitation, and Raymond noted that she was obviously
impressed when throughout the stodgy meal served in the strangers’ dining room,
former Cabinet Ministers came by to acknowledge him.

“How’s the new
flat?” she asked.

“Worked out
well,” replied Raymond. “I find the Barbican is convenient both for Parliament
and the law courts.”

“Does your wife
like it?” she asked, lighting a cigarette but not looking at him directly.

“She’s not in
town that much nowadays.

She spends most
of her time in
Leed”oesn’t care
much for London.”

The awkward
pause that followed was interrupted by the sudden loud clanging of bells.

“Are we on
fire?” said Stephanie, quickly stubbing out her cigarette.

“No,” said Raymond laughing, “just the ten o’clock division.
I have to leave you and vote. I’ll be back in about fifteen minutes.”

“Shall I order
coffee?”

“No, don’t
bother,” said Raymond. “Perhaps... perhaps you’d like to come back to the
Barbican? Then you can give me a verdict on my flat.”