He was trapped. He couldnt say he disapproved of both the policy and the TV announcement. Its not up to Civil Servants to approve policy. He hesitated. I waited. But of course, he was not lost for words for very long. I er I think the policy, is, er, interesting imaginative stimulating. A most stimulating approach. Tremendously refreshing to have a new mind on the old problem, challenging old ideas, questioning the whole basis of government thinking for the past thirty years.
The implication was clear. If I was about to overturn all government thinking for the past thirty years, I must be a moronic idiot.
So I gave him the opportunity to express his opinion. You dont approve of the policy?
As usual, he was less than frank. Thats not true, Prime Minister. Its just that there are implications. Repercussions. Reverberations. Knock-on effects. We need time to sift and weight the evidence. Examine the options. Test the arguments. Review. Research. Consult.
I couldnt have been more helpful. I told Humphrey that he should press on with all those tasks, and, meanwhile, I would announce the policy on the broadcast.
No! he yelped. You cant. Not yet.
Why? I wanted to know. He still hadnt come up with a reason.
Well we have to tell the Americans.
Now I was angry. Suddenly Id had enough. Only last week, before I went to America, he advised me not to tell the Americans. Thats why I didnt do it while I was there. I faced him with this.
Ah he replied carefully, yes, but that was before your visit. It was the wrong moment to talk to them.
And after Ive got back, I enquired with heavy irony, is the right moment to talk to them?
He was defiant. Yes. But they will have grave objections. It will take many months of patient diplomacy. Delicate issues need sensitive handling.
I decided it was time to remind Humphrey who was boss. Humphrey, who has the last word about the government of Britain? The British Cabinet or the American President?
He sat back, crossed his legs, and considered the matter for a moment. Thats a fascinating question, Prime Minister. We often discuss it.
And what conclusion do you come to?
Well, he replied, I have to admit Im a bit of a heretic. I think its the British Cabinet. But I know Im in a minority.
I told Humphrey that I had news for him. From now on he is in the majority.
He was surprised. But you got on so well with the President. Hes right. I did. In fact, when we started our talks I read him my brief and he read me his, and then we decided it would be much quicker if we just swapped briefs and read them to ourselves. So we spent nearly all the time rubbishing the French. Terrific.
But now the honeymoons over. I told Humphrey in no uncertain terms that from now on Britain will be governed in the interests of the British and not the Americans.
Humphrey wouldnt accept this. Prime Minister, are you sure you can make that change without the approval of the Americans?
I brushed his objections aside. I told him we would start to assert our independence with my Grand Design.
Good, good, he said. He was very unhappy. Excellent -- but not yet! It is my duty to speak up for the legitimate constitutional interests of the Cabinet. Im their Secretary.
A ridiculous ploy. You dont have to do that, I pointed out. I appointed them. They are my government.
With respect, Prime Minister, they are Her Majestys Government. Now he was splitting hairs.
With all due respect, Humphrey, I said, putting him firmly in his place, I shall raise the policy formally with OPD [Overseas Policy and Defence Committee of the Cabinet] and then put it to Cabinet. Ive sounded most of them out privately. They think its a major contribution to the defence of this country, and, as such, very popular [i.e. a vote winner Ed.].
With great respect, Prime Minister, he was pulling no punches, its not just a matter for the Cabinet. You know it must be announced to the House first. You are still a House of Commons man.
I didnt need to be reminded of this. With the greatest respect, Humphrey, I replied nastily, Ill tell the House that same afternoon.
With the greatest possible respect, Prime Minister
I wont put up with that sort of insolence. You may regret that remark, I informed him abruptly.
February 10th
Today we did the rehearsal for my television appearance. A very difficult and slightly embarrassing day.
We started with me sitting at a desk, talking to the camera. The script was on one of those autocue things.
We got off to a fairly bad start. I started the speech. It was the usual drivel. So let us be abundantly clear about this. We cannot go on paying ourselves more than we earn. The rest of the world does not owe us a living. We must be prepared to make sacrifices. And so on. Clich after clich.
I demanded to be told who wrote this rubbish, and Bernard told me, in front of everybody, that I did. I couldnt believe it at first, but it turned out to be a rather old speech written when I was much less experienced.
Nonetheless, I had to explain that it wasnt drivel exactly (which Im afraid it was) but that I felt we should be rehearsing with the draft of my actual broadcast.
Bernard seemed reluctant, because it was only a draft. I couldnt see that it mattered, since we were only doing a practice. Bernard said that it was highly confidential as it referred to my Grand Design, cancelling Trident, reintroducing conscription and so forth. I still couldnt see a problem -- everyone in the room had been cleared.
So I insisted that they put the actual draft speech up on the autocue. I couldnt see why Bernard was being so unhelpful about it all.
Malcolm has found an ex-BBC producer called Godfrey Essex to advise me on the art of television. Very nice chap, I thought. Tall, slim, slightly grey, distinguished-looking with glasses -- very experienced, with a gentle intelligent manner and a bow tie. While they changed the autocue I asked him how I was doing. He was extremely encouraging and said that I was pretty good.
But he raised an interesting point. The first of many, actually. He asked me if Id be wearing my glasses.
I asked for his opinion.
Its up to you, he replied carefully. With them on you look authoritative and commanding. With them off you look honest and open. Which do you want?
This was the first of many imponderables upon which I had to decide. I hadnt known this sort of thing mattered. I told Godfrey that Id really like to look authoritative and honest.
Its one or the other, really, he said.
Suppose I thought for a moment, suppose I sort of put them on and take them off while I talk?
That just looks indecisive.
Well, I certainly dont want to look indecisive. That would be a travesty of the truth. I weighed up the pros and cons, unable to decide.
What about a monocle? suggested Bernard. I suppose it was one of his jokes.
I have left the decision about the glasses until the day of the recording.
The autocue was fixed, the new script in, and I began. Godfrey, Bernard, and Fiona -- a charming make-up lady -- all clustered around a monitor, watching me carefully. I felt as though I were a specimen under a microscope. It is a strange feeling, being watched so minutely.
I was pleased with the speech as it began. The Trident programme is too expensive. By cancelling it we shall release billions of pounds to fund an imaginative and radical attack on the nations problems.
Godfrey interrupted me. He told it was very good, but he clearly had something on his mind. Bernard tried to talk to me as well, but I told him to wait.
Godfrey said that I was leaning forward too much, and that this made me look as though I was selling insurance. Trying to urge the customers to sign.
I tried a variety of ways of sitting, leaning and looking. I could tell that Godfrey didnt totally approve of any of them. Bernard and Malcolm had been off in a corner, and came back with a slightly different version of the speech: We shall of course be reviewing a wide range of options over the whole field of government expenditure.