Part Two showed that the move would create massive unemployment in the Home Counties and East Anglia, with far fewer new jobs created in the north-east than would be lost in the south.
And then, in Part Three, which I read in bed tonight, there are pages and pages of objections on grounds of military strategy.
Tomorrow Ill question Humphrey about this further.
July 13th
At a meeting with Humphrey first thing this morning I questioned him closely about the MOD paper. Is it quite honest and accurate?
Humphrey was evasive. He said that everything is a matter of interpretation. And if we were to look at the conclusion of the report we would see that all of the objections to the scheme were known to the Employment Secretary before he produced his plan. He added one other rather telling point: that the whole plan may not be completely unconnected with the fact that Dudley represents a Newcastle constituency.
This had not escaped me either. [In which case, it is strange that Hacker had never mentioned it Ed.]
The public, I commented, has a right to know this.
Humphrey shook his head. Its a top secret document. I simply stared at him, and waited. On the other hand, he continued, the Service Chiefs are notorious for their indiscretion.
Notorious, I agreed.
It could well find its way into the hands of an irresponsible journalist.
Could it? I asked hopefully. Or several irresponsible journalists?
Humphrey felt that such an eventuality was not beyond the bounds of possibility.
I made it quite clear, however, that I could not be a party to anything like that, even though it would at least give the public the true facts. Humphrey agreed wholeheartedly that I could not be party to such a leak.
We agreed that we would defer discussion of the plan until an unspecified future date [i.e. abandon it Ed.], and that meanwhile Sir Humphrey would attend to the plumbing.
After he left, Bernard, who lacks subtlety sometimes, turned to me. Whens he going to leak it? he asked.
I was shocked. Did I ask for a leak?
Not in so many he hesitated. No, Prime Minister, you didnt.
Indeed not, Bernard, I replied stiffly. I have never leaked. I occasionally give confidential briefings to the press. That is all.
Bernard smiled. Thats another of those irregular verbs, isnt it? I give confidential briefings; you leak; he has been charged under Section 2a of the Official Secrets Act.
July 18th
Everything went like clockwork -- until today. Two days ago a story appeared in several newspapers, attributed to various non-attributable sources, effectively torpedoing Dudleys plan.
All the important points were covered -- the fact that the MOD cant make a profit on many of the valuable buildings in the London area; the fear of huge unemployment in the south without creating enough new jobs up north; and the military and strategic arguments against the plan. At least two of them ran the story reminding readers that Dudley himself represented a constituency in the north-east.
All of this was picked up by the TV news. [Television news in the 1980s hardly ever originated a news story Ed.]
But today it all came to a head. I was horrified when I saw the front page of The Guardian.
Employment secretary denies leaking
Dudley Belling alleges conspiracy
By David Tow
Dudley Belling, the Secretary of State for Employment, yesterday denied leaking the details of his plan last week, in which it was revealed that the Government was considering moving some of our military bases to centres of high unemployment.
Mr. Belling also claimed that the Cabinet supports his plan, including Prime Minsiter Jim Hacker. But the leak has caused a succession of other leaks and done considerable damage to his credibility and to his policy. Last night he spoke angrily to reporters and demanded a public enquiry.
The day began with Cabinet Committee. Humphrey and Bernard were waiting for me in the Cabinet Room. They wished me good morning. I told them it was not a good morning.
They knew anyway. Theyd read the papers.
Dudley has been answering back to the press about that new leak, I said.
Shocking, said Sir Humphrey.
Hes demanding a public equiry!
Shocking! he murmured again, with real feeling. Bernard was strangely silent.
Youd think hed know better, I went on. Anyway, leak enquiries never find the true source of the leak.
But we know the true source, Prime Minister, intervened Bernard. Just between ourselves. You asked us to
I quelled him with a look. Bernard, youre not saying I authorised this leak, I hope?
Bernard hesitated. No, I that is yes but I mean, I remember now. Sorry.
I had to be sure. What do you remember, Bernard?
Um -- whatever you want, Prime Minister.
What I want is to show the public that there are no divisions in the Cabinet.
But there are divisions, said Bernard.
I dont want to multiply them, I explained.
Prime Minister, if you multiply divisions you get back to where you started. I couldnt see what he was driving at. Undeterred, he continued to explain. If you divide four by two you get two and then if you multiply it you get back to four again. Unless, of course, you multiply different divisions, in which case
Thank you, Bernard, I said firmly. He is too literal-minded for this job. And we were in a hurry. The members of Committee would be arriving any minute and we had to consider our strategy. I explained my plan.
Humphrey, I want to keep the Employment Secretary in the Cabinet. And the Defence Secretary, Max. But I cant allow this row to go on any longer and I wont allow the Employment Secretary to be seen to defeat me -- I cant risk it. Therefore, we must see that his plan is stopped.
Humphrey stared thoughtfully at his shoes for a moment, then came up with a three-point plan.
I suggest you ask the Committee to agree to these three points: First, that they agree to accept Cabinets collective decision. Second, that there is a cooling-off period with no further discussion. And third, that all further speeches and press statements are cleared with the Cabinet Office.
Well, that seemed a pretty good plan to me. I instantly understood it. But when the meeting began Dudley immediately challenged the agenda.
Excuse me, Prime Minister on a point of order, I see that my plan for defence establishments relocation is not on the agenda.
I told him that was correct. He asked why. I explained that because of all the leaking thats been going on and the very damaging press consequences, the government looks divided.
It is divided, said Dudley.
Hes very dense sometimes. Thats why it mustnt look it, I explained. I added that its a very complex issue and that was why I was deferring consideration of it until a later date.
Dudley was baffled. I cant understand it. You were in favour of my plan last time.
I couldnt allow Dudley or anyone to make such a claim, even if it were true. No, I wasnt, I said. Perhaps I should have acknowledged that I had been in favour, even though I am now against it. But a simple denial seemed easier.
Dudley stared at me, as if I were lying. [Hacker was lying Ed.]
You were in favour of it, he repeated. And so was everyone except the Secretary of State for Defence.