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The problem is,' he continued, 'there's a view around that this is not just a passing phase. If we are to win yet another election, we will have to show plenty of vigour and life otherwise the electorate will want a change simply out of boredom. Quite a few of our backbenchers in marginal seats are already beginning to get nervous, and with a majority of just 24 we may not have as much time as we would like. A few lost by-elections and we could be forced into an early election.7
He took another sip of whisky, cupping his hands around the tumbler as if to draw reassurance for his difficult task from the warm, peaty liquid.
I'll come to the point, Patrick. I've been asked as Chief Whip...' - notice the formality, nothing personal in this, old chap - '... by one or two of our senior colleagues to take some gentle soundings about how deep the problem actually goes. In short, Patrick, and you will appreciate this is not easy...' - it never is, but it never seems to stop or even slow the inevitable thrust - '... I've been asked to find out how much trouble you personally think we are in. Is Henry any longer the right leader for us?' He took a deep draught and settled back in his chair.
The silence settled around the Foreign Secretary, impaling him on the point of the question. It took him more than a minute to respond. A pipe appeared out of his pocket, followed by a tobacco pouch and a box of Swan Vestas. He patiently filled the bowl, tamping down the fresh tobacco with his thumb, and took out a match. The striking of the match seemed very loud in the silence, and Urquhart shifted uneasily in his chair. Smoke began to rise from around Woolton as he drew on the pipe stem, until the sweet smelling tobacco was well alight and his face was almost hidden from view by a clinging blue fog. He waved his hand to disperse it and through the clearing air he looked directly at Urquhart, and chuckled. -
'You'll have to forgive me, Francis. Four years in the Foreign Office has not prepared me particularly well for handling direct questions like that. Maybe I'm not used any more to people coming straight to the point. I hope you will forgive me if I struggle a little to match your bluntness.'
This was nonsense, of course. Woolton was renowned for his direct, often combative political style which had found an uneasy home in the Foreign Office. He was simply playing for time, collecting his thoughts.
'Let's try to put aside any subjective views...' - he blew another enormous cloud of smoke to hide the patent insincerity of the remark-'... and analyse the problem like a civil service position paper.'
Urquhart continued to look strained and nervous, but smiled inwardly. He knew Woolton's personal views, and so he already knew the conclusion at which their hypothetical civil servant was going to arrive.
'First, have we really got a problem? Yes, and it's a serious one. My lads, back in Lancashire are hopping mad, we have a couple of local by-elections coming up which we are going to lose, and the polls are looking awful. I think it's right that you should be taking soundings.
'Second, is there a painless solution to the problem? Don't let us forget that Henry has led us successfully through our fourth election victory. He is the leader of the party which the voters supported. So it's not easy so soon after an election to contemplate a radical alteration to either the policies or the personalities with which we were elected.'
Woolton was by now obviously beginning to relish the analysis.
'Think it through. If there were any move to replace him - which is essentially what we are discussing...' — Urquhart contrived to look pained at Woolton's bluntness and once more examined the drink in his glass — '... it would be highly unsettling for the Party, while the Opposition would be rampant. It would, look like a messy palace coup and an act of desperation. What do they say? "Greater love hath no politician than he lay down the life of his friends to save his own"! We could never make it look like the response of a mature and confident political party, no matter how we tried to dress it up. It would take a new leader at least a year to repair the damage and glue together the cracks. So we should not fool ourselves that replacing Henry represents an easy option.
'Third, when all is said and done, can Henry find the solution to the problem himself? Well, you know my views on that I stood against him for the leadership when Margaret retired, and I have not changed my mind that his selection was a mistake.'
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