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She gathered up the papers on Preston's desk and ripped them slowly in half before letting them flutter back into his lap.
'You can keep the words. But you don't own the truth. I'm not sure you would even recognise it. I still quit.' This time she slammed the door.
SUNDAY 14th NOVEMBER -MONDAY 15th NOVEMBER
Some two weeks earlier, immediately after the Telegraph had published the Landless opinion poll, Urquhart in his capacity as Chief Whip had written to all of his parliamentary colleagues on the weekly Whips7 circular which is sent to party MPs.
During the course of the leadership election, newspapers and opinion pollsters will undoubtedly be trying to obtain your view as to whom you are likely to support. I would encourage you not to cooperate, since at best the results of these surveys can only ' serve to disrupt the proper conduct of what is supposed to be a confidential ballot, and at worst will be used by the less responsible press to make mischief and subject our affairs to lurid headlines and comment. The best interests of the Party can only be served by discouraging such activity.
The majority of the Parliamentary Party was more than happy to cooperate, although it is a well established fact that at least a third of MPs are constitutionally incapable of keeping anything quiet, even state secrets.
As a result, the two opinion polls which appeared in the Sunday press following Mattie's abrupt departure from Preston's office were profoundly incomplete, leaving the pollsters scratching their heads at the Telegraph's earlier persuasiveness. Less than 40 per cent of the 337 Government MPs who constituted the electorate for the ballot had responded to the polling companies' pestering telephone calls, which gave the impression that the Parliamentary
Party was still a long way from making up its mind. Moreover, the small sample of those who had agreed to respond gave no clear indication as to the likely result. Samuel was ahead, but only narrowly and to a degree which the pollsters emphasised was 'not statistically significant'. Woolton, McKenzie and Earle followed in close order, with the four other declared candidates a little further behind.
The conclusions to be drawn from such insubstantial evidence were flimsy, but made excellent headlines, just four days before the close of nominations.
'Samuel slipping - early lead lost', roared the Mail on Sunday, while the Observer was scarcely less restrained in declaring 'Party in turmoil as poll reveals great uncertainty'.
Tlie inevitable result was a flurry of editorials hostile to the Party, criticising both the quality of the candidates and their campaigns. 'This country has a right to expect more of the governing Party than the undignified squabbling we have been subjected to in recent days and the lacklustre and uninspired manner in which it is deciding its fate,' the Sunday Express intoned. 'We may be witnessing a governing Party which is finally running out of steam, ideas and leadership after too long in power.'
The following day's edition of the Daily Telegraph was intended to resolve all that. Just three days before the close of nominations, it put aside convention and for the first time in its history ran its editorial on the front page. Its print run was increased and a copy was hand delivered to the London addresses of all Government MPs. No punches were pulled in its determination to make its views heard throughout the corridors of Westminster.
This paper has consistently supported the Government, not through blind prejudice but because we felt that they served the interests of the nation better than the alternatives. Throughout the Thatcher years our convictions were well supported by the progress which was made in restoring the economy to health and the inroads which began to be made in some of the more pressing social problems.
In recent months we began to feel that Henry Collingridge was not the best leader to write the next chapter, and we supported his decision to resign. However, there is now a grave danger that the lack of judgement being shown by all the present contenders for his job will threaten a return to the bad old ways of weakness and indecisiveness which we hoped had been left behind for good.
Instead of the steadying hand which we need oh the tiller in order to consolidate the economic and social advances of recent years, we have so far been offered a choice between youthful inexperience, environmental upheaval and injudicious outbursts bordering ' on racial intolerance.
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