First Among Equals

The Prime Minister’s reiterated plea that a Government shouldn’t be judged on one month’s figures now sounded unconvincing, and by the final week the only point of contention was whether the Labour party would end up with a decent working majority.

Raymond woke up on the Friday morning after the election to be told by Joyce that the computer predictions indicated an overall majority of four seats. Together they toured the constituency that morning before joining Raymond’s parents for a late lunch. When they left the little butcher’s shop that afternoon there was a crowd of well-wishers awaiting them on the pavement who cheered them all the way to their car. Raymond and Joyce traveled down to London and were back in Cowley Street in time to watch the first Labour Prime Minister since 1979 emerge from Buckingham Palace with the television cameras following him all the way back until he took up residence at 10 Downing Street.

This time Raymond did not have long to wait for a telephone call because the first appointment the new Prime Minister confirmed was his Chancellor. Raymond and Joyce traveled to No. 11 later that afternoon, instructing estate agents to lease their Cowley Street house on a six-month let that might or might not be renewable. Joyce spent hours checking over her new home and replacing some of the objects she had inherited from Diana Brittan while Raymond called his team over from Transport House to prepare the Labour party’s first budget, and replace even more of what Leon Brittan had left behind.

After Raymond’s advisers returned to Transport House that night he started to go over the hundreds of letters and telegrams of congratulations that had been flooding in throughout the day. One from America made him particularly happy, and he returned his own best wishes to Mrs. Kate Wilberhoff.

Andrew had defeated Frank Boyle for a third time and the left-winger announced that he would not be standing again.

Andrew had also spent a weekend thanking all his helpers. When he returned to the Commons on the Monday morning he found a note awaiting him on the Members’ Letterboard.

Over lunch in the Members’ Dining Room David Owen informed him privately that he would not be seeking reelection as leader of the SDP: seven years had been quite enough. Although the party had slightly improved their position in the House he accepted that they now faced a five-year Parliament, and he wanted Andrew to take over.

As soon as Owen had issued an official press statement Geoffrey Parkhouse of the Glasgow Herald was the first to phone and ask Andrew, “When will you be announcing your bid for the SDP leadership?”

Leaving the Home Office came as a great blow to Charles. His period of time there had been so short that he felt he had achieved very little. The civil servants had procrastinated over all major decisions as they waited for another general election and a clear mandate. He informed Amanda over breakfast on the Monday after the election that he would be returning to Seymour’s Bank and that his salary would once again be sufficient for her allowance to remain constant—so long as she kept to her part of the bargain. Amanda nodded and left the breakfast table without comment just as Harry came in.

It was an important morning for Harry as he was to be taken to his first day of prep school at Hill House to begin the academic course mapped out for him by his father. Charles tried to convince him that it would be the start of a wonderful future, but Harry looked apprehensive. Once he had deposited a tearful eight-year-old with his first headmaster Charles continued on to the City, cheerful at the prospect of returning to the world of banking.

When he arrived at Seymour’s, he was met by Clive Reynolds’s secretary who immediately took him through to the boardroom and asked him if he would like a coffee.

“Thank you,” said Charles, taking off his gloves, placing his umbrella in the stand, and settling himself in the chairman’s seat a

t the head of the table. “And would you tell Mr. Reynolds I’m in?”

“Certainly,” said the secretary.

Clive Reynolds joined him a few moments later.

“Good morning, Mr. Seymour. How nice to see you again after such a long time,” he said, shaking Charles by the hand.

“Good morning, Clive. It’s nice to see you, too. First I must congratulate you on the manner in which you have conducted the bank’s affairs in my absence.”

“It’s kind of you to say so, Mr. Seymour.”

“I was particularly impressed by the Distillers takeover; that certainly took the City by surprise.”

“Yes, quite a coup, wasn’t it?” said Reynolds, smiling. “And there’s another one in the pipeline.”

“I shall look forward to hearing the details.”

“Well, I’m afraid it remains confidential at the moment,” said Clive, taking the seat beside him.

“Of course, but now I have returned I had better be briefed fairly soon.”

“I’m afraid shareholders cannot be briefed until we are certain the deals have been concluded. We can’t afford any rumors harming our chances, can we?”

“But I’m not an ordinary shareholder,” said Charles sharply. “I am returning as chairman of the bank.”

“No, Mr. Seymour,” said Reynolds quietly. “I am chairman of this bank.”

“Do you realize whom you are addressing?” said Charles.

“Yes, I think so. A former Foreign Secretary, a former Home Secretary, a former chairman of the bank, and a two percent shareholder.”

“But you are fully aware that the board agreed to have me back as chairman when the Conservatives went into Opposition,” Charles reminded him.

“The composition of the board has changed considerably since those days,” said Reynolds. “Perhaps you’ve been too busy running the rest of the world to notice minor comings and goings in Cheapside.”