Looking Back - Sir Alec Douglas-Home Steps Down

On this day in 1965, the leader of the Opposition, Alec Douglas-Home, surprised colleagues by resigning from his post. The former Conservative Prime Minister made the announcement at a news conference at Conservative Central Office, London.

Some Conservative MPs blamed press criticism for their leader's sudden departure after less than two years in office. Sir Alec said he made the decision after spending the weekend at one of his homes in Scotland.

Sir Alec implemented a new selection procedure after the discontent following his appointment by the retiring Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan, in 1963. When interviewed, Sir Alec would not name his preferred choice to succeed him, saying he would serve the Conservative Party in any capacity required by the new leader.

Edward Heath went on to win the leadership contest, with the full backing of Sir Alec Douglas-Home.

Sir Alec served as shadow foreign secretary for Mr Heath until the Conservatives won the 1970 general election. Sir Alec left the Commons in October 1974 and was given a life peerage taking the title of Baron Home of the Hirsel. He remained a prominent figure in the House of Lords until his death in October 1995.

Footnote

Is it just me! Or does Sir Alec Douglas-Home resemble the advertising character Alexander Meerkat? Take a look at the picture on the right. What do you think?

Cat Nap

Poem - Death In Leamington (John Betjeman)

This weeks Betjamen poem is called Death in Leamington, a simple tale of a well-to-do lady in Leamington Spa who has quietly passed away in her bed. She is discovered by her nurse whilst bringing her afternoon tea. The calm reaction of the nurse reminds us of the acceptance of the inevitabilty of death.

Death in Leamington

She died in the upstairs bedroom
By the light of the ev'ning star
That shone through the plate glass window
From over Leamington Spa.

Beside her the lonely crochet
Lay patiently and unstirred,
But the fingers that have worked it
Were dead as the spoken word.

And Nurse came in with the tea-things
Breast high 'mid the stands and chairs -
But Nurse was alone with her own little soul,
And the things were alone with theirs.

She bolted the big round window,
She let the blinds unroll,
She set a match to the mantle,
She covered the fire with coal.

And "Tea!" she said in a tiny voice
"Wake up! It's nearly five."
Oh! Chintzy, chintzy cheeriness,
Half dead and half alive.

Do you know that the stucco is peeling?
Do you know that the heart will stop?
From those yellow Italianate arches
Do you hear the plaster drop.

Nurse looked at the silent bedstead,
At the gray, decaying face,
As the calm of a Leamington ev'ning
Drifted into the place.

She moved the table of bottles
Away from the bed to the wall;
And tiptoeing gently over the stairs
Turned down the gas in the hall.

John Betjeman
From The Illustrated Poems of John Betjamen

Invisibles

Brainteaser

Here is a tricky little riddle for you to solve. By studying the clues can you work out what is being spoken about?

I am very easily missed

And often overlooked

I come to some people

Others must search

Once you find me you must take advantage

For I may be gone before you know

WHAT AM I?

***

The answer will appear in tomorrows Journal!