Page 64 (1/2)

“But the press are still predicting May Where are you getting your information?”

“Clarence, the PM’s driver, told me, didn’t he?”

“Then I’ll need to brief Griff i else?”

“The foreign secretary will announce thisdown from the cabinet after the election, whatever the result”

Giles didn’t respond while he considered Alf’s casually dropped bombshell If he could hold on to Bristol Docklands, and if Labour were to win the general election, he n Office Only problem: two ifs He allowed himself a wry smile

“Not bad, Alf, not bad at all,” he added as he opened his red box and began to look through his papers

He always enjoyed catching up with his opposite nu views in corridors, lifts, and bars where the realpolitik took place, rather than in the endless fors for which civil servants had already drafted thewas called to order

Alf swept through an unmarked entrance onto runway three at Heathrow and ca stairs that led up to the aircraft If Giles didn’t retain his seat in the cabinet after the election, he was going to e queues, check-in counters, passport control, security checks, long walks to the gate, and then an endless wait before you were finally told you could board the plane

Alf opened the backdoor and Giles cliet used to it, Harold Wilson had once warned him Only the Queen can afford to do that

Giles was the last passenger to board and the door was pulled closed as he took his seat in the front row, next to his permanent secretary

“Good , minister,” he said Not a h on the face of it, minister,” he continued, “this conference doesn’t look at all pro, there could be several opportunities for us to take advantage of”

“Such as?”

“The PM needs to know if Ulbricht is about to be replaced as general secretary If he is, they’ll be sending out snals and we need to find out who’s been chosen to replace him”

“Will it ets the job will still be phoning reverse charges to Moscow before he can take any decisions”

“While the foreign secretary,” the civil servant continued, ignoring the reood time for the UK to make another application to join the EEC”