Sir Patrick Cormack FSA

Conservative Party | Staffordshire South

House Magazine Diary

Friday 6th July 2007

 

I drove back to the country last night, after a meeting of the History of Parliament Trust Executive, as I have a very full day in the constituency. In the morning a series of meetings at the Council offices and then in the afternoon to Pattingham School where I meet the School Council, who quiz me on how many times I have met the Queen and what the new Prime Minister is like. We have a three tier system in this part of the constituency and these 9 year old councillors are remarkably poised for their age. The School has many awards for excellence. I have been visiting it for over thirty years now and always come away impressed.

 

Then it is back home for a quick change before going to the Express and Star offices in Wolverhampton to collect Boris Johnson, who has been visiting the university and the offices of the paper where his glittering career began. He is much taken by the copies of leading articles he wrote in the mid-eighties. Indeed he reads one to an admiring multitude at the South Staffordshire Conservative Association Annual Summer Supper later. We do not have a venue quite big enough in the constituency so we hold it in the Molineaux Suite at the Wolverhampton Wanderers football stadium.

 

He is the wonderfully irrepressible Boris and has the audience eating out of his hand. When I tell them he would make a splendid Mayor of London they cheer to the echo. Having done a circuit of the tables Boris departs for London, picnic supper in hand.

 

I auction a couple of bottles of whiskey, which I promise to get signed by the Party’s present and past leaders and make £850.

 

Saturday 7th July

 

A full and busy morning at the desk and then to Stone, one of Staffordshire’s most attractive small towns, for the annual meeting of the Staffordshire Historic Churches Trust, of which I am President. After the meeting one of our members, Canon Roger Williams, gives a fascinating talk on Staffordshire’s Stuart and Georgian churches. Then it is back home, to the deep south of our county.

 

Sunday 8th July

 

I am due to attend a service celebrating the South Staffordshire Food Fair and then to open the fair. The service has had to be cancelled and the Food Fair was nearly a casualty of the torrential rain last week but it goes ahead, in the grounds of Chillington Hall, one of Staffordshire’s most attractive historic houses. The Giffards, who came over with the Conqueror, settled here in 1178, though it is the third or fourth house on the site. After lunch I have a good journey back to London.

 

Monday 9th July

 

In by 7am to tackle a mountain of correspondence as I am anxious to leave as clear a desk as possible before going to Northern Ireland tomorrow. In the evening to Buckingham Palace for a delightful retirement party for Sir Robin Janvrin, the Queen’s Private Secretary, and then back to the House for dinner with friends.

 

Tuesday 10th July

 

Away from the flat by 8am to Heathrow. The Northern Ireland Affairs Committee’s remit has been somewhat reduced following the restoration of the Assembly and the power-sharing Executive. But we still have responsibility for policing and prisons, among other things and we are nearing the mid point of a major inquiry into the Prison Service. Today we go to Northern Ireland’s high security prison, Maghaberry where we are greeted by the Governor and many of his senior colleagues.

 

We split into groups and go round the prison, meeting both Loyalist and Republican prisoners in the separated blocks, and lifers and others in the non-separated part of the prison. It is bulging at the seams. Having been built to house around 450 it has a current population of almost twice that number. In the evening I host a dinner for some of the chairmen of the new Assembly committees and we have a spirited and constructive discussion. With a chairman from Sinn Fein on my left and Iris Robinson from the DUP on my right it is an evening I could not have envisaged when I first took up the chairmanship two years ago.

 

Wednesday 11th July.

 

We arrive at Hydebank Wood Young Offenders Institute at 9am and spend the whole morning visiting the Young Offenders Prison, talking to inmates and staff. We later visit parts of the women’s prison which is on the same site. After a late snatched lunch we go to the airport and as we get into Heathrow just before 5pm Christopher Fraser and I decide to do some canvassing in Ealing. We are struck by the vast number of posters, particularly in business premises and we have a good reception on the doorstep of an extremely long street. We call on virtually every house accompanied by a very able young prospective candidate from the Southeast. Afterwards we have a pleasant latish dinner sitting at an outside table at a restaurant in Ebury Street: a good way to end a very long day.

 

Thursday 12th July

 

A thoroughly fascinating meeting with Ratan Tata, of the Tata Corporation, discussing his role in the Tata Corporation and his views on India’s future as she celebrates 60 years of independence and looks towards the Centenary.

 

Then to the Chamber and further meetings. In the evening Jessica, my assistant, and I have a quiet supper at the Arts Club, which was kind enough to make me an Honorary Member last year. I go all too rarely.

 

Friday 13th July

 

Breakfast with David Linley to discuss the William Morris Craft Fellowships, of which I am chairman, and of which he has been a marvellous supporter, to talk about possible schemes to encourage more young people into the Crafts. Then I drive to Staffordshire for the counting of the votes.

 

In February the Executive Committee of the South Staffordshire Conservative Association decided not to endorse my reselection as Candidate for the next General Election. After an investigation by the Chairman of the Party into accusations of irregularities (certain people who should have been there said they had not received invitations and there were more votes cast than there were people present) the vote was declared null and void.

 

I was anxious to have a repeat secret postal ballot as soon as possible, conducted by Central Office but nothing happened for some time. Early in May a special general meeting was held, against the wishes and advice of the Party Chairman, at which the six vice presidents on the Executive were replaced by one. Other changes had taken place owing to the election of some new Branch Chairmen etc and late in May the chairman asked if I would now agree to a postal ballot of the new Executive. I readily did so. The ballot papers were duly despatched and people were given until yesterday to return them. There are 41 members of the Executive and the turnout was extremely high. The result: a tie.

 

There is, it seems, no chance of a casting vote being used to preserve the status quo as would be the case here and so now I must appeal to the 500 or so paid-up members of the Association. Because of the holiday season we must give them ample time to return their votes and so we are now faced with another two months of uncertainty.

 

Saturday 14th July

Several hours at the desk and then we drive to London, putting yesterday out of mind and concentrating on having a pleasant evening with our younger son, Richard, and his wife Lucinda and our youngest grandchildren.

 

Sunday 15th July

 

To my favourite London church, the Queen’s Chapel – Inigo Jones’ marvellous building next to Marlborough House. The service is always impeccably sung and the Prayer Book properly followed. We then walk up St James’s from our favourite chapel to our favourite haunt for lunchtime – the marvellous dining room at the Ritz where we talk about almost everything except about South Staffordshire Conservative politics and emerge, just as the Heavens open, feeling well-content.

 

Monday 16th July

 

In by 7am and at 8.30am a meeting with colleagues from the Magazine to discuss Wednesday’s awards ceremony. At lunchtime I present a petition at Number 10 against the closure of Staffordshire County Council’s Care Homes and Day Centres. The afternoon is spent in the Chamber and in the evening I give dinner to Dean Larry Poos of the Catholic University of America.

 

Tuesday 17th July

 

In by 7am and then to the Tate Gallery for a visit by the All-Party Arts and Heritage Group to the new hanging of the Turner watercolours – a magical hour of civilisation. Back to the House for more meetings and then in the afternoon, following a pleasant lunch in the Members Dining Room, my wife and I take my long serving and loyal constituency secretary and her husband to the Buckingham Palace Garden Party. Mercifully, it does not rain and we have a happy afternoon meeting friends and enjoying the splendours of the gardens and the playing of the band.

 

Wednesday 18th July

In by 7am and then to St Margaret’s for our monthly Communion after which I take my final seminar with this year’s Catholic University students. Then to the Chamber. Our new Prime Minister’s style is very different from his predecessor’s. He appears less at ease but doubtless that will change as he settles into the job. Afterwards a meeting with the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee and then in the evening to the House Magazine Awards Ceremony in the Gladstone Memorial Library. We have a difficult start because of votes in the House and have to delay proceedings for a good half hour. Some who have accepted the invitation to dinner do no show up, which is a disappointment. But we have a very good number there and a thoroughly convivial evening, with some sparkling speeches, especially from Ian Paisley, John Bercow, David Ramsbotham and Geoffrey Howe.

 

It is one of the evenings in the year to which I most look forward and most enjoy.