Spending the credit of an 80 seat majority and strong approval ratings on enacting a bold but controversial agenda? Fair enough. Spaffing it all away on day trips to Barnard Castle for your SPAD? Not… (View Post)

Yes, that was definitely the advice at the time. I remember it clear as day. Sombre government ministers saying, "Do not leave home to visit your lover. Everything else is fine, though. Pop up t… (View Post)

Absolutely. Oppositions rarely genuinely want resignations, at least not quickly. They want it slow and drawn out, with the target horribly injured, thrashing around, and stinking the place out for d… (View Post)

A couple of interesting facts are that the first country to abolish capital punishment was Venezuela in 1863 (although it's a bit of a debatable point as it had fallen out of use in other places… (View Post)

I think I'm right in saying Thatcher was in favour of it and voted accordingly. It's not that surprising - it was a fairly seriously debated issue until deep into the 1980s (still is now in… (View Post)