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Act I- Strange Bedfellows.
3rd March 1974, 10 Downing Street

Edward Heath and Jeremy Thorpe sat facing each other across the Cabinet Table. There was no-one else in there and the atmosphere was one of some tension which was understandable given the situation, a situation which given normal circumstances would have been unthinkable.

However for Heath events had become unthinkable. He had called the election on the 7th of February adamant that he would return as Prime Minister with a fresh mandate to deal with as he saw it the issues affecting the country.

He sat there bemused and angry. He had made history as the Prime Minister who had achieved his lifelong dream and took the country into Europe. He had formed what he thought was a reasonable control with the trade unions by overseeing the Industrial Relations Act.

He had done these things and he was expectant of the thanks of a jubilant nation.

And yet...he was in the cabinet room facing a man who up until a few days ago he had thought as an irritant. Now this was the man on whom his political future depended.

“Jeremy” smiled Heath stiffly. “I have asked you here because I feel you and I can come to an arrangement over the future government of this country”

Thorpe listened intently while thinking deeply. This was a moment that he had wanted for a long time. He had always believed that a moderate centrist movement was the answer to the country’s woe. But this wasn’t the man he wanted to do business with. Given the choice he would have dealt with Wilson. But it wasn’t Wilson across from him.

Heath went on:

“Now I have discussed with my colleagues what I believe to be the best way forward and this document details our proposals.”

Heath passed a piece of paper across the table to Thorpe. Thorpe picked it up and read it. He looked up at Heath and said:

“Prime Minister, I feel I have been invited here under some misapprehension”

“Oh, why is that then?” replied Heath somewhat taken back by Thorpe’s initial reaction.

“You said you and I can come to some kind of arrangement. It seems that your notion of ‘arrangement’ is very different to mine. I came here to discuss the possibility of something more concrete”

“What do you mean?” queried Heath.

Thorpe took a piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to Heath.

“My proposals”

Heath scanned the sheet and his face stiffened.

“ A full blown coalition?”

Thorpe nodded.

Heath read on

“2 seats on the cabinet and electoral reform...Mr Thorpe, are you joking?”

“Prime Minister, I don’t find anything funny about my proposals. Although I have to say your proposals are somewhat humourous. A cross party consultation group on mutual matters and no Liberal representation in cabinet. It seems to me that you are asking my party to be voting fodder for a Conservative minority government”

“Mr Thorpe. I know that this country is in a dire state and it needs strong government to deal with our various crisis…”

Thorpe interrupted

“Crisis that your government have created and crisis that have led to this and now you’re asking us to betray our voters and our principals just to keep your damaged government alive.

Heath look askance at Thorpe but he went on.

“Prime Minister. You are in a delicate position. There is just one thing standing between your continued premiership and Wilson coming back and that is the Liberal party. You need us...we don’t need you”
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