Iron Fist In A Velvet Glove?

August 1977
Michael Foot, Deputy Prime Minister and Leader Of The House of Commons felt an incredible sense of relief as Big Ben chimed 5 PM. The House had risen for the long summer recess and he felt he deserved it perhaps more than anyone.

His position as house leader had been a strenuous one since he took over in March 1976 but the last 6 months had been possibly the hardest of his career.

Not only was he responsible for getting the business of the Government through the house but he had taken on more responsibility as the chief Labour representative of the "Labour-Liberal Consultation Group"

The LLCG was the lynchpin of the agreement that had led to the Lib-Lab pact. In order to ensure the pact didn't collapse the group would meet every Thursday at noon in the Commons

Foot and Williams would sit across from Steel and Pardoe. Shirley had taken the place of Healey who in the first meeting had called Pardoe a "shit" and had stormed out.

The group meeting followed much the same pattern. Both parties had different ideas and both parties would argue and play gamesmanship but ultimately had the same effect of agreeing to disagree.

Foot was exasperated but knew that if the pact collapsed then the government would fall and the Tories would win the ensuing election. Both parties needed to keep together until at least the economy recovered enough.

So far things seemed to be working... [ /I]
 
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